THE GENESEE FARMER. 



79 



rotted, Trhich is accomplislied by its immersion in 

 water until the woody part can be easily broken up 

 and removed by the breaking process. To be suc- 

 cessful, this should be performed in warm weather, 

 September being considered the best month. As 

 at that season much sickness prevailed at the 

 South and "West, which it was believed was in- 

 creased by exposure and the malaria arising during 

 tlie rotting, the practice was very generally discon- 

 tinued. It has, however, been done in the early 

 part of winter and in spring; and such hemp, at 

 the price paid by government for Russia, is worth 

 $250 to $275 per ton. 



Probably some of the readers of the Genesee 

 Furmer have an experimental and practical knowl- 

 edge with wliich they can favor those who are 

 seeking information on this subject. 



CULTIVATION OF HOPS. 



The constantly increasing demand for hops, not 

 only for home consumption but for exportation, 

 renders any well-considered facts in regard to their 

 cultivation and subsequent preparation for market, 

 a subject of more than passing interest to the 

 American farmer. 



SECTION OF A nop VIXB. 



The hop {Eumulus l/upulm) is supposed to have 

 been a native of England, where it was found in 

 hedge rows and waste places. It has been much 

 improved by cultivation and the production of new 

 varieties from seed. 



The land best adapted to growing hops is that 

 which is naturally dry, deep, and rich, and which 

 should be made mellow by good culture. Fields 

 gently sloping to the north and east are preferable, 

 as the hop is injuriously aflfeoted by the extremes 

 of temperature, and the heat of the sun at noon- 

 day. Rolling land is less liable to blight than flats, 

 hollows, and valleys. 



It is the practice in Europe to trench hop grounds 



two and a half to three feet deep ; but in this coun- 

 try the plow, and occasionally the subsoil plow 

 with the other, is made to perform the work of 

 preparation. Old meadows are good sites for hop- 

 yards, if favorably located. These should be fall- 

 plowed as deeply as possible, and re-plowed and 

 thoroughly worked in the spring. Lime is often 

 added, not only as an auxiliary to the crop, but for 

 the destruction of worms that sometimes remain in 

 the sod. Hop-grounds are in no danger of being 

 made too rich, and should be highly manured be- 

 fore planting. The hop-field should either be on 

 land so dry as not to heave in winter, or else well 

 drained. 



Hop-plauts are set in rows, for convenience in 

 after-culture. These rows should be from seven to 

 eight feet apart each way, that there may be room 

 to cultivate the ground and allow the vines to grow 

 strong and bear well. Cuttings from well-estab- 

 lished roots are used for planting, and are generally 

 taken oif in the preparation of the field for spring 

 growth. These are sold at from 25 cents to $1 per 

 bushel, of which four bushels are required to plant 

 au acre. It is the practice to put five pieces of 

 root four or five inches long in each hill — one in 

 the middle, and the other four pieces about two 

 inches from it, on each side. 



The hop-plant is not what is botanically termed 

 perfect, the staminate and pis^tillate flowers being 

 borne on diflTerent plants, which renders it neces- 

 sary to intermingle the male with the female plants, 

 which bear the crop, in putting out a field. They 

 should occur as often as every tenth hill, with the 

 addition of some extra hills on the side from which 

 blow the prevailing winds. 



The first year, the soil between the rows should 

 be well worked, and may be planted to potatoes or 

 beans, or even corn ; but the latter growing taller, 

 shades the vines and retards their growth. The 

 necessary cultivation of the beans will be no more 

 than the hops require, and will do something to- 

 ward paying for the use of the land, and the ma- 

 nure which should be applied will be beneficial to 

 the hops as well as to the beans. 



The vines put out the first year should be trained 

 to poles ; and if the plantation was of roots instead 

 of cuttings, they will bear some hops. After the 

 vines have died down in the fall, cut them ofl:' and 

 cover the crown of the hill with some earth and 

 leaves, to secure it from injury by the severe win- 

 ter frosts. 



The second year, the soil will require digging 

 over as early in spring as the weather will permit, 

 mixing in a good top-dressing of some fertilizer. 



