1847. 



GENESEE FARMER. 



87 



pends. Hence the attention of all who have op- 

 portunity, is earnestly invited to the cultivation 

 of forest trees, as well as of those for fruit and 

 ornament. They should set them along the high- 

 ways, about their dwellings, and on every spot, 

 and corner, or fragment of land that is not capa- 

 ble of profitable tillage. Thus the country would 

 soon be covered, to some extent, with trees, 

 which, though sparse, would exert considerable 

 influence on the climate, enhance greatly the 

 beauty and value of our lands, and provide, in 

 soir.e measure, for tlie wants of coming genera- 

 tions, n. 

 Fairporl, Feb. 24, 1847. 



Hop Culture. 



Ma. Editor : — As you have stated some things, 

 in your last Farmer, that do not correspond with 

 the experince and practice of hop growers in this 

 section of the State, where many hops are raised. 

 I take the liberty to make some statements rela- 

 tive to raising them here. 



In the first place, choose a piece of land near- 

 ly or quite level, tliat will produce forty or fifty 

 bushels of corn to the acre, on which, put fifty 

 loads, or more, of good rotten manure to the acre. 

 Also be careful to select such a piece, that you 

 can readily make holes, for setting the poles, in 

 a dry time. Having selected the ground as above, 

 prepare it the same as you would for corn, by 

 plowing it deep, and harrowing it well. Plant] 

 the hills of hops eight by nine feet apart, so that 

 the poles, when set, may stand eiglit feet apart I 

 each way, by setting two poles to a hill, (which 

 is enough,) one foot apart. It is also a good 

 plan to set a stake about a foot long to each hill, 

 as soon as planted, as no poles are set the first 

 year. A hoed crop should be planted with the 

 hops the first year. Corn is to be preferred, as 

 a hill may be planted near to every hill of hops, 

 the vines of which will run up the stalks, and 

 thereby take root better. If the land be not suit- 

 able for corn, any other lioed crop may be plant- 

 ed, but in such a manner as not to disturb the 

 hills of hops in harvesting it. The best time for 

 planting is in the spring, about the same time 

 . you would corn. The hills should be kept as 

 nearly level with the ground as may be, care be- 

 ing taken not to plow the dirt on to the hills, as 

 it will only make large hills, which are a dam- 

 age to the crop, besides being verv inconvenient. 

 The pieces of roots should be about a foot long, 

 and contain five or six eyes. Two such pieces 

 will answer for a hill ; but they should, in no 

 wise, be disturbed the next spring after planting ; 

 ■ and after that, they should not be cut oft" closei- 

 ' than eight or ten inches from the center of the 

 hill, and many times not at all ; but the dirt may 

 , be carefully loosened about tlie hill, before the 

 poles are set — especially if the ground be rather 

 hard. 



The |>olas should be set a little flaring, so 



that the tops be far enough apart to prevent the 

 vines growing together. Two vines are enougli 

 to a pole, and should be tied to the i)oles, as soon 

 as long enough, and before they twist together. 

 The remainder of the vines should be carfully 

 lain on the ground, till those on the poles have 

 attained the height of six or eight feet, so that 

 those on the poles may be taken down, (if any 

 thing should happen to them, which is often the 

 case,) and others put up; after which, the rest 

 should be cut ofl" close to the ground. 



The hops should be hoed at least three times, 

 and be kept entirely free from weeds, in doing 

 which a corn cultivator is much used. The poles 

 should be stripped and stacked immediately after 

 being divested of the iiops, as it is almost impos- 

 sible to cut the vines when dry ; besides, I had 

 rather pull, strip, and stack the poles at once, 

 than even strip them after being thrown into 

 lieaps I would fuggest one idea more, which 

 is, that all statements respecting the cultivation of 

 hops should be minutely written, if intended to 

 benefit those wliolly unacquainted with the busi- 

 ness. Yours, &c., 



Lincoln Cnvi.MiNO^. 



Ai(gusla, Oneida Co., March, 1647. 



We thank Mr. Cu.aimixgs for the above ; and 

 shall be farther obliged if he will describe, at his 

 earliest convenience, the best plan for drying 

 and bagging hops after they are gathered. — Ed. 



Ashes on Corn. 



Mr.. Editor :- — I wish to inquire through the 

 Farmer, of some of its able correspondents, what 

 is tlie best method of applying ashes on corn. — 

 Should it be put in the hill when planting ?— on 

 the top of it after planting ? — or after it comes 

 'up ? And what is the quantity to be applied, 

 ei;lier way, of unleached or leached ? 



A YouNCr Farmer. 



Macon, Mich., 1847. 



Remarks. — The above are questions of con- 

 siderable importance. Last season we injured a 

 crop of corn, or rather saw it injured, by the ap- 

 plication of ashes and salt in contact with young, 

 tender plants. These were thrown with the 

 !iand on each hill. Had the application been 

 made as soon as the corn was covered at planting, 

 spreading the ashes and salt over considerable 

 surface, no injury would have been done, while 

 the fertilizers would have been extremely bene- 

 ficial. 



We slmll use this season on a five acre field 

 a compound of 3 bushels of unleached ashes, 1 of 

 salt, 1 of gypsum, and a like quantity of bone' 

 dust per acre. This we shall scatter over each 

 hill as soon as planted. — Ed. 



When an implement is no longer wanted for 

 the season, lay it carefully aside, but hi-st let it be 

 v.all cleaned. 



