i9io.] 



Hop Cultivation. 



883 



river valleys. Shelter is particularly necessary on the south- 

 west side, since the prevailing winds in the ripening period 

 are from this quarter. 



Soil. — Hops can be grown over a fairly wide range of soils 

 provided that the manuring is arranged to supply those 

 elements of plant food lacking in the particular soil, and 

 provided also that varieties are selected suitable to each soil. 

 The best quality Golding hops grow to perfection upon deep 

 loamy soils, especially if these overlie the chalk; they are 

 grown well upon a brick-earth soil, and also upon light loams, 

 though upon this latter soil the crop is not usually so large. 

 Fuggles thrive especially well upon a cool, heavy clay soil, 

 such as the Weald clay. 



Light sandy soils and gravelly soils are not suitable 

 because of insufficiency of moisture. 



Hops do not thrive upon wet or water-logged soils, and it 

 is found that many of the hills in such situations die away 

 during the winter; hence all hop gardens should be naturally 

 or artificially well drained. 



An ideal soil for hops is a deep, rich loamy soil overlying 

 chalk at a depth of about 6 feet. 



Planting a Garden. — Under normal conditions it takes three 

 years for a hop garden to reach its prime. Hop "sets" are 

 planted-out in the autumn or spring of the first year and in 

 favourable seasons, if well tended, produce a small crop the 

 first year. Usually, however, the crop is not large enough to 

 be worth picking; nevertheless, it is very important that the 

 plants be well tended during the first year, because upon their 

 development in this year depends to a large extent the vigour 

 of growth in the second and third years. 



In the second year growth is much more vigorous and the 

 hops produce from half to three-quarters of a full crop; in 

 the third year the garden is in its prime. 



Preparation for Planting. — Hops are usually planted after 

 a corn crop, though they may be planted after any other 

 crop except late folded roots ; broken pasture, except for the 

 prevalence of wireworm, also makes an excellent tilth for hops 

 owing to its high content of organic matter. 



A good coat of dung (from 20 to 40 tons per acre) is usually 

 carted on the corn stubble and spread, and then the land is 



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