THE HOP PLANT. 27 



At one time the formation of the lupulin granules was 

 believed to stand in causative relation to the fructification of 

 the hop ; and it was in consequence of the belief that fructi- 

 fied hops were richer in lupulin that the custom arose of 

 planting about five male hops to every 1,500 female plants. 

 Nowadays it is known that the formation of lupuhn is 

 independent of fructification, and that hops containing seed 

 bring lower prices, so that this old practice has been abol- 

 ished. 



Shortly after the cones are ripe the leaves and stem begin 

 to die down. The transportable contents of these members 

 are conveyed to the underground portions of the plant, to be 

 there stored up as formative material for the young shoots 

 put forth in the ensuing spring. ^ 



Two exceptional and peculiar instances of growth may 

 be mentioned here. In the one Fruwirth^ reports the 

 occurrence of male and female flowers on the same plant, 

 and in the other Eeider found a hop plant which, after 

 bearing female blossoms for four years in succession, brought 

 forth male flowers exclusively in the fifth year. 



Propagation and Selection of the Hop. 



The hop may be either grown from seeds or cuttings, the 

 former method, however, being unsuitable for general appli- 

 cation, because by this means worthless male plants as well 

 as females are produced, and it is not known beforehand 

 whether the female plants will yield a merchantable pro- 



' Though J. Behrens and Wehmer are of opinion that a reflux of certain 

 matters to the roots does not occur, there is still no convincing proof of the 

 accuracy of this view. Two prominent physiologists, Dr. Detmer of Zurich 

 and Dr. Prank of Berlin, to whom the author has applied for elucidation on 

 this point, consider that an autumnal return of material from the leaves to 

 the roots does take place ; and in view of his personal observations the author 

 inclines to the same opinion. 



^Fruwiith. Hopfenbau und Hopfenbehandkmg, P. Parey, Berlin, 1888. 



