552 'CANNABINEJ^. 



an hopi) f'^ and in the same leign, Parliament was petitioned against 

 " that wicked weed called hoj^s." 



But it is evident that hops were soon found to possess good qualities, 

 and that though their use was denounced, it was not suppressed. Thus 

 in the regulations for the household of Henry VIII. (1530-31), there is 

 an injunction that the brewer is "not to put any hops or brimstone 

 into the ale" f while in the very same year (1530), hundreds of pounds 

 of Flemish hops were purchased for the use of the noble family of 

 L'Estranges of Hunstanton.^ 



In 1552 the cultivation of hops in England was distinctly sanctioned 

 by the 5th and 6th of Edward VI. c.5, which directs that land formerly in 

 tillage should again be so cultivated, exceptingitshould have been set with 

 hops or saffron. Notwithstanding these facts, hops were for a long period 

 hardly regarded an essential in brewing, as may be gathered from the 

 remark of Gerarde (ob. A.u. 1607), who speaks of them as used "to season" 

 beer or ale, explaining that notwithstanding their manifold virtues, they 

 " rather make it a physical drinke to keepe the body in health, than an 

 ordinary drinke for the quenching of our thirst." In reality, other herbs 

 were for a long period employed to impart to malt liquor a bitter or 

 aromatic taste, as Ground Ivy (JSfepeta Glechoma Bentli.); anciently called 

 Ale-hoof or Gill; Alecost {Balsamita vulgaris L.); Sweet Gale {Myrica 

 Gale L.); and Sage {Salvia officinalis L.). Even Long Pepper and Bay 

 Berries were used for the same purpose,^ but in addition to hops. 



Though English hops were esteemed superior to foreign, and were 

 extensively grown as early as 1603, as shown by an act of James I.,* 

 Flemish hops continued to be imported in considerable quantities down 

 to 1693. 



Structure — The inflorescence of the male plant constitutes a large 

 panicle ; that of the female is less conspicuous, consisting of stalked 

 catkins which by their growth develope large leafy imbricating bracts, 

 ultimately forming an ovoid cone or strobile, which is the officinal part. 

 This catkin consists of a short central zigzag stalk, bearing overlapping 

 mdimentary leaflets, each represented by a pair of stipules. Between 

 them are 4 female florets, each supported by a bract. After flowering, 

 the stipules as well as the bracts are much enlarged, and then form the 

 persistent, yellowish-green, pendulous strobile. At maturity, each bract 

 infolds at its base a small lenticular closed fruit or nut, yV of an inch in 

 diameter. The nut is surrounded by a membranous, one-leafed perigone, 

 and contains within its fragile, brown shell an exalbuminous seed. 

 These fruits, as well as the axis and the base of all the leaf-like organs, 

 are beset with numerous shining, translucent glands, to which the 

 aromatic smell and taste of hops are due. 



Description — Hops as found in commerce consist entirely of the 

 fully developed strobiles or cones, more or less compressed. They have 

 a greenish yellow colour, an agreeable and peculiar aroma, and a bitter 

 aromatic burning taste. When rubbed in the hand they feel clammy, 

 and emit a more powerful odour. By keeping, hops lose their greenish 



^ The authority for this statement is an "^ ArcJueolofjia, iii. (1786) 157. 



isolated memorandum in a MS. volume * Ihid. xxv. (1834) 505. 



(No. 980) by Thomas Gybbons, preserved in * Holinshed, Chronicles, vol. i. book 2. 



the Harleian collection in the British cap. 6. 



Museum. * 1 James I. (anno 1603) cap. 18. 



