CULTIVATION. 201 



on the ground, and afterwards topping the stems when they 

 reach the head wires. The best time for topping is when 

 the earliest flower buds make their appearance, and the 

 length of the bine at this period forms a suitable guide for 

 the proper altitude of the frame ; if the plants overtop the 

 head wires before the flower buds appear, then the frame 

 is too low ; whilst if the buds come out before the bine tops 

 the wire, this indicates that the frame is to the same extent 

 unnecessarily high. Of course 8 to 12 inches either way is 

 a matter of little moment, and the difference in height, 

 due to variations in the season, will seldom exceed these 

 figures ." 



Provided a wire-work system has been erected with under- 

 standing there is no need to fear the results will suffer by 

 comparison with poling, the development and yield of the 

 plants being as normal in one case as in the other. In this 

 respect there is nothing to choose between them. 



One important point, however, is the relative cost of 

 starting, maintaining and working the two systems. In 

 districts like Saaz, where 100 good 23- to 26-foot poles can 

 be obtained for 28s. to 30s., it will cost httle, if any, less to 

 erect a good strong frame System than would be required to 

 stock the same area with poles. When, on the other hand, 

 hop poles cost 40s. to 60s. per 100, as they do for instance in 

 Wiirtemburg, the conditions are very different, and prefer- 

 ence should undoubtedly be given to frame-work. Thus, in 

 Bohemia poled gardens continue to predominate, whilst in 

 Wiirtemburg and other districts the use of wire frames is 

 spreading. 



With regard to the expense of maintenance, here also 

 the price of wood is the principal deciding factor ; and, in 

 addition, the cost of dressing the. poles with preservatives has 

 to be considered in poled gardens. On the other hand, in 

 the case of frames the training material is an onerous item, 



