88 HOPS. 



Preparing the Grounds 



Probably no bop-grower is unaware tbat deep and higb 

 cultivation is absolutely necessary on land intended for hops. 

 In grubbing up old stocks it soon becomes apparent to what 

 a depth the roots penetrate in the soil, and at which level they 

 develop most abundantly. And although the maximum depth 

 attained by the roots, which may be as much as 13 to 16 

 feet, must not be adopted as a basis in cultivation, the ground 

 must at any rate be loosened, turned and mixed as far down 

 as the great bulk of the roots develop. In any case a 

 thorough preparation of the soil to a depth of 20 in. to 2 feet 

 is not only necessary but profitable. It is not everywhere 

 that ground destined for hops is trenched uniformly all over, 

 the plan adopted in backward countries such as Russia 

 being to dig pits about 20 inches deep here and there near 

 the stocks, a method which is cheapei: than digging over the 

 whole surface by hand. Where, however, horse or steam 

 power can be applied, the digging of such pits is not always 

 cheaper than more thorough and uniform treatment of the 

 ground all over. It is also easy to understand that, since, 

 where pits are dug, the soil is loosened only in the immediate 

 vicinity of the rootstocks, the lateral roots soon get into 

 very hard ground, which they penetrate with great difficulty, 

 if at all ; and already on this account a thorough working 

 .of the entire area to the prescribed depth is the more advan- 

 tageous plan. The cost of digging such pits amounts to 12s. 

 or 14s. per acre, according to the class of soil. 



Deep cultivation, i.e., uniform trenching of the whole 

 area of the hop garden, can be carried out in various 

 ways : — 



1. By hand digging exclusively. 



2. By horse labour (trench ploughing) in conjunction 

 with spade work. 



