THE HOP PLANT. 37 



3. Late or September hops (comprising most of the green 

 varieties) ; ready in the month of September. 



Each of these main groups includes a large number of 

 modifications, more or less constant in their characteristics. 

 Por more closely defining these subdivisions it is customary 

 to prefix the terms " early," " medium-early " and " late " to 

 the name of the district where the hops are grown. From 

 this point of view the classification is undoubtedly a practical 

 one, affording instruction to the agriculturist in several par- 

 ticulars : — 



1. It gives an idea of the requirements of the variety in 

 respect of soil and climate ; 



2. It is a certificate of quality ; 



3. It gives information as to the best district from which 

 a grower can obtain new cuttings when necessary ; and 



4. It indicates the time of ripening of the several varieties. 

 Attempts have also been made to classify hops according 



to the colour and shape of the cones, and also according to 

 their aroma. Nevertheless, it is clear that such methods, 

 leaving so much to personal judgment, are too vague to be 

 of any great value ; and classification according to the lupulin 

 content is unreliable, and has not met with much success. 



The three chief groups of early, middle-early and late 

 hops are sub-divided as follows : — 



1. Early or August Hops. 



{a) The red or golden Saaz hop : cones oval or elongated, 

 rich in lupulin, and of fine aroma. 



The Saaz hop ripens early in Augtist, is undoubtedly the 

 hest, and is only met with in the acme of perfection in its 

 native district, the quality suffering when the plant is trans- 

 ferred to other regions where the conditions of vegetation 

 are different. It is very delicate and yields only moderate 

 crops, but is highly priced. 



