9-2C 



PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Pari III 



ti.u is ibi-minf? cither a rtdglet, nr gutter between the r..w», both lengthwise and across. I wipe or Uince 

 going in the — ™» direction would mm wicceed, and would be the urefi rable mode ol covering in manure. 

 6019, In Hi,- application qt manure, various modet are adopted. Some alwayi use well rotted >t.!ii!e 

 dung; others, compost* of earth and dung: and .1 few, litter) dung, 1" laying it on, many prefer the 

 autumn to the spring, and heap it on the hills without putting any between the rows. Others put it all 

 between the rows, alleging that laying it on the hills encourages inst eta, exposes the dung to evaporation 

 and lose, and sometimes, when mixed with earth, hinders the plant* from coming up A great deal will be 

 found in favour of, and against each of these modes, In the- numerous works on the culture of the hop, which 

 have been written during the last tlm-.- centuries ; but it must beobt mu- to an) person generally conversant 

 with vegetable culture, that well rotted stable dun« must be the- best kind lor use , and early in spring the 

 1 1 -t season for laying it on \ that little benefit can be derived by the roots when it 1- laid on the bills, and, 

 consequently, that it mi^-iit to be tamed into the soil between the rows by the plough. rlftj cart-loads ol 

 dung and earth, or tblrt) ol dung, once in three years, is reckoned a good dressing; but some give ten or 

 twelve loads ever) year. Too much dung renders the hops what is called mouldy, and too little causes 



the Crop to be |xxpr and more liable to be eaten by insects. 



6030 EartkmaJup commences the first Mav after planting, whether thatoperation be perlormed 111 spring 

 or autumn. By the end of the spring season, the young shoots have made some progress, and the earth 



is then drawn up to their root, ft the surroiindiug intervals, in order to strengthen them The next 



earthing.up 1- 111 autumn, when the hills are by some covered with compost or manure; but by such as 

 prefer ploughing in the manure between the row-, tins earthing-up is not given. Some give an earthing- 



Up of tin- km. I in Spring, and generally in February, ehietly to retard the plants, as that is found to render 

 them less liable to disease, and the attacks of insects; for the shoots not beginning to grow till the weather 

 i- warm, the) then ihool more rapidly. In April and May, their progress is slow ; but in June and July, 

 when the nights are warm, they will grow nearly an inch in the hour. The only essential earthings 

 un, however, are those given the first year in May, and those given annually after the operation of 

 dressing, whether in autumn or spring, which indeed may be called replacings of earth, rather than 

 eaithings-up. a 



In drating (he hup plants, the operations of the first year are confined to twisting and removing 

 the haulm, to which some and coping or earthing-up in autumn. 



, ,.f tntiting is confined to such plant, a- rally commenced on the return of good weather, in March 





have been planted in spring, IM BK DO* expected to produce 



an. crop that pernon, It It performed In the end of June or in 

 July* end co nsi s ts in twi t t in g the young vines into a bum h or 

 knot; so that, b\ thus dw-oungmg their growth, the roots are 

 enabled to spread out more vigorously, and in acquire strength 

 previously ti> the enntuech of the a inter - 



6023. Removing -he haulm takes place soon after Michaelmas, 



and consists simply in cutting it ov. r with a sickle, and carry- 

 in- it off the field for litter or burning. After this operation, 

 tome add cupingf OX covering the hill with a cominst ; but this 

 iW* not appear necessary, and is in many cases left undone. 



6024. The first yrjir's' dressing of hup expei ted to produce 



flowers, such as those planted from bedded sets in the preceding 

 autumn, oonsists In supplying three or four half poles, that is, 

 : lour or Jive feet in length to each hill j and on removing 

 the haulm in autumn, as in the other case. 



* qfettabtished hop plantations consists 



i .-. .i.;.._ 'in.;.- „..„-->»;,.« ;_ .—— _ 



when the hills are spread out, In order to give opiwrtunity to 

 prune and dress the slocks. The earth being then c eared away 

 from the principal roots by an iron instrument called a picker, 

 the remains of the former year's vines are cut off, together <* ith 

 the shoots which were not allowed to attach themselves to the 

 poles in the former season, and also any young suckers that 

 maj have sprung up about the edges of the bills; so that 

 nothing is allowed to remain that is likely to injure the prin- 

 cipal roots, or impede their shooting out strong vigorous vines 

 al the proper season. After the roots have been proj erly cleaned 

 and pruned, the hills are again formed, with an addition, if 

 not ev> rv >ear, at least every second or third year, of a proper 

 quantity of compost manure, that had been previously laid in 

 small heaps on the hop-ground in the course of the winter, 

 or in the early part of spring. At this season bui h sets are 

 procured as may be wanted lor the nursery, or for new plant- 

 ations. 



6025. The yearly dressini 

 of what is pro ir.cially called" picking. This operation L> gene- 



6) 12ft The yearly operation of stacking or setting the poles commences towards the end of April, or at 

 whatever period, earlier or later, the shoots may have risen two or three inches. 



C027. The poles are straight slender shoots of muUrrrood, ash, poled vine reclining its head against the velvet l»ark of the 



maple, while others held theirs aloof, from chilly smooth- 

 barkid poles. This is probably more fanciful than i 

 since w e tind the hop twining with equal luxuriance round the 

 smooth -barked ash and the rough-barked larch or acacia ; and 

 with respect to chilly smooth poles, the hup is known to twine 

 with as much rigour round iron or copper wire as round any 

 wood whatever. [Gar d. Mag. vol. vii.) 



G050. In regard to the size of the pole, hops, likewise, it i^ well 

 kn.-wn, have their instinctive choice or approbation, with 

 respect to the thickness of their support; embracing, with 

 greater readiness, a pole that is moderately small, than one 

 which is thick at <he bottom The ordinary circumference of 

 poles, at the thickest end, may be set down at from six to nine 

 Inches, tapering to the size of a walking-cane at the top; and 

 the length from fifteen to twenty feet, or upwards. Differ* tit 

 grounds require different lengths of pole. In the »ich grounds, 

 in the neighbourhood of Maidstone, the poles of grg« n hups 

 stand, in general, from fourteen to sixteen feet above the hils, 

 and have from eighteen inches to two feet beneath the surface. 

 Hut, on weaker lands, poles are not seen to rise more than ten 

 to twelve feet high. Hence, a variety of ground ls convt men; ; 

 as the poles, by decaying at the roots, grow shorter, and, in a 

 course of y ears, get too short for strong vines, on rich land. 

 They are, in this case, sold, and transferred to less productive 

 lands, and vines of humbler growth. 



6031. Xerv pole* have sometimes the l<ark shartxl off, under an 

 idea that it saves them from the worm ; while some men are 

 of opinion that there is a warmth in the hark, which is accept- 

 able to the young vines ; and although in two or threeyears the 

 bark drop- off, the sinface of the wood has, by that time, ac- 

 quired a degree of softness. Whether a hard, smooth, polished 

 pole is unfriendly to the hop or not, to ped ihe poles would 

 evidently be improper, as promoting their decay. 



6032. Short light poles arc usunlh/ pointed in hand, without 

 other support ; but the tail heavy pole requires something to 

 keep the top steady. This is obtained by tying together three 

 pole- of equal length, two or three feet from their tops ; and 

 setting them up in the form of what is called a triangle, in use 

 for loading timber on wheel -carriages. The top of the pole to 

 be dial j'enetl, being dropi>ed in between the pa nts or horns of 

 the triangles, receives the required stay ; and a block is placed 



convenient situation below to work upon. This sort of 

 work, whetlier on new or on old poles, is sometimes den I 

 the] are stacked, or set up In piles; sometimes immediately 

 before they are used. In pointing poles that have been us d", 

 the part which stood in the ground the preceding year ESj it" 

 much tainted, s-rui k uti", and a fresh point given to the sound 

 part : but, if the ttottom part remains firm, it is sharpened 

 again for another ftrennn 



-■■ been tried as substitutes for 

 wooden poles in the north of Prance; but, having seen a plan- 

 tation treated In this way, we do not think it any improvi 

 The wires are stretched hori/ontal'y in the direction of the row 

 of plants, the first wire five feel from the ground, the second 

 one fool above that, and so on, say to the height of fifteen fe t. 



The plants are b d to the low< st * ire by short sticks, ^jid left to 

 twine up or along the other:- at pleasure. 



oak, chestnut, or willow, from sixteen to twenty feet high. 

 Thee poles are set two, but more frequently three, to a hill ; 

 and are so placed as to teave an opening to* ards the south, to 

 admit the sunU-ams. The manner of fixing ihera is by making 

 deep holes or openings in the ground with an iron crow. Into 

 these holes the root -ends are put, when the earth is rammed so 

 hard about them, that thev very seldom alter from the position 

 in which they were placed, except on occ tslon of very' violent 

 gates of wind. Great care is necessary in placing ihe poles, 

 and no less iudginent and experience in determining what 

 outfht to be the proper height. When very long poles are s t in 

 a hop-ground, where the stocks are too old or too voung, or 

 where the BOil i^ of inditterent quality, the stocks are not only 

 greatly exhausted, but the crop always turns out unproductive; 

 as, till the vines reach the top, or rather till they overtop the 

 poles, which de| tends on the strength of the stocks and the 

 quality of the soil, the lateral branches on which the hops 

 grow never begin to shoot out, or make any progress. 



mi .s. Planters "" " in h dt\ idi I in their tentiments as to the 

 number of poles to t< s<t against each hill. Three poles are the 

 general allowance, observing to place the stoutest pole to the 

 northern aspect of the hill; though it is no uncommon prac- 

 ti ce to set four pol s. and in strong land five or six, to a hill. 

 In behalf of tt is latter mode it is urged, that, where the land 

 rooalrj prodnces a great redundancy at vmi , it is prudent to set 

 a number of j»oIes answerable to the Inxuri incy of the shoots. 

 But, it" a free t irculatioii of the air be a matter of such tm- 



Iiortance to the well-being • f a crop of hops as is generally 

 magtned (and this is a doc line winch, it is believed, cannot be 

 controverted), the bocumb ring of the hills with an additional 

 numl»er of poles cannot (a 1 to be "i Infinite dis-ten rice to the 

 future grow th of the hops ; and it will be readily acknowledged, 

 that the qnantltj of hops «n the same given numt-er of hills 

 will l»e mar i three poles only are set up, than 



where the Mill are crow ded with a lam r number ; whether we 

 consider the mischief II eh to accrue from the stagnated air, or 

 from the redundancy of the vine, by which the hops are pre 

 v. Died from arriving to their proper siae or growl b. The en ef 



an in poling a hop-grotmd is, first, to pi;, h tin' hole to a proper 



depth, about twenty Inches; next, to set down the i>o'ewjtn 

 some exertion of si I that being well sharpened it may 



fix itse t" firml] al the bottom ; tfa rdly, thai the torn of the poles 

 may stand in such a 'hie don as to lean OQtwardJ rronti the hill, 

 to pr event, at um.ii as pa Ibli , thi hiring af the vine; and 

 la-tiy, to tread the earth close to the pole with the foot. For 

 want of regard to these particulars in the labourer, a moderate 

 hi i^t of wind will loosen the poles, so as not only to o ca-ion a 

 doable expense, but the hazard of injuring the future ciop fan 

 tearing asunder the vine, which, from Its great luxuriancy,will 

 becotiit twis-ed together, o", as it is termed, housed at the ex- 

 treme parts of the potes< 



it , t r, tpt e/ to Oie species of woods proper for poles, it is 



suggested that the hop appears to prefer a rough sof) h rk, to one 

 which is more smooth and polisned. An experie cedgrowee 

 particularises the maple, whose hark is peculiarlj soft and 

 warm; adding, thai ne has frequently observed, when the 

 morning has been cold, the sensitive leader of a tender trv h 



