Cultivation of Arable Land. Hops Picking of. 341 



part of the fummer. When fhort and flender poles have been put to hills where 

 the binds prove offtrongand vigorous growth, it may fomctimes repay the trouble 

 to have them removed, and others of a taller and flrong?r kind put down in their 

 Head. The benefit obtained by this pra-5Hce is often confiderable.* 



During the fummer, in the more early growth of the plants, the fuperfluous 

 binds of every kind mould be repeatedly removed as they prefent themfclves, 

 referving only one or two on each hill to fuply the places of fuch as may be 

 hurt in being trained to the poles at firft, as accidents of this nature often occur 

 in confequence of the tender buds being bruifed or rubbed off by the agitation of 

 the winds. 



This is the whole of the culture that is required till the feafon at which the hops 

 become ripe, and are ready to be picked, which is known by the fragrant fmell 

 which they emit, their becoming firm, and acquiring a brown colour. It is ufually 

 about the beginning or middle of September. 



Much care and circumfpection is necefTary in the performance of this bufinefs, 

 to fee that every thing proceeds with regularity and difpatch,as there is always 

 much danger from delay, the crops being equally expofed to injury from the winds 

 as continued rain. As a preparation for this bufinefs, bajkfts^ bins, or cribs, arc 

 procured or formed, in number proportionate to the extent of the plantation and 

 the pickers that are to be employed. The latter are conflructed by nailing four 

 or more pieces of boards on as many upright ports as frames fet into the ground. 

 When finimed, they are about feven or eight feet in length, three feet in breadth, 

 and about the fame in height. The apparatus being thus made ready, the hop-binds 

 are cut over clofe to the furface of the land by a perfon accuftomed to the work, 

 and the poles drawn up by a tool for the purpofe, which is termed a dog or pulling- 

 hook. They are then placed upon the frame with the bind upon them, moftly two, 

 but fometimes three, in order to be picked; three, four, or more pickers being em 

 ployed in clearing the binds of the hops on each fide of the different frames : thefe, 

 with the perfon engaged in forting the poles, are denominated a fet. Women and 

 children are frequently employed in this work. The hops, after being carefully 

 feparated from the leaves and binds, are dropped into a large cloth hung round on 

 tenter-hooks within, underneath the frame. When this has been filled, the hops 

 are put into a large fack, in order to their being taken home, to be dried on kiln* 

 for the purpofe. This mould always be performed as expeditioufiy as pofllble 

 after the hops have been picked, that they may not fuftain any injury by remain- 



* Kftnt b Hints. 

 VOL. II. I 1 



