362 
Cultivation and Management of Hops. 
to the general subject, more time is allowed, and tte fires are kept 
up with more system and with more evenness of temperature. In 
many oasts* thermometers are always kept for the guidance of 
Fig. 8. — Group of Kilns. 
the dryers, and in some few self-registering thermometers by which 
the grower or his bailiff may see at a glance whether the state- 
ments of the dryers, as to the wet state of the hops or the coldness 
of the night, are valid excuses for mismanaged hops. Before 
colour and choice quality were indispensable, there was compara- 
tively very little oast-room in proportion to the hop acreage. 
Great loads of green hops were put on the kilns ; from If to 2^ 
bushels were heaped upon every square foot of hair, making it 
almost impossible for the heated air to pass through with anything 
approaching to uniformity ; the under hops were drawn down to 
the hair, while those above remained in statu quo until they were 
turned, which process was several times repeated. Good managers 
have plenty of oast-room, put their hops very lightly upon the 
• Oast, or Oast-house, means a group of kilns with stowage, an illustration of 
which is given here, for which thanks are due to the kind courtesy of Dr. Macau- 
lay, the editor of the ' Leisure Hour' (See a paper in the ' Leisure Hour' for 
August, 18G5, by the Rev. J. Y. Stratton, entitled ' Hop and Hop-pickers." 
