100 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



colder, and our summers far hotter, than those of Scotland ; 

 or, to resort to accurate statistics, the mean temperature of 

 the growing months for the two places is as follows : — 



September, 53°.4 " September, 62°.2 li 



October, 48°.8 " October, 51°.5 « 



This shows a very marked difference in our favor, so far as 

 requisite heat is concerned ; and on this point there seems to be 

 no reason why we may not, by proper cultivation, grow the 

 finest varieties with complete success. It has been said that 

 the plant is indigenous to our State. 



Soil and Mode of Culture. — The hop may be cultivated with 

 success in a great variety of soils ; but it flourishes best in a 

 deep, rich, mellow loam, with a subsoil of medium stiffness. In 

 general, it may be said that good corn land is good hop land. 

 The soil of Wilmington, one of the first and largest towns en- 

 gaged in hop growing, is generally of a poor and light descrip- 

 tion — a sandy loam ; and it is worthy of remark, that the hops 

 are better on soils which will raise only from a quarter to 

 half a pound to a hill than on those which raise a pound or a 

 pound and a half. 



The roots of the hop extend to great depths when the soil 

 is of suitable character and properly prepared, and the best 

 cultivators take great pains to loosen and pulverize it thor- 

 oughly and to manure it well. The first ploughing should be 

 ten or twelve inches deep. The hop farmers of Kent and 

 Surrey, among the most noted hop districts in England, first 

 plough very deep, and plant with some cleansing crop, and then 

 manure with twenty-five or thirty loads of good barn-yard 

 manure per acre. The land is then frequently sown with tur- 

 nips, when sheep are folded upon it in the early part of winter ; 

 after which it is deeply trenched and thrown into ridges, to lie, 

 during the rest of the winter, exposed to the frosts and air. 



