CULTIVATION. 229 



It is therefore a matter of great importance to the 

 grower to correctly estimate the right time for picking, 

 and to accelerate the work as much as possible in order 

 to preserve the quality of the produce, bearing in mind 

 that, although premature gathering means a certain loss 

 of quality, it is nevertheless preferable to leaving the hops 

 to get Over-ripe where the area under cultivation is large 

 and labour scarce. 



Although almost universally recognised as a faulty prac- 

 tice, the cutting of the bine at picking time is still performed, 

 as a matter of convenience, in poled gardens almost without 

 exception. Using ladders in picking hops on the pole would 

 be a less practical method than having the poles specially 

 arranged so that they could be turned over with their load 

 uncut, a measure that is not beyond the bomids of possi- 

 bility. Nevertheless the usual custom is to cut the bine 

 off at a height of some 2| to 3 feet above the ground, lift 

 and loosen the pole with the pole-puller, pull it up by hand 

 and carefully lay it down. The bine is then stripped off, 

 either in one piece or in sections, over the head of the 

 pole, and at this point the actual work of picking begins. 

 If the picking is not performed in the garden, but at the 

 homestead, the cut bine is bundled, carted off and stored 

 in a shady place ; but the sooner the cones are removed 

 the better, as, if they are left unpicked for some time, the 

 bracts split and the goods suffer loss of colour, lupuHri and 

 appearance, and are therefore more difficult of sale. 



The cones are pinched off either with the finger-nails 

 or with a picking ring which imitates the action of the 

 former. About j inch of stalk is left on the cone ; if longer 

 the buyer grumbles, and if shorter the lower bracts easily 

 become detached. 



It is highly advisable to sort the hops at the time 

 of picking, which can be done either by picking off the 



