52 CULTIVATION OF THE HOP. 



It should be remarked that in Mid Kent the large item of 97. 

 per acre for draining is not incurred, the subsoil being 

 naturally porous and open, so that no draining is necessary ; 

 and even on the heavier soils so large an outlay as 9Z. per 

 acre is not necessary to effect the most complete drainage, 

 except, perhaps, in places where, from the flatness of the 

 land, no good outfall for the drains can be obtained. There, 

 in order to make an effective drainage by means of shallow 

 drains, they must be more frequent, and consequently the 

 expense will be greater. Neither, where draining is needed, 

 ought it to be charged specifically to the hops, for all the 

 land ought to be alike drained, whether used for hop growing 

 or ordinary farming. Practically, on the heavier lands of 

 Kent, draining is often confined to the hop plantations, and 

 thus it does with a great many of the Kentish farmers, in 

 fact, form a specific expense of the hop plantation. 



2. COST OF CULTIVATING FROM THE SECOND TO THE SIXTH YEAR, 

 BOTH INCLUSIVE. 



S. d. 



Striking up and furrowing .. 050 



Stripping and stacking poles . . . . . . . . 066 



Digging, at 21d per 100 .. 017 6 



Manure and carting on 800 



Pruning, at 6d. per 100 .. 050 



Sharpening poles and poling, at Is. Qd. per 100 015 



Tying, at Wd. per 100 084 



Ladder tying 030 



Chopping, at 9d per 100 076 



Horse-hoeing 5 times, rolling, &c 150 



Hilling, at 3d per 100 2 6 



Setting up poles, &c 030 



Poles and carting 8 10 



Rent, and repairs to oast 150 



Eent, rates, and tithes 2 10 



Interest on capital, 30/. per acre 1 10 



Cost of cultivation per annum . . 2G 13 4 



