February 27. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
417 
pasture broken up, and lias received a fair share of 
frost, it will do without manure very well for one year or 
more, and the Hops will thrive well on such land, pre¬ 
suming it to have been good as well. The planting is 
usually done with a dibber; a boy distributing the sets, 
five to each hill; the planter generally smoothing the 
ground after planting them, and drawing a circle round 
with his dibber, but little more is wanted for some time; 
only, if sets be adopted, a row of Potatoes may be 
planted between the Hops, or it might be Mangold 
Wurtzel, or Turnips; and very often this crop is a 
remarkably good one: and as they do not prevent the 
stirring of the ground, &c., around the plants in sum¬ 
mer, they do no harm; but where bedded sots are 
planted, which are plants one year forwarded, they 
ought not to be encumbered with anything between 
them ; and ought, also, to have short poles to each hill; 
but, in a general way, “cut sets” are adopted, and 
usually do better the third year, and afterwards, than 
the others. 
Although the above is the general way of rearing a 
plantation of Hops, it is right to observe that they can 
also be done by seed; but as there is no dependence to 
be placed on those coming from seed, and, in all pro¬ 
bability, nine-tentbs of the plants may be of very bad 
kinds, it is seldom adopted, except by those who are 
anxious to procure new kinds ; for, as is the case with 
fruits, it now and theu happens, a valuable acquisition 
may be made, but this being rare, seedlings are seldom 
adopted. Resides, the probability is, that a large 
proportion of those raised from seed may turn out 
“ male Hops,” which do not produce anything, but 
about whose presence in a Hop-garden much difference 
of opinion exists, and about which I will say some¬ 
thing hereafter; suffice it here to say, that there are 
hundreds of acres without the male plant, that the 
amateur need not have it unless he particularly wishes 
it, and if he docs, one plant in a hundred will be quite 
sufficient. 
The hind of Hop most grown on stiff lands is called 
the Grape Hop, from its produce hanging in clusters 
like that fruit. It is very prolific, and does not require 
such long poles as the Golding or Colegate varieties, 
but it is inferior in quality to the Golding, although it 
will generally yield more ; but as the Golding will only 
grow well on deep, rich, dry lands, the Grape, of which 
there are several varieties, are generally planted. Jones’s 
Hop is also extensively planted by some ; it is also not 
taller than the Grape, poles of ten feet being sufficient 
in most cases, and as poles are an expensive item in 
the management of the crop, it is important to avoid all 
useless expenditure, if possible; for that reason,many 
growers plant some Jones’s purposely to use up all their 
short poles. 
As I shall return to this subject shortly, I will add no 
more at present, unless it be a word to those who have 
never seen them grow. To those I may safely say, that 
a healthy plantation of Hops about the beginning of 
September is certainly one of the prettiest, if not the 
very prettiest, object in the vegetable kingdom; for I 
know of no plant to equal them for profuse bearing, 
and singular yet graceful appearance. No exotic, nor 
indigenous flowering-plant is half so pretty, in my 
opinion; and those who have seen them, all agree with 
me in the same remarks. The amateur who wishes 
for more extended information on the Hop, had better 
consult Mr. Lance’s “ Hop Farmer,” a work of high 
standing, or the Prize Essay of the Royal Agricultural 
Society, awarded to Mr. T.Rutley, of this county, which 
contains much information. It is in their Journal for 
1848, and states the whole routine at length. 
J. Robson. 
ALLOTMENT FARMING.— March. 
The following rotations of crops are given, that each man 
may select for himself, now at the commencement of spring- 
work, the rotation most suitable for the size of his allot¬ 
ment, or the stock lie keeps. 
ROTATION FOR ONE ACRE. 
Divide the land into four equal parts, containing forty 
perches each ; separate these portions liy small alleys of 
such a size as will permit a wheelbarrow to pass along with 
manure, and also for weeding the crops, or applying liquid- 
manure to them. 
One portion to he planted with Early Potatoes, to be 
succeeded by Turnips, Savoys, and Cabbages. 
The second division to he planted with Potatoes in March, 
for the principal supply, to be succeeded by Cabbages. 
The third division to be sown with Parsnips in February; 
Carrots and Mangold Wurtzel in April; and Swede Turnips 
in May. Broad Beans can he advantageously drilled in 
between the Parsnips in double rows, four inches apart, with 
an interval of six feet to the next row. The Parsnips will 
not he injured by the Beans, when, at the same time, an 
underground and top crop is produced. 
The fourth division with Wheat, Peas, Beans, Onions, and 
a small portion sown with Leeks, Lettuce, and other small 
seeds, such as Early York Cabbage, Savoys, and Brussels 
Sprouts, to afford asupply of plants to fill up the ground when 
the other crops are removed. The Mangold Wurtzel, Swede, 
and Cabbage strippings will afford excellent feeding for pigs. 
Along the sides of the quarters could he planted a few 
dwarf Apple-trees, two or three Damson plums, and a few 
dozen Gooseberry and Currant trees. The four portions 
into which the land is divided can undergo a rotation of 
cropping; and one of them should he trenched each 
succeeding year. 
ANOTHER ROTATION FOR ONE ACRE. 
Potatoes; Mangold Wurtzel; Cabbage; Barley; Peas; 
Wheat. 
ROTATION FOR THREE ACRES. 
An allotment, or garden farm of three acres, for feeding 
two cows and several pigs, to he divided into six parts of 
half-an-acre each. The rotation of crops can also he carried 
out in each division in succession. 
FIRST YEAR. 
SUMMER. 
WINTER. 
1st division, 
Potatoes 
Prepared by deep digging 
2nd 
clo. 
Tares cut green 
for Tares in October 
3rd 
do. 
Barley & Clover .. 
Swede, White, and Yellow 
Turnip 
4th 
do. 
Clover cut green.. 
Trenched and ridged 
5th 
do. 
Carrots,Parsnips, 
M angold Wurtze 1 
Oth 
do. 
Early Peas, sown 
wide 
Cabbage between the rows 
ANOTHER ROTATION FOR TWO ACRES. 
1st year, Wheat, followed by winter Vetches. 
2nd do. Turnips. 
3rd do. Barley and Seeds. 
4th do. Clover. 
5th do. Oats, followed by ltye, which, in the Oth year is 
cut for fodder, and followed by Swedes. 
7th do. Wheat. 
8th do. Beaus, with Cabbages transplanted between the 
rows. 
Oth do. Oats. 
10th do. Mangold Wurtzel, Carrots. 
ANOTHER ROTATION, TO FEED TWO COWS AND SEVERAL PIGS. 
Three acres of land. 
\ an acre in Lucern, constantly. 
1 acre in a grain crop, either Barley, Oats, or Wheat. 
1 acre in l’arsnips and Carrots ( Early Horn and While 
Belgian). 
J an acre in Mangold Wurtzel. 
A seed-bed of early Cabbages is necessary to transplant 
as soon as the Early Horn Carrots are off the ground. 
Onions should he sown the early part of the month ; they 
delight in a good, rich soil, in a moist, shaded situation. 
For experiment, I one year marked out a piece of ground 
into five equal parts. On the first division was spread two 
barrowfuls of fine charcoal, on thirty l'eet long by seven feet 
