862 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



itself firm at the bottom ; thirdly, that the tops of the poles may stand in such a direction as to lean out- 

 wards from the hill, to prevent, as mucli as possible, the housing of the vine ; and lastly, to tread the 

 earth close to the pole with the foot. For want of regard to these particulars in the laborer, a moderate 

 blast of wind will loosen the poles, so as not only to occasion a (iouble expense, but the hazard of injuring 

 the future crop is very great, by tearing asunder the vine, which, from its great luxuriancy, will become 

 twisted together, or, as it is termed, housed at the extreme parts of the poles. 



5419. With respect to the species of woods proper for poles, it is suggested that they ap- 

 pear to prefer a rough soft bark, to one which is more smooth and poh"shed. An exr- 

 perienced grower particularises the maple, whose bark is peculiarly soft and warm ; 

 adding, that he has frequently observed, when the morning has been cold, the sensitive 

 leader of a tender fresh-poled vine reclining its head against the velvet bark of the maple, 

 while others held theirs aloof, from chilly smooth-barked poles. This is probably a 

 general law, or ordinance of nature, to climbing plants ; and may be essential to their 

 preservation, showing, in a palpable manner, the perception and strength of vegetable 

 instinct. 



5420. And in regard to the size of the pole, hops, likewise, it is well known, have their instinctive 

 choice or approbation, with respect to the thickness of their support ; embracing, with greater readi- 

 ness, a pole that is moderately small, than one which is thick at the bottom. The ordinary circum- 

 ference of poles, at tlie thickest end, may be set down at six to nine inches, tapering to the size of a 

 walking-cane at the top. And the length from fifteen to twenty feet, or upwards. Different grounds 

 require different lengths of pole. In the rich grounds, in the neighborhood of Maidstone, the poles of 

 grown hops stand, in general, from fourteen to sixteen feet above the hills, and have from eighteen inches 

 to two feet beneath the surface, But, on weaker lands, poles are not seen to rise more than ten to twelve 

 feet high. Hence, a variety of ground is convenient ; as the poles, by decaying at the roots, grow shorter, 

 and, in a course of years, get too short for strong vines, on rich land. They are, in this case, sold 

 and transferred to less productive lands, and vines of humbler growth. 



5421. New poles have sometimes the bark shaved off, under an idea that it saves them from the worm ; 

 while some men are of opinion, that there is a warmth in the bark, which is acceptable to the young 

 vines ; and although in two or three years the bark drops off', the surface of the wood has, by that time, 

 acquired a degree of softness. Whether a hard, smooth, polished pole, is unfriendly to the hop or not, to 

 peel the poles would evidently be improper, as promoting their decay. 



5422. Short light poles are usually pointed in hand, without other support. But the tall heavy pole 

 requires something to keep the top steady. This is simply had, by tying together three poles of equal 

 length, two or three feet froTn their tops ; and setting them up in the form of what are called triangles, 

 in use for loading timber on wheel-carriages. The top of the pole to be sharpened, being dropped in 

 between the points or horns of the triangles, receives the required stay ; a block being placed in a con- 

 venient situation below, to work upon. And this sort of work, whether on new or on old poles, is some- 

 times done before they are stacked, or set up in piles ; sometimes immediately before they are used. 

 JBut in pointing poles that have been used, the part which stood in the ground the preceding year is 

 struck off, if much tainted, and a fresh point given to the sound part. But, if the bottom part remain 

 firm, it is sharpened again for another season. 



5423. Ti/ing the shoots or vines to the poles is the last operation in the after or summer 

 culture of the hop. This requires the labor of a number of persons : women are generally 

 employed, who tie them in several different places with withered rushes, but so loosely as 

 not to prevent the vines from advancing in their progress towards the top of the poles. 

 When the vines have got to such a height as to be beyond reaching with the hand, 

 proper persons go round, and, using standing ladders, tie ail the vines that appear inclined 

 to stray from the poles. 



5424. The season for this operation varies from the middle of May to the end of June, and one impor- 

 tant part of the operation consists in selecting the shoots. The forwardest vine should always be extir- 

 pated, as it is well known that the branches arising from these early shoots will produce little, if any fruit. 

 The second shoots, where the hills are not overloaded with plants, and where the ground is not of a 

 nature to send forth a very luxuriant vine, may with safety be tied up. But where the land is apt to push 

 forward a great redundancy of shoots, where the vine is always strong and vigorous, and where the failure 

 in the crop chiefly arises from this cause, the greatest prudence is necessary, at the season for tying, to 

 make choice of a proper vine ; especially in years which may be supposed to be attended with a blast ; 

 such as those wherein an easterly wind has prevailed throughout the month of March, whence one may 

 fairly conclude that the same weather will happen during the course on the month of May, which never 

 failsto bring the long-winged fiy. In such a season it would be well worth while to eradicate all the 

 vine which first appears, and trust to a latter shoot, so as to protract the tying till the last week 

 in May. This hint was taken from the observations made on the poor and thin" lands in such blasting 

 years where the vine is naturally backward, and seldom becomes fit for the tyers till towards the 

 latter end of May, when that on the forward ground will have advanced nearly to the tops of the poles, 

 and to an inattentive observer seems to promise fair for a crop ; whereas, to those who have been con- 

 versant in these matters, the loss of the crop, though the vine at that time be green and flourishing, 

 may be easily foreseen ; whilst on the poorer soils there is generally a saving crop even in years when the 

 blast is most prevalent. These considerations, he says, have suggested the protracting the growth of the 

 vine in the manner above-mentioned, which seems conformable to reason and experience. 



5425. Taking the crop is a most important operation in the hop economy. Hops are 

 known to be ready for pulling when they acquire a strong scent, and the seeds become 

 firm and of a brown color, which, in ordinary seasons, happens in the first or second 

 week of September. And when the pulling season arrives, the utmost assiduity is re- 

 quisite on the part of the planter, in order that the different operations may be carried on 

 with regularity and dispatch ; as the least neglect, in any department of the business, 

 proves in a gieat degree ruinous to the most abundant crop, especially in precarious 

 seasons. Gales of wilid at that season, by breaking the lateral branches, and bruising 

 the hops, prove nearly as injurious as a long continuance of rainy weather, which never 

 fails to spoil the color of the crop, and thereby render it less saleable. 



