hops. 133 
** posit its eggs, the hop is never known to suffer from 
44 the honey-dew.” 
Under this view of the disease, might not the prac¬ 
tice of smocking the fruit plantations, on the first 
alarm of a blight, used in some fruit countries, be ap¬ 
plied here to those of hops ? The other injuries to 
which they are liable, still remain without a remedy. 
A free circulation of the air through them, and complete 
draining of the land, are the only dependence. The use 
of the kerf is attended with one disadvantage, and 
which, when employed, almost solely, to destroy 
•weeds, is of consequence: the person working with it, 
in some measure, defeats the intention of his labour, as 
he is continually treading down the soil again, he has 
just loosened ; and thus, in some degree, re-sets the 
weed he had but a little before turned up; but the 
greater despatch made with it, more than can be done 
with the spade, will probably continue it that pre¬ 
ference in which it is held. 
The tythe of hops is more particularly complained 
of than that of any other article, and considering the 
very great expense at which they are cultivated, it 
appears to be with reason. The present regulations 
respecting the hop duty are not complained of; and if 
the tax must be continued (to use the language of the 
planter) it cannot prohably be altered for the better; 
the only use of consequence to which hops are applied, 
is the preserving malt liquors. The shoots called hop 
tops are introduced, in spring, as a vegetable at table, 
and somewhat resemble asparagus. Strong cloth is 
made in Sweden of the stalks; for this purpose they 
must be gathered in autumn, soaked in water all win¬ 
ter ; and, in March, after being dried in a stove, they 
tire dressed like flax. 
k 3 The- 
