416 GOVERNMENT, LAWS, [PAKT II. 



only four hundred hills upon an acre; and yet 

 they grow three thousand pounds of hops upon 

 an acre, with no manure and with once plough 

 ing in the year. When I told them about the 

 price of hops in England and about the diffi 

 culty of raising them, they were greatly sur 

 prised; but, what was their astonishment, when 

 I told them about the hop-poles of CHALCRAFT 

 at Curbridge! The hop is naturally a weed in 

 England as well as in America. Two or three 

 vines had come up out of Chalcraft's gardeH 

 hedge, a few years ago. Chalcraft put poles to 

 them ; and, there might be a pound or two of hops 

 on these poles. Just before the time of gather 

 ing, one of the spies called Excisemen called on 

 Chalcraft and asked him why he did not enter 

 his hops. Chalcraft did not understand ; but, 

 answered, he meant to take them in shortly, 

 though he did not think they were yet quite 

 ripe. u Aye," said the Exciseman, " but I 

 " mean, when do you mean to enter them at 

 "the excise office? 39 Chalcraft did not know 

 (not living in a hop-country,) that he had already 

 incurred a penalty for not reporting to the ty 

 rants that he had hops growing in his garden 

 hedge! He did not know, that he could not 

 gather them and put them by without giving 

 notice, under a penalty of fifty pounds. He did 

 not know, that he could not receive this little gift 



