SYSTEMS OP CULT 



they will be required of 12 feet. 



first two years. After the second year thcTearth sEould be 

 removed around the stump at the fall of the year, the old 

 stem cut away, leaving two or three young shoots for the 

 following year, and the mounds made up again over them. 



Though from the yield per acre the profit would appear to 

 be considerable, it must be borne in mind that hops are a 

 very uncertain crop. 



The expense of preparing the ground is large ; trenching 

 or double digging is in most cases indispensable, yet small 

 patches of good earth may be found of several feet deep, in 

 which case the labour would be saved. 



The drying of the hop constitutes a very important part of 

 its management ; it is performed in kilns, generally of very 

 unscientific construction, and apparently capable of great 

 improvement. These are usually termed oasts or oast houses. 

 The heat imparted by the fire in drying is of great import- 

 ance, and should in no instance exceed 119 or 120 Fahr. 

 The farina, or pollen, which falls through the hair-cloth or 

 wire, in the course of desiccation, is a valuable article, and is 

 denominated hop dust. If care is taken that no particles of 

 fire fall into the kiln pit, and the hop dust be frequently 

 removed therefrom, so as to ensure its freedom from extra- 

 neous matter, it is scarcely less useful to the brewer than 

 hops themselves. One pound of the dust is equal to four 

 times the quantity of the strobiles. In dark-coloured or 

 common beer a small quantity might always be used without 

 injury. 



In order to give the hops a good colour, they are subjected 

 to fumigation with sulphurous acid ; after this process they 



