164 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. r February 23, isss, 
FRUIT. 
s. d. 8. d. 
Apples. j sieve 2 otoG 0 
Apricots. doz. 0 0 0 0 
Cherries. %»• ft. 0 0 0 0 
Chestnuts. bushel 16 0 0 0 
Currants, Rlack.. £ sieve 0 0 0 0 
„ Red.... 4 sieve 0 0 0 0 
Figs. dozen 0 0 0 6 
Filberts.. pft. o 0 0 0 
Cobs.V 100 ft. 55 0 65 0 
Gooseberries .... 4 sieve 0 0 0 0 
Grapes . 8 0 10 6 
s. d. s. d 
Lemons. 
0tol6 
0 
Melons . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines.. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges . 
^100 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Peaches . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears,kitchen . 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
6 
dessert.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples .. 
V It 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Strawberries .. 
.. per oz. 
l 
6 
0 
0 
Walnuts . 
7 
0 
8 
0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOPS. 
C Continued' from page 145.) 
In training Hops vve still find that the ordinary mode of placing 
several poles vertically on each hill prevails in most districts; it 
is well, therefore, that the growth of wood best adapted for Hop 
poles should be attended to on the estate, and in order to do this 
a double object may be accomplished—that of turning inferior 
land to account by their growth, and at the same time obtaining 
them with but little carriage. The wood best adapted is of several 
kinds, but on poor land Larch Firs planted as thick as Cabbages 
will grow into Hop poles very quickly, so that the land may be 
clearedAn twelve or fourteen years, taking the first cutting about 
the ninth year. Another plan is to plant underwood in every 
third row, so that as soon as the Firs are cleared away the under¬ 
wood may produce a cutting periodically, say every ten or twelve 
years. The wood best adapted for this is the American Locust 
Tree or Robinia ; this is very quick in growing, but will endure 
double the time of our own woods usually grown, such as Sweet 
Chestnut and Ash. 
We will suppose that all the poles used the previous year, and 
which were proved to be sound and fit for future use, have either 
been stacked or laid around the outsides of the ground where it 
consists of a few acres only. Upon large fields they are usually 
laid in heaps or stacked in perpendicular position at intervals, so 
that each stack or heap will supply enough for a hundred hills. 
They will then be conveniently placed for use together with such 
new poles as may be required. The latter, however, as soon as 
pointed at the bottom should be soaked in creosote for some hours 
and then put by to become dry before being used. Three poles 
is the number generally placed to a hill, being put into holes made 
with an iron bar like that used in the folding of sheep, arranging 
them in triangular form, and inserting into the ground as many 
inches as the poles are feet in length. From 18 to 21 inches is 
a good distance for the poles at the same hill to be placed from 
each other. When this is completed the ground should be horse- 
hoed. The old-fashioned nidget is now gone out of use, or should 
be allowed to make way for an expanding iron horse of great 
power, so that it may be used for deep or shallow stirring of the 
soil as may be required, and the land is reduced to as fine deep 
tilth as possible. 
The next work is tying the vine to the poles, and as this work 
should be done with great care it is entrusted to women or strong 
girls who have been accustomed to the work, and the tying is 
continued as long as it can be reached from the ground. At 
the time of cutting some bines may be removed, especially such 
as are too weak and unpromising in growth. Tying is, however, 
often continued, especially with Golding’s Hops, by the use of a 
short expanding ladder, like that used by painters, carpenters, ice., 
only lightly made for easy removal. After the Hops are well up 
the poles and have been properly tied women accustomed to the 
work are employed to cut away all extra shoots of bine about 
4 or 5 feet above the ground, as these extra sprouts only weaken 
the growth of the main bines and prevent their fertility, and 
often delays the time of picking also, which is always a matter 
of great importance. The material employed for tying is usually 
rushes and sedge dried tough for the purpose, sometimes old 
matting materials are used ; rushes, however, are found to answer 
best, as it gives way and breaks as the bine gets older and larger. 
Tougher tying material like yarn often cuts the stem of the bine, 
it then bleeds or breaks, either of which often proves fatal to 
the produce of Hops. About three of the best and strongest 
bines are tied to each pole, and the remainder if any are cut 
away as they only weaken the growth, by which the Hops are 
more subject to the attacks of enemies like blight and mould. 
The interculture must be continued in the alleys by horse- 
hoeing, but not deeply after the Hops reach the tops of the poles ; 
hand-hoeing should also be continued in the lines between the 
hills. Digging in the summer should be avoided, particularly 
upon very stiff soils, because if the land breaks up rubbly and 
rough in a dry time the bine turns yellow and seriously diminishes 
the crop. When the horse-hoeing is being done in the alleys 
strong upstanding horses should be worked, otherwise two are 
required, and this necessitates a boy to drive, as they cannot be 
used only at length, the space not being sufficient to admit t.vo 
horses abreast. 
Earthing the hills is the next operation, which is performed by 
taking earth from the alleys with a shovel and placing it on the 
top of the hills, filling up the space between the poles, which 
greatly encourages the future growth of the bines. This work 
is essential for several purposes ; first, to prevent young fresh 
shoots striking out of the hills and to keep the weeds under; 
it also causes the bine to enlarge and form stronger cuttings for 
the next year. It has a further effect upon the crop for another 
year, such as making the future bines more productive. 
We have now enumerated the different items of labour up to 
the time of picking, and must proceed to consider the question of 
manuring on the surface by portable manures during the growth. 
In the case of attacks of blight and mould extra manure applied 
to the surface soil will oftentimes enable the Hop vine to over¬ 
come its difficulties, and by an extra growth of vine yield a partial 
crop, whereas without this encouragement the crop is frequently 
entirely lost. To understand the manures required for Hops we 
should consult the article by Mr. Nesbit which appeared in the 
Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, vol. vii., part 1, which 
furnishes an analysis of the mineral ingredients of the Hop, and 
will form the best guide as to the kinds of manure required. 
Blight and mould are the two greatest enemies the Hop plant 
has to contend with. The first is caused chiefiy by attack of the 
black aphides, and in this case the advantage is shown of the 
so-called ladybird or fly-golding, which devours these insects, and 
have done more for their destruction in most seasons than could 
possibly be accomplished by any human means ; yet for the 
destruction of the black aphides and also the green aphides a 
mixture of softsoap and tobacco is used, 28 lbs. of softsoap to a 
hundred gallons of water and a quarter of a pound of tobacco. 
This solution is showered over the plants by a common garden 
engine and hose, but it must not be done while the plant is in 
burr or bud, nor when the flower is beginning to ripen. The 
attacks of red spider produce upon the leaves of the Hop what is 
often called “ fire-blast,” owing to its peculiar appearance, the 
leaf looking as though scorched by fire. For this it is found that 
sulphur in solution applied by the water engine is the best remedy. 
Sulphur is also the best to destroy white mould as it is called, or 
any other species of fungus having attacked the plants. Those 
Hop-growers who have used sulphur upon correct principles look 
upon the practice as an essential part of cultivation, and is called 
into use on various occasions and purposes during the growth of 
the plant, which is applied by an implement called a sulphurator, 
the sulphur being thrown up evenly over the plants by a revolving 
fan, as the barrow-like implement is wheeled along the alleys. 
Harvesting or picking usually takes place when the Hops are 
quite closed up at the tips, rustle or crackle when touched, and 
when the farina is of a rich golden colour and the seeds perfect 
and firm. The longer they hang in moderation the better their 
weight, and the more they improve in condition if free from blight 
or mould. Picking is now done in much less time than formerly, 
for it rarely lasts longer than three weeks if the early Goldings 
are chiefly grown. More care is now taken to prevent the leaves 
being mixed with the Hops during the act of picking. Instead 
of baskets and bags an improved “bin” or portable frame, to 
which a cloth is fastened for picking Hops into, is becoming gene- 
