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Cultivation of the Hop Crop. 



[Mar., 



The Umbrella System (Fig. 3), which takes its name from 

 a somewhat fanciful resemblance to the spokes of an umbrella, 

 is commonly used in the Weald and Mid-Kent. The spacing 

 of the hills is similar to that in the Butcher system, but the 

 poles, instead of being situated at intermediate distances between 

 the hills are placed closely in contact with the hills : they are 

 arranged symmetrically and generally 1 pole is provided for 

 every six " hills." No bottom and no middle wires are fixed, 

 but the top wires cross each other above the centre of each hill. 

 Four strings are used for each hill and are attached below to 

 a peg or hook fixed in the ground; the four strings are coupled 

 together at about 3 ft. 6 in. above the ground by a string which 

 is hitched to all of them so that each of the 4 main-strings 

 forms a corner of a 9 in. square. From this point the 4 strings 

 radiate at right angles to each other and are tied to cross-wires 

 which form a square above the hills nearest to the central hill, 

 as shown in the diagram. 



The advantages of this system are that four strings are 

 obtained for each hill instead of three, they are exposed to the 

 air more advantageously, and cultivation and washing can be 

 executed in both directions. Moreover, since the pull of one 

 string balances the pull of the string opposite to it, the strain 

 upon the wire-work is more or less balanced and the wear and 

 tear is less; consequently fewer poles are required — generally 

 about 160 good poles per acre. On the other hand, spraying by 

 horse-drawn hop-washers Is rendered more difficult by reason of 

 the crossing of the strings so that one bine protects another from 

 the spray, and in districts where aphis is abundant this is a 

 serious drawback; the slope to the strings is considerable- and 

 consequently training is increased; lastly exposure to light is 

 not so good as in the Butcher and consequently the bines do not 

 hop down so well — the lowel bine carries no hops, and the hops 

 do not grow out quite so well. 



The Worcester System (Figs. I and 5) was first practised in 

 the hop districts of Worcester and Hereford. In the typical 

 case the " hills " are planted in rows 7 ft. or 8 ft. apart, but 

 the " hills " in the row vary from 3 ft. 8 in. to 3 ft. 6 in. apart 

 only. Poles are placed from 15 ft. to 20 ft. apart in the rows, 

 and the wires which carry the string are not directly attached 

 to the poles, but are carried upon stout cross-wirps ; two top 

 string wires are suspended upon these cross-wires over eacli 

 alley, equidistant apart from each other and from similar wires 

 in adjacent alleys, Two strings only are supplied to each hill: 



