382 



THE HOP CROP. 



containing 100 poles each, the lot being bound together 

 with hop bines stripped of their leaves, the four meeting 

 together at the top, and forming a large conical stack, 

 the apex or crown, in some cases, being capped by 

 a small thatch to turn the rain off on to the outsides. 

 At the time of stacking, all faulty poles should be drawn 

 out, and separated into lengths, either suitable for young 

 plants or for grounds requiring shorter poles than those 

 from which they were rejected. The poles form a large and 

 important item both in the first cost and in the susteuta- 

 tion of a hop plantation, as each year they require to be 

 trimmed and fresh pointed, and a certain number of new 

 ones to replace those which are rendered unfit for further 

 use. For large poles chestnut is considered the best and most 

 durable wood, next to which come ash, willow, and maple. 

 Larch grown close on the ground has been tried with 

 very satisfactory results. The soil of the hop districts, 

 however, rarely is favourable to the growth of larch planta- 

 tions, and thus they have to be obtained from a distance, 

 which increases their cost. For the smaller sizes, oak, 

 birch, beech, hazel, white birch, and alder are used the two 

 last being generally looked upon as inferior to the others. 

 In all cases the age of the wood affects its value for hop 

 purposes : poles of fifteen to sixteen years' growth last 

 considerably longer than those of only eight or ten years'. 

 The market value is also affected by the size, quality, and 

 relative demand and supply. 1 



1 The tabular statement given shows the market prices for the different sorts 

 and sizes of poles : 



