CUTTING AND DRESSING. 371 



dressed before they are ready for poling. This is done 

 by a boy or woman opening round the stock of the hill 

 with a narrow hoe or pecker, so as to expose down to the 

 crown of the hill the bines of the preceding year, and any 

 suckers that may have sprung from them. These are re- 

 moved by an experienced man intrusted with the work, 

 care being taken that they are cut off at the right place, 

 as much of the future vigour of the bine depends upon 

 this being judiciously done. These suckers or shoots are 

 the " cuttings " which are used for the formation of new 

 grounds. This work is usually paid for by the day, as 

 everything depends upon the care and attention bestowed 

 upon it; if done by piece-work, it is liable to be care- 

 lessly done, for the sake of getting over the work quickly 

 The time for cutting and dressing is as soon as the 

 ground is sufficiently dry in the spring ; and it is usu- 

 ally considered advantageous to leave the hills open 

 for a day or two after they are cut, in order to dry up, 

 and then they should be covered up again with a thin 

 layer of fine mould, care being taken to mark those 

 containing weak and sickly plants, in order that at poling 

 they may have the shortest and slightest poles allotted to 

 them. It is recommended to set up the poles in the new 

 hills before any digging or outrooting is commenced on 

 the ground; they mark out the hills where the young 

 plants are, and prevent them from being disturbed and 

 injured. Every planter knows what poles are suited to 

 the ground, and provides those considered best; these 

 should be set up in a triangular form, and forced into the 

 ground as many inches at least as they are feet in length, 

 a hole being previously made for them by an iron bar, 

 called a " hop-pitcher," in the same way as fixing stakes 

 for ordinary hurdles, the pole being driven home forcibly, 

 in order to give it a good bite in the ground, and 

 enable it, when covered with the bine, to resist the 



