HOPS. 



WEIGHTS 



Of sundry Jigrkultural Products, and other 

 articles of use to the Farmer. 



Wheat, 60 pounds per bushel. 



Shelled corn, 66 do do 



Rye, 68 do do 



Oats, 32 do do 



Barley 47 do do 



Clover, 60 do do 



Timothy, 45 do do 



Flaxseed, _.56 do do 



Hemp, 41 do do 



Blue grass, 14 do do 



Buckwheat, 48 do do 



Peas, 64 do do 



Beans, 63 do do 



Gen. Riddle's method of cultivating, curing, and 

 drying hops is as follows : 



Settiiig the Roots. — The spring of the year is 

 the proper season for setting the roots. Prepare the 

 ground by plowing and manuring in the same man- 

 ner as for a grass crop. I'lant the hops in hills seven 

 feet apart each way, putting three pieces of the root, 

 each ahout four inches long, in a hill. 



The roots will not vine the firet year, consequently 

 a crop of corn may be taken from the same ground 

 by plapting in intermediate rows. In the succeeding 

 fall put a shovel-full of manure upon each hill of the 

 hop-yard, as protection of the roots against the frost. 



Setting the Poles. — Nothing further is neceasary 

 for their welfare till May, the proper time for setting 

 the poles. Hemlock is the best material for jjoles 

 — eighteen feet long, shaved on four sides, in order 

 that they may season well, thereby lasting the longer. 

 Set two poles to a hill, about nine inches apart, and 

 in ranges, leaning a little to the south, so that the 

 branches of the vine may swing free. When the vines 

 have grown to the right length, select two of the 

 most thrifty, and tie them with woolen yarn to each 

 pole. This is very important. And attention also 

 should be given to keep the main vines always upon 

 the pole. 



Cultivate the yard well so as to keep it free from 

 grass and weeds, and prevent the branch vines from 

 growing about the hilL 



The hop generally blossoms about the 2d of July, 

 and is matured fit for picking by the 5th of Septem- 

 ber. ^ AVheu the burr, beginning to open at the base, 

 acquires a yellowish tinge, and the lupulia or flower 

 has covered the tip of its stem, the hop is ripe and 

 ready for harvest. 



Picking the Hops. — The method of securing the 

 hop crop when ripe is very simple. The vines are 

 cut at the hill, and the poles, pulled from the ground, 

 are laid across a box, into which the hops are picked. 

 This bos is usually about si.'c feet long, three feet 

 wide, and three feet high. Four or more can work 

 at the same bos. Females are generally the most 

 expert in picking. A man or boy is necessary to 

 tend the box and handle the poles. One person can 

 pick from twenty-five to thirty pounds per day. They 

 should be gathered as free from stems and leaves as 

 possible. 



Curing thtm, and the kind of Kiln.— After pick- 

 ing, the green hops are brought to the kib to be 



dried, which is the most important part of the hop- 

 growing process. It requires no inconsiderable 

 degree of skill to be successful in this department. 

 A knowledge of the mechanism and nature of a 

 kiln is also necessary. 



The most approved kiln is constructed after the 

 following plan: A brick foundation wall is built seven 

 or eight feet high, and ten by eleven feet in dimen- 

 sion. It is well to have this wall plastered internally. 

 In the center of the front wall, at the base, there is 

 placed a large stone or brick furnace, suitable to 

 receive fuel from without, and furnished with a fun- 

 nel passing around within the foundation, above three 

 feet from the top, and terminating in a chimney pro- 

 vided for the purpose. At the base also of this front 

 wall, and on each side of the stove or furnace, there 

 are two small openings, one foot by three feet in 

 diameter, to let in cold air at the bottom of the kiln. 

 The top of this foundation is laid with lathing, one 

 inch wide, the strips being one inch apart, and cov- 

 ered with a thin fla.xcn cloth. Boards about ten 

 inches wide are placed lengthwise around this cloth, 

 leaving a narrow walk around the kiln. The super- 

 structure is placed upon the foundation wall, as 

 convenience may require, with a roof for shedding the 

 raiu. The walls are about eight feet high, and pro- 

 vided with slide or blind openings, suitable to admit 

 the air for driving off the dampness which arises in 

 the process of drying the hop. Such a kiln is capa- 

 ble of curing one hundred and fifty poucds of hops 

 in twelve hours, if property regulated. The green 

 hops are placed in the kiln bo.x and spread upon the 

 cloth about eight inches deep. 



Drying and Bagging. — A constant heat must be 

 kept up until the dampness of the hops has passed 

 off. Attention also should be paid to the regulation 

 of the windows above spoken of. To ascertain when 

 the process of curing is over, take a medium sized 

 hop and snap it; if the leaves fall oS; and the stem 

 breaks short off, it is sufficiently dry. The hops may 

 then be removed to a room as free from light as pos- 

 sible, but provided with windows to admit a free cir- 

 culation of air. A room adjoining the kiln is the 

 most convenient, where they should lay ten or twelve 

 days before bagging. Hops are pressed into bales 

 five feet long, one and one-half feet thick, contaming 

 about two hundred pounds — much in the same man- 

 ner in which cotton is packed. The cider press is 

 commonly used for this purpose. 



Expense of growing Hops. — It requires one and 

 one-fourth acres of land to grow lOOU pounds; good 

 soil produces one to one and one-half pounds to the 

 hill, if property cultivated. 



The cost of hemlock poles prepared for setting is 

 two and one-half cents apiece. 



It requires six feet of hard wood to cure 1000 

 pounds of hops. 



The cost of a kiln, after the above plan, is $^0, or 

 thereabouts. 



The whole cost of cultivating a field of hops, 

 including picking, curing, and pressing, is about five 

 cents per pound. — Transactions of JV. H. State 

 Agricultural Society. 



Flattery is a sort of bad money to which our 

 vanity gives currency. 



