MANURES FOR HOPS. 319 



Wool waste for instance, gives an extraordinary result up- 

 on this crop, and the effect is explained by the fact that 

 wool is rich in sulphur, and also in nitrogen, which is also 

 largely contained in this crop. 



Plaster (sulphate of lime) is also useful, as it supplies both 

 sulphuric acid and lime. But the main reliance for the 

 feeding of the crop is stable manure. This is one of the ob- 

 jectionable features of the business of growing special crops 

 like this, for unless the farmer makes some special and ade- 

 quate provision for the manure, by the w r ay of feeding some 

 purchased concentrated food with such coarse fodder as 

 he can grow, to his stock, the chances are great that the 

 rest of the farm may be deprived of its share of the man- 

 ure, and the special crop get a larger portion than can be 

 afforded. The careful farmer, who has the tact and skill 

 to grow these special crops successfully, and is tempted 

 thereto by the large amount of cash which they bring in, 

 will always have a certain amount of stock feeding in this 

 way above indicated, for the purpose of making an extra 

 quantity of manure which can be extended by the addition 

 of such other materials as can be composted with it. A well 

 made compost, in which stable manure; swamp muck (this 

 is especially valuable for this crop); wool waste; butchers 

 offal; tanners waste; such as hair and fleshings, with the 

 lime used in removing the hair, and if possible the ashes 

 from the burning of the tan bark; the sweepings of town 

 and village streets; night soil; and other similar matters, 

 are mixed, and well decomposed; furnishes an excellent 

 basis for the manuring of a hop field. The extra fertilizers 

 are gypsum and plaster; superphosphate of lime; dried flesh 

 and blood; the potash salts; and spent hops from breweries. 



This crop is often seriously damaged by mildew which 

 affects the leaves, and stops the growth of the plants; and 

 by the hop louse or aphis which entirely covers the plant 

 on the under side of the leaves, and ruins the crop. The 

 white grub, which eats the roots; and rust which sometimes 

 attacks the leaves, also damage the crop, and seriously re- 

 duce the profit of it. Hail, at times, batters the vines and 



