Fifty Years of Hop Farming. 
335 
mildew, TIemileia vastatrix, has appeared, and a mildew has 
caused considerable injury to fir woods and plantations in recent 
years. The more dangerous vine mildew, Peronospora viticola, 
which was no doubt imported from America, was first noticed in 
the departments of the Charentes about twenty years ago. It 
quickly invaded the whole of the European vineyards. 
Since about 1850 the hop-planters have endeavoured to stay 
the ravages of mildew by means of sulphur dusted upon the 
plants. In some seasons this has certainly prevented the germs 
of the fungus from finding a congenial nidus upon the plants, 
and has checked their progress after they have become esta- 
blished. 
Sulphur is the only remedy at present known in this country 
against this mildew. It is not always efficacious, as the dis- 
engagement of sulphurous acid, which is destructive to the 
fungus, only takes place in 1 hot weather. 
Sulphur, though efficacious to a certain extent as against the 
one vine mildew, Oiclium Tuckeri, is not of much avail against 
the other more dangerous vine mildew, Peronospora viticola^ for 
which sulphate of copper solutions appear to be the best reme- 
dies. It is strange that hop-planters have not tried this for the 
hop mildew. 
Sulphur is applied by means of an ingenious machine drawn 
by a horse between the rows of plants. There is a fan within 
this which, being made to revolve quickly, distributes the finely- 
powdered particles of sulphur over the plants in quantities 
varying from 40 to 80 lb. per acre. 
It was formerly thought best to do this at night, so that the 
sulphur might be fixed on the leaves by the dew. Now it is 
done in the daytime, and if possible during sunshine. 
Picking. 
This operation is still solely performed by hand. An enter- 
prising American brought a machine for hop-picking to this 
country about twenty years back, but it proved to be of no 
practical value. 
The hops are better picked, on the whole, than formerly ; 
but it must be said that there is room for further improvement, 
as the hops are frequently picked in bunches, and too many 
leaves and branches are allowed to fall into the picking bins 
and baskets. Brewers are more particular now than in the old 
days, when much rubbish was stowed away in " bags " to be 
1 Guide du Sovfrcur de Vignes. Par M. F. la Vergne. Mcmoire svr la 
Maladie de la Yigne. Par M. Mar6s. 
