164 HOPS. 



constraining it to put forth new shoots, its vegetative powers 

 are highly taxed ; and although this causes a transitory 

 fatigue of the rootstock, the final result is to lengthen its 

 duration. The plant itself then has a more youthful 

 appearance, is richer in sap, and the blooms appear while 

 it is still in the prime of youth. Such plants are more 

 tender and delicate, but are better capable of yielding a valu- 

 able crop than older plants that are already past their prime, 

 i.e., are in an advanced stage of life before flowering time 

 comes. Thus, in the Saaz district for example, the practice 

 of late cutting contributes not a little to the fineness of 

 quality of the hops there produced. Consequently, to totally 

 discard late cutting would be a precipitate and ill-considered 

 action, as well as a one-sided solution of the problem as to 

 which time for cutting is the most advantageous to the 

 grower in this or that district ; whereas the question demands 

 full consideration from all sides and of all circumstances, 

 together with a ripened judgment of previously collected 

 experiences. The best means of attaining our object is that 

 of comparative experiment. Only too frequently has a 

 choice to be made between two evils ; and therefore the 

 decision which of them is the smaller should be based not 

 on mere hypotheses, but on facts wherever possible, i. e., 

 on known results. In this connection it will often trans- 

 pire that assumptions and preconceptions are a long way 

 from the truth. Owing to the manifold factors influencing 

 vegetation in different localities, no universally applicable 

 conclusions can be drawn ; since late cutting may cause the 

 plants to bloom late in one district, whereas in another there 

 is but little difference in this respect between late and early 

 cutting. Furthermore, local conditions influence the time 

 of cutting, not merely on account of climatte, situation and 

 weather, but also by reason of market conditions and other 

 established customs. 



