SECRETARY'S REPORT. 107 



or two of the stem. But the old bine, or the tap root, which 

 descends vertically into the soil, is not touched. The hills are 

 opened by back-furrowing from each row of hills both ways. 

 This brings all the soil into the spaces between the rows. 

 Before the first hoeing the back furrows are split with the 

 plough, which turns the earth back upon the hills. After the 

 hills are opened by back-furrowing, they are covered with a 

 shovelful or two of compost; or, in want of this, the finesl 

 and richest soil will be found useful. 



It has already been seen that the hop vines are frequently 

 gathered up and burned on the ground in the winter or spring. 

 This may be done, and the ashes are of great value to the suc- 

 ceeding crop ; but perhaps one of the most valuable manures, as 

 well as the cheapest, is made of the vines, gathered into a 

 heap, and left to decompose and form a rich black compost, to be 

 applied in the spring in the manner indicated for other manure. 

 This use of the vines has been too much neglected. Not only 

 accurate experiment, but every principle of agricultural chem- 

 istry, shows at once how important this hop-vine manure is ; for 

 the vine contains in a concentrated form almost every con- 

 stituent which it has taken from the soil; and those parts which 

 are taken away in the seeds and strobiles of the plant can be 

 abundantly supplied by composting these vines, chopped up, 

 through the winter with barn-yard manure, woollen rags, fish, or 

 other nitrogenous substances. In this manner the land is not 

 only restored to the condition in which it was before the crop 

 was taken away, but made as much richer as the amount of 

 other manures used in the compost exceeds the amount carried 

 off in the seeds and fruit of the plant. 



As soon as the shoots are of sufficient length the poling is 

 commenced, as has been said, and the vines are tied to the 

 poles. The shoots not tied to the poles are, as already 

 indicated, buried up in hoeing, and this whether they are 

 wanted to form layers or not, for otherwise they would shut 

 out the light and heat from the vines. 



The hop blossoms early in July, and begins to show the seed 

 vessels in August. It is usually ripe enough to pick early in 

 September, and the picking should not commence till the ripe. 

 ucsb is ascertained. This is done by observing the change in 



