CULTIVATION. 131 



dangerous April frosts, the bine, at that time 40 to 80 inches 

 high, having suffered no damage, and now growing strongly 

 without manure. In a few plants only were the tips of the 

 delicate Saaz variety frost-bitten, but after the removal of the 

 injured part no further disadvantage could be observed. The 

 gain of several weeks in growth by non-cutting is undoubtedly 

 advantageous, since personal observation has led to the con- 

 viction that the advance secured in this way affords the best 

 protection against vermin of all kinds. The aphis, as is well 

 known, appears at the end of June or early in July and 

 infests from choice the half-grown, weak and sappy parts of 

 the plant ; and those having a smaller power of resistance 

 are retarded . in development. On the other hand, uncut 

 plants are fully grown at the time of the invasion, and are 

 therefore better able to resist attack, besides being less 

 palatable to the aphis than the tender shoots. Consequently 

 it may be assumed that, by cutting the stock, we are favouring 

 the subsequent injury of the plant by aphides. Non-cutting 

 also affords the further advantage of accelerating the gather- 

 ing time by about 10 days, a circumstance usually more 

 favourable so far as drying the hops is concerned, as v?ell as 

 profitable, the hops being all the sooner ready for market." 



4. Another drawback of the cutting system is that it 

 entails- the tramphng of the ground while the latter is wet, 

 and therefore liable to poach : a great disadvantage on clay 

 soil. This is because cutting must necessarily be effected 

 at a time of year when the ground is seldom properly dry. 

 The treading up of the ground also increases the difficulty 

 and expense of subsequent hoeing. 



5. Laying the plants bare and cutting them in the 

 early spring is in itself a very difficult and expensive 

 task. 



6. Finally, one of the principal evils caused by cutting 

 is the great irregularity in the sprouting of the cut stocks, 



