92 THE HOP. 



the surface of the ground, eyes sticking up and tops 

 spread apart. This way of setting will produce a hill 

 with the crowns close together, which is a great advan- 

 tage over the old way of planting, where the crowns 

 grow a foot or more apart. Besides, roots set in this 

 way will not be affected by drouth, because most of 

 the root is much deeper in the ground than planted 

 ones. The old way is, if the pole was previously set, 

 to dig out the soil about six inches deep on the south 



a b c 



FIG. 40. TOOLS FOR MAKING HOLES FOR SETTING POLES, 

 a, Wooden bar with iron point; 6, hole augur; c, pointed dibble. 



side, spread out the roots carefully, eyes up, cover to 

 crown, about an inch deep, and level with the surface, 

 and firm it with back of hoe. If covered too deep, 

 the sets may smother. 



In England, square holes are made with a spade, 

 their exact center indicated by a stick, and the sets 

 are pressed in firmly with hand and foot, an inch or two 

 of the sets being left above ground, a practice that is 



