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ciency is abated, when it is deemed most necessary in the for- 

 mation of the burr. When the manure is applied to the hill 

 the worms are more likely to injure the plant. 



The ground should be ploughed and hoed, and be kept free 

 from weeds, but the roots and fibres of the plant should not be 

 disturbed after the blossoming commences. Frequent attention 

 is requisite to keep the vines to the poles. The time of begin- 

 ning to pick usually varies a few days. There are not more 

 than fifteen days at most in a season, when hops are in a fit 

 condition to be gathered. This is generally from the 1st to the 

 15th of September. Many are in the habit of picking before 

 the burr is fully ripe, to great loss both in quality and weight. 

 Hops should be picked free from stems and leaves ; and de- 

 cayed and bruised hops should be separated from the good. — 

 Some of the best cultivators place the poles over a box and 

 carefully pick off all the decayed, bruised or inferior qualities ; 

 then pass the pole to another box, where the best qualities are 

 picked. Hops should not be gathered when wet with dew or 

 rain ; and green hops, if left in the boxes after being picked five 

 or six hours in any considerable quantities are liable to be heat- 

 ed, which should be guarded against. The forenoon's picking 

 should be put on the kiln at noon ; the afternoon's picking at 

 evening. 



The kilns in common use are built with sides of common 

 rough stone, about twelve feet square ; the inside is filled in at 

 the bottom to about three feet square, forming an inverted 

 cone ; the walls are about seven or eight feet high ; some joists 

 and lathes are placed across the top, over which a thin cloth is 

 stretched, and upon this cloth the hops are placed to dry. On 

 the front side, at bottom, is a flue to put the fire in. For fuel, 

 well-charred coal is to be used. It is said that a furnace has 

 lately been constructed for using wood, with a flue to carry off 

 the smoke, which promises well. 



Much attention is required to keep the degree of heat regu- 

 lar, in order to evaporate the watery fluid ; this may be ascer- 

 tamed by occasionally placing the hand on the cloth under the 



