Book VI. THE HOP. 



92.' 



6007. In preparing the soil previously to planting, considerable attention is necessary; 

 by fallowing, or otherwise, to destroy the weeds, and to reduce the soil to as pulverised a 

 state as possible. The ridges should also be made level, and dung applied with a liberal 

 hand. The most effectual preparation is trenching either by the plough or by manual 

 labour. 



6008. The mode of planting is generally in rows, making the hills six feet distant from 

 each other ; though there are some people who, from avaricious motives, prefer a five-feet 

 plant. But as this vegetable, when advanced in growth, produces a large redundance of 

 bind or vine, and leaves, it should seem that six feet cannot be too wide a distance ; and 

 that those which are planted closer will, from too confined a situation, be prevented from 

 enjoying a free circulation of the air ; from which much injury may proceed, as blasts, 

 mildews, moulds, and other accidents, not to mention the disposition of the vine to house 

 or grow together at the tops of the poles, whereby the hops are so overshadowed as to be 

 debarred the influence of the sun, and prevented from arriving at half their growth. 



6009. As the planters differ in the number of hills to be made on the same given quantity of land, so are 

 they no less capricious as to the manner of placing them ; some choosng to set them out with the most 

 cautious regularity in rows of equal d stances, whilst others prefer planting in quincunx. The former method 

 has this advantage : that the intervals may, in the early part of the summer, be kept clean by means of 

 the cultivator and harrow ; but, in the latter method, these implements are rendered inadmissible by the 

 irregular station of the plants ; and the ground must be tiled with the hoe at a greatly increased expense, 

 as the same labour might be performed to as much advantage with one horse, a man, and a boy, who will 

 do more work in a day than half a dozen labourers can with a hoe. 



6010. The ordinary season for planting is spring, in February or March; but if bedded 

 plants, or such as have been nursed for one summer in a garden, are used, then by 

 planting in autumn some produce may be had in the succeeding year. But, according 

 to the author of The New Farmer s Calendar, " the time for planting is commonly that of 

 dressing and pruning the old vines when cuttings may be had, which is in March or 

 April ; but when root-sets are used, as on the occasion of grubbing up an old plant- 

 ation, October to the beginning of November. But at whatever period they are planted, 

 great care should be taken that the same sorts be planted together, as by this means there 

 are advantages derived in their after-culture." 



6011. The plants or cuttings are procured from the old stools, and each should have 

 two joints or eyes ; from the one which is placed in the ground springs the root ; and 

 from the other the stalk, provincially the bind. They should be made from the most 

 healthy and strong binds, each being cut to the length of five or six inches. Those to 

 be nursed are planted in rows a foot apart, and six inches asunder, in a garden ; and the 

 others at once where they are to remain. 



6012. The mode of performing the operation of planting in Kent is as follows: — 



601.3. The land harming been previously cleaned and prepared, dung is laid on the field in small heaps 

 near the places where it is proposed to plant the hop slips or sets. These places are c-ommonlv marked off", 

 by infixing a number of stakes at proper and regular distances ; that done, small pits are formed by taking 

 out a spit, or spade's depth of earth ; and the earth below being gently loosened, a certain quantity, about 

 half a bushel, of dung is laid thereon ; then the earth that was formerly taken out is again replaced, and 

 so much added as to form a small hillock. On this hillock, five, six, or seven sets, procured from the roots 

 or shoots of the old stock, are dibbled in. The plants are placed in a circular form towards the top of the 

 hillock, and at the distance of five or six inches from each other. They are made to incline towards the 

 centre of the hillock, where another plant is commonly placed. 



6014. Another mode of planting is as follows : — Strike furrows with the plough at equal distances of eight 

 feet ; when finished, repeat the same across in the opposite direction, which will divide the piece into 

 eight-feet squares. The hills are to be made where the furrows cross each other, and the horse-hoe may 

 be admitted between the rows both ways. According to the Suffolk husbandry, the plantations are formed 

 into beds sixteen feet wide, by digging trenches about three feet wide, and two or three feet deep; the 

 earth that comes out being spread upon the beds, and the whole dug and levelled. Upon this they, in 

 March, form the holes six feet asunder every way, twelve inches diameter, and a spit deep, by which three 

 rows are formed on each bed. Into each hole they put about half a peck of very rotten dung, or rich 

 compost, and scatter earth upon it; and in each they plant a set, drawing earth enough to it afterwards to 

 form something of a hillock. 



6015. An interval crop is generally taken in the first summer of a hop plantation. 

 Beans are very generally grown ; and Bannister is of opinion that two rows of beans 

 may be planted in each interval without any damage to the hops, whether bedded sets or 

 cuttings. In the latter case, this method may be pursued in the second year, at the end 

 of which the vine from the cuttings will not be in a more forv aid state than that from 

 the bedded sets in the first autumn after planting. Others, however, think that neither 

 beans, cabbages, nor any other plants, except onions, should be put in. 



6016. The after-culture of the hop, besides the usual processes of hoeing, weeding, 

 stirring, and manuring, includes earthing-up, staking, and winter dressing. 



6017. Hoeing in hop plantations may always be performed by a horse implement ; and one in use for this 

 purpose in the hop counties, and of which the expanding horse-hoi is an improvement, is known 

 by the name of hop-nidget. 'When the hop-stools are formed in the angles of squan s, the intervals may 

 be hoed both lengthwise and across, and thus nothing is lett to be performed by manual labour but pulling 

 out any weeds which may rise in the hills. 



6018. Siirring, in the hop districts, is chieflv performed in winter with a three-pronged fork provincially 

 spud^ ; bat it might be equally well effected then or at any season of the year with the common plough, 

 and the expanding horse-hoe set with coulters or prongs." With the latter implement the soil might be 

 stirred to any desirable depth, either in summer or winter; ami. with the plough, tin- surface could be 

 changed at discretion. Once going and returning would effect this, either by the paring or clearing out; 



