CHAPTER IV.

CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HOP—(continued). MR. JOHN NOAKES, of the Furnace Farm, Lamberhurst, well known as one of the most successful hop-growers, read a paper recently before the Tunbridge Wells Farmers' Club "On the Cultivation and Management of Hops," from which I make the following extracts:

"The first step, and which I consider important, is to get the land as bare of herbage as possible, and to do this Ţ would recommend crowding on a number of sheep, to be trough-fed, two or three weeks before the breaking up of the land. By so doing the turf is much easier buried, and the land is made solid and firm much sooner than when a quantity of old grass is ploughed in. I prefer to plough two furrows when the subsoil is loamy or broken than doing it in one operation. The first furrow I have very fleet-less than 3 inches if possible—the horses to walk in the furrow, on the sod when ploughing the second, which ought to be not less than from 8 to 9 inches, making in all nearly 12 inches, which is better than a greater depth. If the subsoil is clayey or retentive, it is better to plough one furrow only, from 9 to 10 inches deep, the horses of course walking on the surface. Arable land should be ploughed deeper than ordinary ploughing and subsoiled. For this purpose fine, dry weather should be chosen, in order that the horses may

walk on the surface. The subsoiling may be done with the ordinary plough without the wrest plough, but Reed's subsoil plough is preferable. Sufficient care is not taken when planting hops, and it often occasions much delay. It is too frequently left until the busy season of digging and dressing, when the operation is hurried, and consequently often very badly done. About the middle of February, should the weather permit, is the best time for planting; the frost after that time is not so likely to draw the seeds as when planted in November (a time some prefer), and there is sufficient time for the soil to close well round the roots before the earth gets dry in the spring. Care should also be taken to provide a mixture of dung and mould to plant in, either on pasture or arable. The proper distance for planting will vary according to sort, soil, and situation. I prefer generally 6 feet 6 inches, but on uplands, rather exposed, where Jones's are intended to be planted and short poles used, 6 feet or 6 feet 3 inches is a preferable distance. Three poles to the hill, 6 feet 6 inches plant, which will give 3090 poles to the acre, will grow more hops, in my opinion, than 6 feet plant with two poles to the hill, 2420 to the acre. The wide plant also has its advantages in the expense of tying, cultivation, &c. I much prefer bedded to cut sets, either for pasture or arable land; they are more likely to form a strong hill sooner than cut. Two sets are sufficient for a hill, and are better than more, if they are strong and well rooted. Many planters cut nearly all the roots off-in fact, reduce them almost to a cut set. I do not approve of this plan; I much prefer to plant the set nearly as it is taken up, only tipping the coarse roots, and taking off those that are bruised. Neither is sufficient care

taken generally to get sets true of their kind and from a distance. I would rather buy sets at a good price far from home than have those grown near given to me. It is no doubt equally as important as a change of corn for seed. Many planters grow turnips, mangold wurzel, or potatoes amongst their young hops, and I have seen cabbage and kohl rabi. I think it is wrong to do so, and the old maxim 'penny wise and pound foolish" applies well to this practice. I consider anything of the kind I have mentioned planted amongst young hops, besides taking much out of the land, rather encourages grub, wireworm, &c., and hinders cultivation. It is much better to cultivate well, and set traps of slices of mangold wurzel to the hills to catch wireworm, &c., to have these constantly attended to, and so thoroughly destroy the vermin entrapped. On meadow land not well drained, I should advise its being done after the sticks are set, and previous to planting. On arable land it should be done in the autumn or winter, after the planting. It is most important that the land should be thoroughly and deeply drained. The greater portion of my hop land is drained 5 feet deep. Where the soil would not permit of that depth, it is 4 feet, and none less. I take it as a rule, land that will not bear deep drainage is not hop land at all. Since the introduction of ploughing, planters are more independent of casual labour, which was often bad in quality and expensive. Although I plough a little occasionally, and that only in fine weather, when the land will bear the horses, I much prefer digging. The saving by ploughing is very trifling, if any, when we consider the cost of digging, which, on an average, is about 20s. per acre. I think it wrong to dig young hops

the first winter after planting, until after they are poled. I have seen considerable injury done by digging too closely to the hills, and many sets and even hills dug up entirely. It is best to get the poles stocked and the manure carted early on the young ground. At the beginning of March or before, if the weather is favourable, the dead bine should be cut off and the hill cleared of all weeds. About the third week in March the poling should commence, and the digging immediately follow. The dipping or creosoting of hop poles has caused a great change in our system of poling. Large 14-foot poles are no longer necessary, except in a very few instances. Moderate-sized well-cut 13-foot poles are found to be sufficient for Colegates and Goldings. Jones's, instead of taking the refuse from other grounds of very uneven length, varying from 7 feet to about 12 feet, are now poled with nearly the same degree of uniformity as other kinds. Greater care is now required in arranging the poles to the ground than formerly. It is now easy to over-pole, which I have seen frequently done, much to the injury of the planter; but under the old system the sharpening down would generally obviate that danger. Many growers dip their poles without being scraped. I do not approve of the plan, as the bark must hinder to a great extent the creosote entering the pole. It is very doubtful economy, as the cost for scraping-3d. per hundred for small bundles, and 4d. for large is very trifling. It is very important to have the poling done well; whether the work is well done or indifferently done, the difference is of considerable weight per acre. It is often the practice to crowd the poles too near the hill, in which case after they are put up they are in too slanting a direction, the

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CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HO

47

tips of the poles get together as the weight of the bine and hops increase, to the injury of the crop and sample. Poles should be set firmly in the ground, nearly upright, and the width of plant and length of pole should regulate the distance apart at the bottom, so that the tops are an equal distance apart. It is clear by poling upon this plan every pole gets equal benefit from sun and air, which they do not when netted together and housed, as they frequently are. Dipping gives us the opportunity of early poling, which I consider a great advantage. Frost is not so likely to injure the young bines, and the best bines are not bruised and broken as they often are when poled late. All planted hops should have short poles to them: they root much stronger than if allowed to run the ground or twisted up, as was the practice formerly. The new modes of training hops I am not in favour of. The string system is being gradually discontinued, and Coley's inclined system (an improvement upon the string) I do not think will come into general use. I need not dwell upon the cultivation after poling, but simply remark I am not an advocate for deep nidgeting until after the first week in July; after that to nidget with one horse shallow, and frequently. I approve of the plan of striking and raking off before picking, because the land is firmer after picking, and resists the heavy rains of winter-in fact, is altogether in a better state than when autumn striking is resorted to. Manures should be put generally all over the ground, except in a few instances, such as weak plants, or when hops from some cause require an immediate stimulant. In that case rapedust or some kind of artificial manure may be chopped in round the hill to advantage, but I would not advise its being put