THE HOP PLANT. 



13 



The Boots. 



When, as is frequently the case with the plant in its 

 wild form, the hop springs from seed, the rootlet of the seed- 

 ling develops into the main root, which subsequently ex- 

 pands into the rhizome or rootstock. This penetrates deep 

 into the ground and sends forth branch roots on all sides. 



Fig. 1. — Bootstook. 



their tendency being, however, to extend downwards rather 

 than laterally. These branch roots exhibit at intervals 

 thickened portions of bottle-shaped or more or less cyhn- 

 drical (seldom globular) form (Fig. 1), which may be re- 

 garded as reserves of material for another year's growth, 

 and always contain a large store of starch, especially in the 

 autumn. At the upper end the rootstock frequently throws 



