THE COVNTRY-SIDE: SUSSEX. Si 



in the interior of old Continental churches, which people 

 go so many miles to see ? Our own land is so full of 

 interest. There are pictures by the oldest Master every- 

 where in our own country, by the very Master of the 

 masters, by Time, whose crooked signature lies in the 

 corner of the shadowy farmhouse hearth. 



Beneath the loft, on the ground-floor, I found the 

 giant's couch. The bed of a cart had been taken off its 

 wheels, forming a very good bedstead, dry and sheltered 

 on three sides. On the fourth the sleeper's feet were 

 towards the charcoal fire. Opening the furnace door, he 

 could sit there and watch the blue and green tongues of 

 sulphur flame curl round about and above the glowing 

 charcoal, the fumes rising to the hops on the horsehair 

 high over. The ' hoppers ' in the garden used to bring 

 their kettles and pots to boil, till the practice grew too 

 frequent, and was stopped, because the constant opening 

 of the furnace wasted the heat The sulphur comes in 

 casks. A sulphur cask sawn down the middle, with a 

 bit left by the head for cover, is often used by the hop- 

 pers as a cradle. Another favourite cradle is made from 

 a trug basket, the handle cut off. It is then like half a 

 large eggshell, with cross pieces underneath to prevent 

 it from canting aside. This cradle is set on the bare 

 ground in the garden ; when they move one woman 

 takes hold of one end and a second of the other, and 

 thus carry the infant If you ask them, they will find 

 you a ' hop-dog,' a handsome green caterpillar marked 

 with black velvet stripes and downy bands between. 

 Their labour usually ends early in the afternoon. 



The giant at the kiln must watch and bide his time 

 the night through till the hops are ready to be with- 

 drawn from the cone. He is alone. Deep shadows 

 gather round the farmstead and the ricks, and there is 



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