552 Cultivation of Arabic Land, Hdps~- Dif cafes ofB aJl. 



have been yet nicely inveftigated. They are found to happen at different periods 

 of the growth of the plants, but moft frequently in the more early ftages of their 

 rifing from the hills, while the nights are cold and frofty in the fpring months, and 

 the days have much fun and heat. The living powers of the plants being in thefc 

 cafes greatly exhaufted in the day-time by the ftimulus of heat, may of courfc be 

 much injured, or wholly deftroyed in the nights, from being expofed to a freezing 

 air, which is incapable of exciting the actions necefTary to the prefervation of ve 

 getable life. 



The Ihijl is likev/ife a difeafe that hop- crops are expofed to, efpecially in the 

 latter periods of their growth. This is in general fuppofed by planters to 

 depend upon or proceed from the particular ftate of the air or weather. It is more 

 probable however that it may be the efftct of lightning, as it occurs for the moft 

 part at thofc feafons when it is the moft prevalent, and takes place in a very fudden 

 manner. And befides, lightning is known to produce fimilar effects on plants, 

 by exhaufting their irritability, and thus rendering their vital actions incapable of 

 being excited by the ordinary powers that fupport them.* This is rendered ftjll 

 more probable from the practical fact, that the moft forward and moft luxuriant 

 binds are the moft fubject to be affected in this way. In expofures that are particular 

 ly liable to have the crops injured in this manner, it may be advifable to keep back 

 the growth of the plants as much as poffible, by extirpating all the moft forward 

 moots, as well as by employing a lefs proportion of the earthy compoft in their cul 

 ture. By having the plants to ftand at greater diftances than ufual from each 

 other, advantages may likewife probably be obtained. 



In the former of thefe two laft difeafes, the prefence of which is fuppofed to be 

 much connected with the prevalence of winds from the northern or eafterly quar 

 ters, there is frequently a fta produced of a fimilar kind to that which attacks the 

 binds in their early growth. This is highly prejudicial by preying upon the condition 

 of the hops, and thereby diminifhing their weight, and changing them to a brown 

 colour ; which is of much injury in their fale.f 



It is. the practice in fome diftricts for planters to fow turnips or fet cabbage 

 plants, or fome other fimilar crops, in the intervals of crops of this fort j but it is 

 an injudicious method, which fhould feldom or never be attempted, as the hops 

 may be greatly injured by being thus deprived of their due nourifliment and fup 

 port, as well as of the full aeration of the foil, which can only be effected by the 

 operations of frequently ftirring and turning over the particles of the mould j. 



* Danpin sPby tologia, f Synopfis of Husbandry. 



