1 904-] 



Pollination in Hop Growing. 



545 



The proportions named should be strictly adhered to in order 

 to obtain successful results. Commercial carbolic acid of full 

 strength must be used. The mixture should be made as follows : 

 Place the coal tar in a pot on a slow fire until it is quite hot and 

 shows signs of boiling, remove it from the fire and add tile 

 petroleum while stirring, and finally the carbolic acid. The 

 mixture should be thoroughly well stirred, and it will remain 

 quite liquid after cooling. -"• • 



In order to treat the grain, about 4 bushels of seed should be 

 spread out on a water-tight floor, and a tenth part of the 

 mixture, which will be a little less than two pints, poured on it. 

 This must then be stirred up quickly" till each grain is blackened 

 and the^hole is about the colour of roasted coffee. Continue in 

 the same way, dealing with about 4 bushels at a time. 



The seed cannot, however, be sown in this condition, as it 

 would stick to the cups of the drill, and in order to remedy this 

 add to each 4 bushels of seed about 2 pints of phosphate of lime. 

 When mixed, the grain will be completely dry, and can be sown 

 in the ordinary way. Seed treated in this- way will not be 

 touched by crows, though the growth may be retarded by some 

 tw© or three days. The cost per bushel would be insignificant. 



In some experiments carried out at the South-Eastern Agri- 

 cultural College, Wye, in connection with the production .of 

 new varieties of hops by cross-fertilisation, 



Importance of ^ was found that the young hops which 



Pollination ■ .. . . y . f- / 



in Hop Growing", were not pollinated, and which served 



as check experiments or controls, always 

 remained in burr for a much longer period (often more than a 

 week) than those which were pollinated. The non-pollinated 

 hops never recovered their lost ground, but turned out at picking 

 time to be small, green, and unripe, and compared very un- 

 favourably with the well-grown, golden yellow and ripe pollinated 

 hops. The difference between the two sets was so great in all 

 respects that they would never have been taken for hops of one 

 variety, much less for hops growing on the same bine and on 

 opposite pairs of laterals. 



