52 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



FOB. THE NEW E.VGI.AAD FARMER. 



Thomas O. Fessenden, Esq. 



Sir— The cultivation ol" Hops is becoming an im- 

 portant branch of Agriculture with our farmers, both 

 as an article for exportation and domestic consumption. 

 The quantity now raised in this country, annually, 

 does not vary much from a million of pounds. Great 

 improvements have been made, within a few years, in 

 the cultivation aud management of this article ; and 

 with such success, that we have had several lots which 

 ■would compare (wilhout prejudice to their reputation) 

 with the best Eng-lish hops. In consequence of which, 

 our Hops are gaining a fair reputation abroad ; and 

 our home consumption is rapidly increasing; — a pros- 

 pect highly gratifying to every friend to society, to see 

 the wholesome liquor made from this article introduc- 

 ed, and supplying the place of ardent spirits. 



If, Sir, you deem the following observations on the 

 culture and management of Hops, worthy a pl.ace in 

 your paper, you are at liberty to publish them. 

 Yours respectfully, &c. 



WILLIAM BLANCHARD, Jr. 



Wilmingtoii.^ Jlugust 26, 1S23. 



The Hop is a native plant. It is found grow- 

 insf spontaneously on the banks and intervales 

 of many of our large rivers. There are several 

 distinct species, all bearing' a near affinity to 

 each other; (I have noticed five.) At present 

 they are cultivated together, promiscuously ; 

 no preference having been given to any parti- 

 cular one of them by the brewer. But 1 am oi 

 the opinion that there is an essential dilierence 

 in their qualities — that one may be the best for 

 pale ale; another for strong beer; and a third 

 for porter; and I presume, ere long, particular 

 attention nil! be paid to ascertain their ditTer- 

 cnt qualities. 



The soil best calculated for the production 

 of Hops, 1 consider to bo a sandy loam, rather 

 low and moist. I am led to this conclusion, 

 partly from my own ebservation, and further, 

 (considering Nature an infallible instructor,) 

 from finding the lands which produce them nat- 

 urally (intervales and the hanks of large rivers) 

 to be of this kind. Yet, 1 must observe, 1 have 

 seen veiy line crops raised on very different 

 soils. 



I should recommend the following mode of 

 preparing the land and managing the crop. In 

 the fall (October) plough the land deep — nine 

 or ten inches. In the spring following, pass a 

 heavy, sharp iron toothed harrow over the land 

 in the same direction it was ploughed ; after 

 which, spread your manure eveiily over the 

 same, sixteen cords per aero, and more if the 

 land be much reduced ; then cross-plough the 

 land nearly the same deptli, and furrow it as 

 for planting corn — the furrows to be at least 

 four feet apart. 



It is customary to plant corn or potatoes with 

 the Hops, (I should jircfer potatoes.) Plant 

 every other hill in every other row with hops, 

 thus placing the hop hills at least eight feet 

 apart. Put. four cuttings, from the running 

 roots, about eight inches in length, into each 

 hill, and cover them the common depth of po- 

 tatoes. 



Many yards have been much injured by being 

 planted too closely. It is of great importance 

 to have the hills so far distant irom each other 

 as to admit a free current cf air to pass through 

 the yard. 



.Ml the .itieiition requisite the first season, 

 after the Hops are piiuted, is to keep them 

 clean from weeds, which is easily done when 

 hoeing the crop planted amongst them. In the 

 tall, (October) to prevent their being injured 

 by the hard frosts of winter, carry on, and lay 

 out of your cart, one shovel full of compost 

 manure on the top of each hill ; — manure from 

 the hog-stye I should pref r. 



In each following spring, i>efore the hops are 

 opened, as it is termed, sprea<l evenly over the 

 yard about eight cords of manure per acre, — 

 (coarse, strawy manure, I should prefer, as it 

 will have a tendency to keep the land loose ;) 

 and plough the field both ways at the first hoe- 

 ing. They require but three hoeings in a sea- 

 son, unless necessary to subdue the weeds; the 

 last of which should be performed when the 

 hops are in full blossom, (about the beginning 

 of August.) 



After the first crop, it is necessary to open 

 the hops, every spring, by the middle ol I\lay ; 

 which is perl'ormed by making four furrows 

 between the rows, turning the furrows from 

 the hillr., and running the plough as near to the 

 same as possible without injuring the main 

 roots. Then the earth is removed from the 

 roots with a hoe — all the running roots cut in, 

 with a sharp knife, within two inches of the 

 main roots — the tops of the main roots must 

 also be cut in — and then the hills covered with 

 earth about two inches deep. 



The next thing, necessary to be done, is to 

 set the poles. This should be done as soon as 

 the hop-vines begin to make their appearance. 

 By so coing, much time and labor will be saved 

 in tying up the vines to the poles, as many of 

 the vines will naturally take to the poles. — 

 There should not be to exceed two vines to 

 one pole, nor to exceed two poles to one hill, 

 nor anj' pole to exceed sixteen feet in height. 

 Many yards have been very much injured by 

 letting a greater number of vines grow on one 

 pole ; and almost destroyed by over-poling. 



Very much depends on paying due attention, 

 in the spring, to select the mo>t thrifty vines, 

 and trainmg them to the poles, which is done 

 by fastening them to the poles with a piece of 

 yarn, slightly twisted together with the thumb 

 and finger. 



It will be necessary to inspect your hop yard 

 frequently, until the hops begin to blossom, and 

 " lie up the vines," as it is termed, as they are 

 subject to be blown off the poles by every high 

 wind. 



As soon as the hops tire ripe, which is about 

 the begiiming of September, they must be im- 

 mediately gathered, or the crop is lost. The 

 quality of the hojis depends considerably on 

 their being picked clean from leaves and stems. 

 The labor of picking or gathering the hops, 

 may be well performed by women and children, 

 having one man to a bin to handle the poles, 

 and to inspect the pickers. The bin is a wood- 

 en box, aljout nine feet long, three feet wide, 

 and two and a half feet h;gh, made of thin pine 

 boards, that it may be easily moved over the 

 yard, across which the poles are laid, and into 

 which the hops are picked by hand. Care 

 should bo taken, when gathering the hops, to 

 cut the vines two feet from the ground, that the 

 roots may not be injured by bleeding. 



The most important part in the management 

 of hops, is the curing or drying of them. Here 



I 



I would note, that hops always grow tirat soi 

 and that all second sort and refuse bops, 

 made so by unfortunate or unskilful manrtgiG! 

 ment. i; 



Much depends on having a well construct 

 kiln. For the convenience of putting the he 

 on the kiln, the side of an hill is generally cl>i 

 en for its situation. Care should be taken It 

 it be a dry situation. The kiln should be d 

 out the same bigness at the bottom as at t 

 top ; the side walls laid up perpeudiculari 

 and tilled in solid with stone to give it a tunj 

 form. Twelve feet square at the top, two 

 square at the bottom, and at least eight 

 deep, is deemed a convenient size. On the 

 of the walls sills are laid, having joists let 

 them in like manner as for laying a floor- 

 which laths, about H inches wide, are nailf 

 leaving open spaces between them J of an iru 

 over which a thin linen cloth is spread, ^ 

 nailed at the edges to the sills. A hoard abo 

 12 inches wide is sot up on each side of t 

 kiln, on the innei- edge of the sill, to form 

 bin to receive the hops The larger the stop 

 made use of in the construction of the k 

 better ; as it will give a more steady and den 

 heat. The inside of the kiln should he yu 

 plaistered with mortar, to make it comple 

 air tight. Charcoal (that made from yellj) 

 birch or maple 1 should prefer.) is the only fr 

 proper to be used in drying hops. The 

 should be well heated before any hops are 

 on, and carefully attended to keep a steady 

 regular heat. 



Fifty jiounds of hops, when dried, is the 1; 

 est quantity that should be dried, at one ti 

 on a kiln of this size ; and unless absolu 

 necessary to put on that quantity, a less w 

 dry better. The green hops should be sp 

 as evenly and as light as possible over the 

 The fire at first should be moderate, but it 

 be increased as the hops dry and the steati 

 evaporated. 



Ilops should not remain long in the bin 

 bag after they are picked, as they will vft 

 soon heat and become insipid. The hops shal 

 not be stirred on the kiln until they are c 

 pletely and fully dried. Then they should i 

 removed from the kiln into a dry room and 111 

 in a heap, and there remain, unmoved and 

 stirred, until bagged, vvhicii is done wit 

 screw, having a box made of plank the size 

 bag is wished, into which the cloth is laid, 

 the hops screwed info the box, which is so c 

 structed that the sides may be removed, 

 the bag sewed together while in the prcs«. 4 



The hops, after laying a few days, will gi i 

 er a partial moisture, called a sweat. ~ 

 sweat will jirobably begin to subside in ah^ 

 eight days, at which time, and before the swi 

 is olT, they ought to be bagged in clear i I 

 weather. As the exact time when the hi 

 will begin to sweat, and when the sweat 

 begin to subside or dry olT, (the proper tirai 

 bag them) will vary with the state of the 

 mosphere, it will be necessary to examine 

 hops from day to day, which is easily donel 

 taking some of them from the centre of 

 heap with your hand. If on examination 

 iind the liojis to be very damp, and their c 

 altering, — which will be the case if they vvi 

 not completelj' dried on the kiln, and not othjj 

 wise — you must overhalc them and dry f' 

 in the air. 



