AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 151 



presume, ere long, particular attention will be paid to ascer- 

 tain their different qualities. 



' The soil best calculated for the production of hops I 

 consider to be a sandy loam, rather low and moist. I am 

 led to this conclusion partly from my own observation, and 

 farther (considering nature an infallible instructer) from 

 finding the lands which produce them naturally (intervals 

 and the banks of large rivers) to be of this kind. Yet, I 

 must observe, I have seen very fine crops raised on very dif- 

 ferent soils. 



' I should recommend the following mode of preparing 

 the land and managing the crop. In the fall (October) 

 plough the land deep, nine or ten inches. In the spring fol- 

 lowmg, pass a heavy, sharp iron-toothed harrow over the 

 land in the same direction it was ploughed ; after which, 

 spread your manure evenly over the same, sixteen cords per 

 acre, and more if the laud be much reduced ; then cross- 

 plough the land nearly the same depth, and furrow it as for 

 planting corn, the furrows to be at least four feet apart. 



' It is customary to plant corn or potatoes with the hops ; 

 (I should prefer potatoes.) Plant every other hill in every 

 other low with haps, thus placing the hep hills at least eight 

 feet apart. Put four cuttings from the running roots, about 

 eight inches in length, into each hill, and cover them the 

 common depth of potatoes. 



* Many yards have been much injured by being planted too 

 closely. It is of great importance to have the hills so far 

 distant from each other as to admit a free current of air to 

 pass through the yard. 



' All the attention requisite the first season after the hops 

 are planted, is to keep them clean from weeds, which is easi- 

 ly done when hoeing the crop planned amongst them. In 

 the fall, (October,) to prevent their being injured by the hard 

 frosts of winter, carry on and lay out of your cart one 

 shovelful of compost manure on the top of each hill ; ma- 

 nure from the hogsty I should prefer. 



' In each following spring, before the hops are opened, as 

 it is termed, spread evenly over the yard about eight cords 

 of manure per acre, (coarse, strawy manure I should pre- 

 fer, as it will have a tendency to keep the land loose,) 

 and plough the field both ways at the first hoeing. Tftey 

 require but three hoeings in a season, unless necessary to 

 subdue the weeds ; the last of which should be performed 



