86 KITCKEX-GARDENING. 



characteristic of tlie Hop, as well as of beans, that the climb- 

 ers always ascend in one direction. Hops run from right to 

 left, and beans in the opposite direction. And if the runners 

 be put around the pole in an opposite direction, and secured 

 there, the ends will turn about as soon as they are free, and go 

 up the pole, or twine the other way. Hop-vines turn around 

 a pole in the same direction that the sun appears to revolve 

 around the earth. 



WHEN AND HOW TO PICK. 



" Hops are known to be ready for gathering when the chaffy 

 capsules acquire a brown color, and a firm consistence. Each 

 chaffy capsule, or leaf calyx, contains one seed. Before these 

 are picked, the stalks are detached, and the poles pulled up, 

 and placed horizontally on frames of wood, two or three poles 

 at a time. The hops are then picked off by women and 

 children. After being carefully separated from the leaves and 

 stalks, they are dropped into a large cloth hung all around 

 within the frame on tenter-hooks. When the cloth is full, the 

 Hops are emptied into a large sack, which is carried home, 

 and the Hops laid on a kiln to be dried. This is always to be 

 done as soon as possible after they are picked, or they are apt 

 to sustain considerable damage, both in color and flavor, if al- 

 lowed to remain long in the green state in which they are 

 picked. In very warm weather, and when they are picked in 

 a moist state, they will often heat in five or six hours. For 

 this reason, the kilns are kept constantly at work, both night 

 and day, from the commencement to the conclusion of the 

 Hop-picking season. 



" Some Hop-growers, however, prefer large boxes made of 

 thin boards for receiving the Hops as they are picked. These 

 boxes have handles screwed to their sides, so that two persons 

 may handle a boxful conveniently." 



MANNER OF DRYING HOPS. 



"The operation of drying Hops is not materially different 



