Pollination in Hop Growing. 



[dec, 



A further point of some interest was noted when the experi- 

 mental hops were picked. It was found that the controls, 

 which in all cases turned out to be seedless, were attacked by 

 mould to a much greater extent than the seed hops which had 

 been pollinated. Indeed, these latter were singularly free from 

 this parasite. Fertilisation, therefore, seemed not only to 

 stimulate the growth, to hasten ripening, and to improve the 

 colour, but also to increase the mould-resisting power of the hop 

 itself. 



the behaviour of the experimental hops suggested the de- 

 sirability of extended observations in hop gardens to determine, 

 if possible, whether the above results, arrived at under somewhat 

 artificial conditions, were borne out in actual practice. In the 

 first place, a very large number of nearly ripe hops were 

 examined in order to determine to what extent seed-production 

 takes place. No well grown-out hops were seen without seeds. 

 A considerable period elapses between the beginning and end 

 of pollination in any particular hop, and in view of the scarcity 

 of males in many gardens, it appeared probable that hops would 

 be found seedless at the base, fertile at the free end, and vice versa. 

 A search showed that this was the case, and it was noticed 

 that fully-developed seed hops and badly grown-out, unripe, 

 seedless hops were often to be found on the same bine. In such 

 cases pollen was probably abundant when the earliest hops on 

 the bine were in burr, but was not available when the later 

 hops were ready for pollination. Hence, in order to obtain all 

 the hops ,on a bine in a well grown-out condition, pollen must 

 be available during the whole burr period. 



The above experiments and observations all point to the 

 necessity of fertilisation in the production of well-grown hops 

 of the desired colour, and Mr. Albert Howard, the Botanist of 

 Wye College, by whom the experiments have been carried out, 

 observes that it seems difficult to escape the conclusion that 

 under the conditions obtaining in Kent the growth of seed hops 

 rather than seedless hops should be aimed at. Before^ however, 

 any special recommendations are made on such an important 

 subject as this, it is proposed to carry out further investigations 

 during the coming season. 



