238 Cultivation of Arable Land.-~-Hops-~~ Plantations of, 



land is of the boggy kind and much inclined to moifture,* This is that of forming 

 the plantations into a fort of beds about fixtcen feet in width, by digging out 

 trenches three feet in width, and from two to two and a half in depth, fpreading 

 the earth thus removed evenly over the beds previou fly prepared. On thefe thefets 

 are put in, after the holes have been made a fpit in depth, twelve inches in diameter, 

 and fix feet apart in each direction, fo as to admit three rows on each bed, in the 

 Jame manner as in the other methods. The plants in this mode are poled in the 

 courfeof about three weeks with old ihort poles, to each of which two or more of the 

 binds are tied ; the land being afterwards kept in order by hoeing and raking. 

 The operation of hilling is performed in the latter end cf June or beginning of 

 July. This appears, however, a tedious and expenfive plant without its pofiefllng 

 any fuperiority except that of rendering the lands fomewhat more dry. 



It is the cuftom with fome planters to cultivate other forts of crops at the fame 

 rime with the hops, as common beans, cabbages, French beans, and onions j but 

 this is a practice by no means to be recommended, as much injury may be done 

 by their crowding the plants, and preventing the free admiflion of air, light, and 

 fun to them, efpecially thofe that arc of tall growth. The onion is the lead 

 objectionable, as not rifing to any great height, and being capable of being fownat 

 the time the fcts are planted out. 



Jt is feldom advifable to take any produce the firft year, as where this is 

 attempted mrch injury is frequently done to the future produce of the plantations. 

 In the Suffolk method of planting, a produce of three, four, and even five hundred 

 weight of hops is fometimes however afforded the firft year.f And where bedded 

 or root fets are made ufe of, a fmall crop may be afforded the firft feafon, as the 

 plants or binds will be nearly as forward at that time, as thofe from cuttings are in 

 the fee nd feafon^ 



Where hop-plantations have been carefully formed in thefe methods, and the 

 land is perfectly fuitable to the growth of the plants, they will continue to bear 

 well for twenty years or more, care being only taken to fupply the defects that 

 may occur in particular hills from the deftruction of plants. But though this 

 fort of plantation may be continued in the above manner, it is fuggefted as a more 

 advifable prac i:e, in many inftances, to renew them at much fhorter diftances of 

 time, or even to keep renewing particular parts occasionally as may be necefTary. 

 And in order to render them the mod prrductive, whether they are managed by 

 the plough, the fpade, or the hoe, the ground in the intervals fhould be well ftirred 



* Correfted Agricultural Report of Suffolk. tlbid. J Synopfis of Hulbandry, 



