HOPS. 
127 
former has certainly the advantage in many parti¬ 
culars, and is said to be cheaper and more productive: 
but as it is impossible, from the present extent of the 
plantation, that any considerable proportion can be 
worked in this manner, from want of hands, the in¬ 
quiry cannot be of much consequence. The expenses 
of these plantations, may be calculated from the fol¬ 
lowing statementAs they always occupy the most 
valuable tract on the farm, the rent cannot be set 
down lower than 3 Is. per acre, in some instances it is 
much higher. The acre is not to be estimated as 
statute measure, but after the rate of one thousand 
stocks to the acre, which is, in general, one-fifth less. 
The expense of manure is very heavy, as they produce 
none, except the ashes from the burning of the vines 
and leaves ; so that were justice done to the rest of 
the land, the greater part ought to be procured from 
home. The price of dung (provincially muck) in ge¬ 
neral, is about 6s. per waggon-load, or 3s. per ton; 
(if from stables, in which horses are fed plentifully with 
corn, the price runs higher in proportion) and is fre¬ 
quently to be fetched eight or ten miles. 
“ The hop-grounds are worked sometimes through 
the several seasons, as they are termed, at a fixed 
price, which is, from 15s. to 20s. per acre, according 
to the different quality of the soil. The seasons are 
four, and thus divided:—throwing down and cutting, 
spreading and pitching poles, kerfing and tumping, 
stripping and piling poles: otherwise the workman re¬ 
ceives his usual pay of Is. per day, with drink; or 
some parts are taken by the acre, as pitching poles, 
3s. stripping and piling 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. The wo¬ 
men employed to tie the vine receive 6d. per day, 
with two quarts of drink j or they take them by the 
year. 
