860 PRACTICE O^ AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



might be perfotmed to as much advantage With one horse, a man, and a boy, who will do more work in a 

 day than half a dozen laborers can with a hoe. 



5403. The ordinary season for planting is spring, in February or March ; but if bedded 

 plants, or such as have been nursed for one summer in a garden are used, then by planting 

 in autumn some produce maybe had the succeeding year. But, according to the author 

 of The New Farmer's Calendar, " the time for planting is commonly that of dressing and 

 pruning the old vines when cuttings may be had, which is in March or April ; but when 

 root-sets are used, as on the occasion of grubbing up an old plantation, October to the 

 beginning of November. But at whatever period they are planted, great care should be 

 taken that the same sorts be planted together, as by this means there are advantages derived! 

 in their after-culture. " 



5'104. The j)lants or cuttings are procwed from the old stools ; each should have two 

 joints or eyes ; from the one which is placed in the ground, springs the root ; and from 

 the other the stalk, provineially the bind ; they should be made from the most healthy and 

 strong binds, each being cut to the length of five or six inches. Those to be nursed are 

 planted in rows a foot apart, and six inches asunder in a garden ; and the others at once 

 where they are to remain. 



5405. The mode of performing the operation of planting in Kent is as follows : the land having been pre- 

 viously cleaned and prepared, dung is laid on the field in small heaps near the places where it is proposed 

 to plant the hop slips or sets. These places are commonly marked off, by placing a number of stakes at 

 proper and regular distances ; that done, small pits are formed by taking out a spit or spade depth of earth ; 

 and the earth below being gently loosed, a certain quantity, about half a bushel, of dung is laid thereon ^ 

 then the earth that was formerly taken out is again replaced, and so much added as to form a small hillock. 

 On this hillock, five, six, or seven sets, procured from the roots or shoots of the old stock, are dibble<l in. 

 The plants are placed in a circular form towards the top of the hillock, and at the distance of five or six 

 inches from each other. They are made to incline towards the centre of the hillock, where another plant 

 is commonly placed. 



54G6. Another mode of planting is as follows : strike furrows with the plough equally distant, eight feet 

 asunder ; when finished, repeat the same across in the opposite direction, which will divide the piece into 

 eight-foot squares. The hills are to be made where the furrows cross each other, and the horse-hoe may 

 be admitted between the rows both ways. According to the Suffolk husbandry, the plantations are 

 formed into beds sixteen feet wide, by digging trenches about three feet wide, and two or three feet 

 deep; the earth that comes out being spread upon the beds, and the whole dug and levelled. Upon this 

 they, in March, form the holes six feet asunder every way, twelve inches diameter, and a spit deep, by 

 which three rows are formed on each bed. Into each hole they put about half a peck of very rotten dung, 

 or rich compost ; scatter earth upon it, and plant sets in each, drawing earth enough to them afterwards to 

 form something of a hillock. 



5407. An interval crop is generally taken the first summer of a hop plantation. Beans 

 are very generally grown, and Bannister is of opinion that two rows of beans may be 

 planted in each interval without any damage to the hops;, whether bedded sets or cuttings. 

 In the latter case, this method may be pursued the second year, at the end of which the 

 vine from the cuttings will not be in a forwarder state than that from the bedded sets in 

 the first autumn after planting. Others, however, think that neither beans, cabbage^ or 

 any other plants, except onions, should be put in. 



5408. The after-culture of the hop, besides the usual processes of hoeing, weeding, 

 stirring, and manuring, includes earthing-up, staking, and winter dressing. 



5409. Hoeing in hop plantations may always be performed by a horse implement, and one 

 in use for this purpose in the hop counties, is known by the name of hop-nidget, and of 

 which the expanding horse-hoe {fg. 308.) is an improvement; when the hop-stools are 

 formed in the angles of squares, the intervals may be hoed both lengthways and across, 

 and nothing is thus left to be performed by manual labor but pulling out any weeds 

 which may rise in the hills. 



5410. Stirring, in the hop districts, is chiefly performed in winter by a three-prong- 

 ed fotk ( provineially spud), but it might be equally well effected then or at any season of 

 the year by the common plough, and the expanding horse hoe, set with coulters or prongs. 

 With the use of the latter implement the soil might be stirred to any desirable depth, either 

 in summer or winter ; and by the use of the plough, the surface could be changed at 

 discretion. Once going and returning would effect this, either by the paring or ^learing 

 Out ; that is, forming either a ridglet, or gutter between the rows, both lengthways and 

 across. Twice or thrice going in the same diteetion would also succeed, and would be 

 the preferable mode of covering in manure. 



5411. In the application of manure, various modes are adopted. Some always use 

 well rotten stable dung; others composts of earth and dung; and a few, littery dung. 

 In laying it on, many prefer the autumn to the spring, and heap it on the hills without 

 putting any between the rows. Others put it all between the rows, alleging that laying 

 it on the hills encourages insects, exposes the dung to evaporation and loss, and some- 

 times, when mixed with earth, hinders the plants from coming up. A great deal will be 

 found in favor and agaiflst each of these modes, in the numerous works on the cul- 

 ture of the hop, which have been written during three centuries ; but it must be obvious 

 to any person generally conversant with vegetable culture, that well-rotted stable dung 

 must be the best kind for use ; and early in spring the best season for laying it on ; that 

 little benefit can be derived by the roots when it is laid on the hills, and conseqtintly 



