142 HOPS. 



The considerable check to the flow of sap consequent 

 on such drastic cutting moderates the undue luxuriance of 

 the plant, and reduces it more closely to the normal rate. 

 Of course such abnormal stocks must be most carefully 

 freed from all subsidiary shoots ; and at the same time this 

 is an occasion when the smaller lateral roots need not be 

 protected but may be pruned away, an advisable procedure 

 under the exceptional circumstances of the case. 



In addition, close cutting may also be practised where 

 very old but exceedingly vigorous and strongly-developed 

 stocks, resembling small tree trunks, have to be dealt with, 

 as happens in some specially favoured gardens where hops 

 have been grown in the same spot for an entire span of 

 human existence. 



(b) Ordinary Cutting. 



If the rootstock is strongly and normally developed, and 

 consequently fully provided with healthy stems ; the visible 

 lateral roots being also sound and strong, and the stock 

 itself compact and uninjured, though at the same time no 

 abundant growth of subsidiary shoots is apparent — a small 

 number of these, such as three to five, may be disregarded — 

 then the ordinary method of cutting (Fig. 42) is practised. 



The three best stems are selected, and, the others being 

 removed by a clean cut close against the stock, are examined 

 separately for the white plastic eyes on the base of the stem 

 near the old stock, which eyes form the buds for the new 

 shoots. The bine thrown up by these buds is usually not 

 merely the most fruitful, but also yields the richest cones. 

 If at least two to four such buds are found on each stern the 

 upper portion is cut off a short distance above them. Of 

 course, in the absence of such buds at the base the cut must 

 be made above the next lowest pair on the stem, even 

 though these be an inch or more above the base of same. 



