hop. t } 4;3 



Lord Bacon says, " The planting of hop- 

 yards is profitable for the planters, and con- 

 sequently for the kingdom." Mortimer ob- 

 serves, that in Kent they plant their hop- 

 gardens with apple-trees and cherry-trees 

 between. 



The grower of hops is obliged to keep 

 scales and weights for the use of the Excise ; 

 and to remove them before being weighed, 

 subjects him to severe penalties : they must 

 also be packed in bags called pockets, and 

 the weight, with the planter's name and 

 abode, marked on them, with the date of the 

 year in which the hops were grown : to alter 

 or obliterate this mark, subjects the offender 

 to a fine of ten pounds : by application to 

 the Excise, they are allowed to be packed in 

 casks under the same regulation. 



The cultivation of hops in this country is 

 nearly confined to the southern counties, of 

 which Kent is the principal ; although the 

 hops of Farnham in Surrey, bring the highest 

 price in the market, and next to them the 

 Sussex hops are generally esteemed ; the 

 former owe their superiority solely to the ex- 

 cellent mode of picking, and not to any phy- 

 sical advantages. The Worcester hops are 

 the mildest, and possess the peculiar pro- 



R 2 



