CULTIVATION. 85 



It is, of course, understood that the different varieties are to 

 be planted separate and not mixed together. 



With regard to cuttings, the actual transmitters of the 

 characteristics of the parent stock, Tausche^ observes that 

 these should be taken solely from stocks that crop plentifully 

 and satisfactorily, and he recommends the adoption of the same 

 procedure that is followed in the breeding of other agricul- 

 tural plants, rightly emphasing that strict and careful 

 selection of the stocks from which cuttings are taken is 

 of the highest importance to the hop-growing industry as 

 a whole. 



If a hop garden be inspected" shortly before picking time 

 it will be noticed that all the stocks do not behave alike, but 

 that there are always a few which are free from or ^hort of 

 cones, others with only a medium quantity, whilst finally 

 certain of them will be found to bear much more abundantly 

 than their neighbours. As, however, these plants have been 

 grown under the same conditions as the rest, it may well 

 be assumed that their productiveness is an individual and 

 therefore transmittable characteristic. 



If these prolific plants are marked for identification and 

 found to exhibit the same property year after year, the 

 previously .expressed opinion of their qualities may be re- 

 garded as confirmed. Cuttings from such plants will be 

 extremely valuable, and Tausche's designation of " noble " 

 will be very applicable to such cuttings. When these are 

 planted out a high grade garden will be obtained, and the 

 cuttings procured from the latter will be of equal value to 

 those from the original carefully selected parent stocks. 



The best time for selecting the parent plants is in the 

 month of August, because at this time the productive capa- 

 city of the individual plants can be most accurately judged. 



1 Oesterreichisches landwirthschaftliches Woche'/ihlatt, 1894-95. 



