CULTIVATION. 183 



A skilled workman is able to trim from 200 to 250 poles 

 per diem ; and the next step is to sharpen or point the butt 

 ends in pyramid form, to facilitate their penetrating the 

 ground when they come to be pitched. With a sharp axe 

 about 400 to 500 poles can be pointed in a day. 



A further precaution in the preparation of hop poles is to 

 protect the lower ends as much as possible from rot, and 

 this is particularly advisable and remunerative in view of the 

 large capital outlay represented by a stock of poles. In 

 treating the poles with this object in view, it must be borne 

 in mind that, to be efficacious, the preservative material em- 

 ployed must be applied, not merely to the part of the pole 

 in immediate contact with the soil, but to a larger portion, 

 since the poles are most liable to damage and rot soonest in 

 the part just above the ground level. Hence the preser- 

 vative treatment must be applied for a length of about 50 

 inches measured from the butt of the pole. 



One well-known method of preserving poles is by charring 

 the wood, the simplest way of effecting this being to hold 

 the butt end of the poles over an open fire and keep them 

 slowly rotating on their own axis until the wood is carbonised 

 to a depth of i to | of an inch. This is, however, not only 

 a tedious and cumbrous method but also less effective than 

 others, such, for instance, as impregnating the wood with 

 carboKneum, tar, or creosote, which are easy and simple in 

 application. A mere coating the surface with these 

 materials is sufficient for attaining the object in view, but 

 the treated portions of the pole must remain in contact with 

 the preserving liquid for at least six hours, to allow time for 

 its penetration into the wood. The operation is greatly 

 facilitated by. heating the liquid. 



Wood impregnated with copper sulphate (blue vitriol) 

 solution is also very durable. The treatment consists in 

 immersing the poles— which should be still in a fresh, green 



