166 FARMERS^ ARD MECHANICS* JOURNAL* 



are the alder, ash, birch, elm, chesnut and cedar. Their durable- 

 ness is directly the reverse of the order in which they stand, and 

 burning the end put into the ground, will be of service to preserve 

 them. Hops should not be poled till the spring of the second year, 

 and then not till they have been dressed. All that is necessary for 

 the first year, is, to keep the hops free from weeds, and the ground 

 light and mellow, by hoeing often, and ploughing, if the yard is 

 large enough to require it. The vines when run to the length of 

 four or five feet, should be twisted together to prevent their bear- 

 ing the first year, for that would injure them. In the months of 

 March or April of the second year, the hills must be opened, and 

 all the sprouts, or suckers, cut off within an inch of the old root, 

 but that must be left entire with the roots that run down ;* then 

 cover the hills with fine earth and manure. The hops must be 

 kept free from weeds, and the ground mellow, by hoeing often 

 through the season, and hills of earth gradually raised around the 

 vines during the summer. The vines must be assisted in running 

 on the poles with woollen yarn, suffering them to run with the sun. 

 By the last of August or first of September, the hop& will ripen 

 and be fit to gather. This may easily be known by their color 

 changing, and having a fragrant smell ; their seed grows brown and 

 hard. As soon as ripe they must be gathered without delay, for a 

 storm or frosts will injure them materially. The most expedient 

 method of picking hops is to cut the vines three feet from the 

 ground, pull up the poles, and lay them on crutches horizontally 

 at a height that may be conveniently reached. Put under them a 

 bin of equal length, and four may stand on each side to pick at a 

 time. Fair weather must be taken to gather hops in if possible ; 

 and hops ought not to be gathered when the dew is on them, for 

 dew is apt to make them mould. They should be dried as soon as 

 possible after they are gathered ; if not immediately, they must be 

 spread on a lloor to prevent their changing color. The best mode 

 of drying them, is with a fire of charcoal, on a kiln covered with 

 hair cloth, in the manner of a malt kiln. The fire must be kept 

 steady and equal, and the hops stirred gently. Great attention is 

 necessary in this part of the business, that the hops be uniformly 

 and sufficiently dried : if too much dried, they will look brown as 

 if they were burnt, and if too little dried, they will lose their color 

 and flavor. They should be laid on the haircloth about six inches 

 thick, after it had been moderately warmed ; then a steady fire 

 kept up till the hops are nearly dry, lest the moisture or sweat, that 

 the fire has raised, should fall back and change their color. After 

 the hops have been in this situation about seven, eight or nine 

 hours, and have got through sweating ; and when struck with a 



* Hops must be dressed every year as soon as the frost will permit. On 

 this being well done, depends in a great measure the success of the crop. 

 It is thought by many to be the best method to manure the hop-yard in 

 the fall, and cover the hills entirely with manure; asserting, with other 

 advantages, that this prevents the frosts during the winter, from injuring 

 tJie hop. The truth of this may be determined by experiments in our 

 climate and country. 



