146 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



HOP. 



French, Houblon. German, Hopfen. Spanish, Hombrecillo. 



The hop is a wild perennial plant, whose usefulness has in- 

 troduced it into every garden. It forms a pleasant summer 

 shade when a few strings or rods are laid for it to run upon ; 

 or it may be planted by a tall single pole, up which it will 

 run rapidly, always throwing to the surface its clustered stro- 

 bil-formed inflorescence, which is known to us as hops. 



They should be carefully gathered and dried before frost 

 touches them. 



In household economy they are used for making yeast, 

 "turnpike," etc., etc. Scalded and applied in flannel as a 

 poultice or fomentation, they constitute an excellent anodyne, 

 and in the form of hop-tea are one of the best of tonics. 



In making new plantings, choose the young white runners 

 in preference to the brown old growth, and small rather than 

 large roots, and only from fertile plants. See page 74. 



The green leaves of the peach-tree are sometimes substi- 

 tuted for the hop in making yeast, though, from their poison- 

 ous character, it would seem scarcely safe to use them for such 

 a purpose. The scaly ament, or " hop" of the Ptelea Trifolia- 

 ta, a wild tree, or, rather, large shrub, sometimes called the 

 " hop-tree," is also used for this purpose in the ordinary man- 

 ner of hops, and by some is thought to be of superior strength. 



HORSERADISH. 



French, Le Grand Raifort. German, Merrettig. Spanish, Rabano. 



Horseradish is commonly raised either from the crowns of 

 plants or from pieces of the root an inch or two long. These 

 should be planted in rich and rather moist soil as early as pos- 

 sible in the spring, from twelve to fifteen inches deep, in rows 

 two feet wide, and from six to ten inches apart in the row. 

 Keep them clean and well hoed, or plow and hoe until they 

 are well started, and they will soon obtain sucli possession of 

 the spot that it will be difficult to eradicate them. When- 

 ever the root is large enough it is fit for use. It may also be 

 raised from seed, but the mode above directed is preferable. 



