CULTIVATION. 117 



agriculturist will have little difificulty in arriving at a correct 

 solution. 



Whichever method— flat or ridge system— be adopted, 

 the ground must be worked in the autumn, since, like other 

 arable land, the hop garden must be turned up rough before 

 winter. The main object of autumn cultivation is to 

 thoroughly loosen the soil and render the latter as accessible 

 as possible to the action of frost. At the same time these 

 operations get rid of a large number of vermin, as well as 

 exposing the rootstocks of certain weeds whose vitahty is 

 weakened, and in many instances entirely crippled, partly 

 by withering, partly by cold. It is very much to be regretted 

 that some hop-growers neglect autumn cultivation, notwith- 

 standing its great advantages ; the more so because it is 

 evident that soil loosened in autumn is much easier to work 

 in the spring, and therefore offers advantages which no 

 farmer should overlook. 



Many differences exist in the various hop districts with 

 regard to the methods of cultivation practised in autumn. 

 In Bohemia it is customary to loosen the soil between the 

 rows by hand or horse labour, and ridge the soil up towards 

 the plants on either side. The same method is pursued in 

 Germany, or else the soil is drawn up into a separate hillock 

 around each stock. Iti England, America and some other 

 districts the gardens are deeply trenched or tilled between 

 the rows, without regard to any particular shape. The 

 chief point to be regarded in working the ground with horse 

 labour is to see that the implements do not come too near 

 the rootstocks, mechanical injury to the latter in the 

 autumn, while growth is suspended and the soil is damp, 

 being dangerous and likely to cause rotting at the roots. 



In the following spring work is resumed and continued 

 from March to the middle of July. This work is directed to — 



1. The destruction of weeds. 



