35 



obtained from that town ; and shall treat the subject of the 

 cultivation of them more at large in my report on Middlesex. 



For hops, the land is prepared as for corn. The cost 

 of planting an acre of hops is one dollar. For poling an 

 acre of hops, one thousand six hundred poles will be required, 

 which cost two dollars per hundred. These poles, gener- 

 ally of cedar or spruce, will last with care four years. The 

 expense of setting the poles each year, is two dollars. To keep 

 the stock good, the cost of poles and setting will be twelve 

 dollars per year. Four loads of manure are annually required 

 to maintain the land in good condition. 



The expenses of cultivating an acre of hops in Northfield 

 are given me as follows : 



Expense of cultivating an acre of Hops. 



Expense of poles, and setting each year, 

 Planting, $1 00 ; tying up, $1 00, ... 



Hoeing 3 times, $4 50, 



Four loads of manure yearly to the acre. 

 Picking hops per acre, $7 00 ; board of laborers, $1 50, 

 Man to tend the pickers, $7 00, .... 

 Kiln-drying and bagging per 100 lbs. $1 00, say . 

 Bale, 45 cents, (3 gunny bags make a bale,) 



Expense per acre, $45 45 



A bale of hops weighs on an average, 400 lbs. Cost of in- 

 spection is 10 cents per 100 lbs. In New York this is paid by 

 the grower ; in Massachusetts by the buyer. 



One hundred bushels of coal are required to dry 2000 lbs. of 

 hops. The coal in this case, costs 7 dollars per 100 bushels 

 at the pit. Hard-wood coal is moch preferred. 



In the case above detailed, the farmer estimated his crop at 

 700 lbs. to the acre. He has sometimes raised 1000 lbs. and 

 1500 lbs. to the acre. 



