

208 CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 



opposite the two hills in which they are to be placed, and so on through the 

 field. The holing, (which is a previous step to setting the poles,) is done wiih 

 iron bars. For a few years I have had my pole holes all made toward the 

 diagonal corners of the hills, placing them as near together as circumstances 

 will admit to keep the hill conveniently small, and leaning them, as all hop 

 poles must lean, towards the hills diagonally opposite. For this method of 

 setting poles there are strong reasons. First the space between rows is equi- 

 distant each way. But the principal reason is, that it gives more space be- 

 tween poles, so that the vines shall not reach across and interlock. When the 

 rows'are eight feet, the distance gained for the poles, compared with the old 

 way, is about four feet. 



Tying the vines to the poles is an indispensable part of the operation. It re- 

 quires care not to injure the tender shoot. If injured, break it off' and let the 

 stump throw out another. The tying should be repeated as often as circum- 

 stances require. In Milford we continue to apply our strings as occasion may 

 require, ti 11 the vines mount near to the top of the poles, using hop ladders. Old 

 woollen stocking legs furnish the best tie yarn. 



At the first hoeing the useless vines should all be killed. To prepare for 

 hoeing. I always plough two bouts in a row each way, sometimes from and 

 sometimes to the hill. I never plough from the hill more thato once in a season. 

 At the second or third hoeing, I frequently hoe from the hill, or rather down 

 the hill. I settle the hoe into the ground to the depth of one and a half inches, 

 and as near the pole and vine as safety to the latter will admit, drawing the 

 hoe down to the furrow, and skimming off the top of the hill to that depth. 

 This plan kills weeds equally well, lightens and opens the ground, and abates 

 that nuisance to all hop growers, viz: an overgrown hop hill. 



Hop yards are kept up so many seasons as to be much exposed to weeds. The 

 most eminent grower in Massachusetts, now deceased, once informed me that 

 his practice was to pasture his horse at times in his hop field to reduce the 

 weeds. And I have repeatedly known the growers to go into their fields with 

 scythes and shorten them in that way. Years since, when I was suffering 

 with these difficulties and the weeds were carrying on open hostilities against 

 me, and the question must be settled who should^ fall and who survive, 1 had 

 the presumption to plough and hoe my hops as late as the middle of August. 

 On the succeeding year there was scarcely a vestige of a weed. And I have 

 repeated the practice as occasion required. On my first experiment, I did it 

 with trepidation, as on examination, I found the ground near the surface exu- 

 berantly interlarded with capillary hop roots. The operation destroyed all 

 my vegetable enemies for that and some succeeding years; and, as I judged, 

 did the field as much good (and perhaps more) by getting rid of so many de- 

 pendants and loosening the ground, as harm by destroying the capillary roots. 

 At any rate, I had a noble crop that year. I do not recommend it for general 

 and annual practice; but I do recommend it as indispensable, on certain occa- 

 sions. 



There is little more to be done to hops, at hay time, but occasionally to set 

 up windfall poles. On the 25th of July you will find them in full blossom. 

 Success in this crop depends more than any other, upon the care and skill of 

 man. 



Hops must be picked when they are ripe, and upon no consideration before 

 that time. All other business must be made to accommodate itself to hop 

 picking; as the whole labour upon them is lost or saved by timing this matter 

 with much precision. I believe that there have been more hops damaged by 

 the hand of man in picking too early, than all other ways put together. When 

 hops are ripe, the seeds are black, the fruit (the calices) approach more or 

 less to straw colour, and being rubbed in the hand, give out a strong and fra- 

 grant odour. 



To settle the question of the time of picking may demand long experience. 

 Let those who are inexperienced, guide by those whose hops are annually re- 

 puted the best. Fields differ, no doubt, somewhat as to the time of ripening. 

 After twenty years of experience upon the subject, nine of which has included 

 the duties of inspector, I believe that few hops are truly ripe and fit for pick- 

 ing before the 10th of September. I find a memorandum in my inspection 



