THE OAST OR DRYING HOUSE. 377 



from Hd. to 3<i per bushel, although, in blighted seasons, 

 as much as 6d. is given. The pole-pullers use a lever 

 with iron teeth, called a ' hop-dog/ in order to assist in 

 pulling up the poles. One company of the above strength 

 will pick down about one acre at a sitting ; and when 

 they have cleared it they pass on to another, and are fol- 

 lowed by men, who strip the haulm from the poles, and 

 'hile' or stack them at once." 



The hops, when picked, are carted away as speedily as 

 possible to the drying or oast house, where they are pre- 

 pared for packing and sending to market. In the fresh 

 state the hop contains an amount of moisture which would 

 rapidly induce heating and fermentation were they packed, 

 or indeed left in any quantities, in their natural condi- 

 tion. To get rid of this surplus moisture, or reek, as 

 it is termed, they are submitted, in thin layers, to the 

 action of a current of heated dry air passed through them, 

 which carries off with it a portion of the moisture, and 

 leaves them in a sufficiently dry state to be put together and 

 thus be kept without injury for any reasonable time. The 

 construction of the " oast or dry ing house/' where this process 

 is carried out, resembles in principle that of the ordinary 

 malt-house, though the arrangement is slightly different. 

 The heat is generated in the lower part of the building, 

 and the hot air ascends through the floors or hairs, as 

 they are termed, on which the hops are spread out, car- 

 rying with it the surplus moisture of the hops, which it is 

 the object to get rid of, and passing out at the top of the 

 building through the cowl, an aperture arranged for that 

 purpose. In the general construction of these houses, and 

 their internal arrangements for effecting their object in an 

 efficient and economical manner, much skill and ingenuity 

 have been from time to time exhibited, details of which 

 may be found in the authorities alluded to. The 

 most approved form of construction is shown in the 



