HOW TO PLANT AND CULTIVATE HOPS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 556, 31 August 1880, Page 2

HOW TO PLANT AND CULTIVATE HOPS.

As the cultivation of hops ig likely to become an important industry in this district; several settlers having already planted extensively, smne information regarding the proper mode of treatment m.iy be of use. Any soil that is dry, not wet enough for water to stand on the roots during the winter, and is rich enough to grow good com or potatoes, and has a deep soil where the clay is not near the top of the around, is suitable for hops. Do not think that hops will do well in old worn out fields that are so im. poverished and foul that they are not fit to raise wheat on. Land cannot be too rich tor hops, and the more good manure thrown about the roots, in the fall the more hups will be raised. As to climate, any place where the frosts do not fall early in the autumn, as frosts on hops, after the bloom until gathered, is very detrimental to the quantity and quality of hops raised. Frost in spring, or before before they blossom, does not injure the vines, Do not plant on a hill or in any place that is not sheltered from the wind, as the wind, when blowing hard, will break many of the tender vines when running up the poles, also injures the quality nf the Imps when ripening, by blowing the pollen or yellow dust out of the hops, which alone gives l strength to the hop; yet the yard should'n»t be so sheltered by timber as to shade the hops while growing. After getting your ground ploughed deep and thoroughly pulverised, lay it off so that the hills will be eight feet apart each way; this will make,about 750 hills per acre; then place two sets in a'hill, about six or eight inches apart, and cover about four inches deep. A hop plant should have two sets of eyes, and large and thrifty sets grow much the best. °Wheir your vines are ten or twelve inches lone, it is: then time to train, them, but the poles should be set before the vines are thiough the ground, else the vines will be biuised and broken in making holes and setting the poles. A pole should be from ton to fouiteen feet long, Two poles at each lull should be set in the giound ,1 foot npirt, and from fourteen to sixteen inches deep, The vines must I e named on waim days, as they aie then I .tough, while on a cold day or early iu tht

breaWj beihg .yery/tender. Woik' them well'; keepifree from weeds; while the vines are young,; do not: allow-more thantwo vines to go up,one pole • trim all'suckers off the vines.as high as five'.feet from the ground; break off all the vines from the hills except the ones you train up the poles When the seeds of the hopaire in the dough the hops should be pioked immediately, and shonld not be left on the vines until the seedsare hard, else the hops will begin to spot; this injures sale. When you goto pick, cut your vines twelve or fourteen inches from the ground, not at the eround, else you injure them. Pull up the poles, giving the cluster part to the pickers over their box. Seven bushels of green hops will make about ten pounds in weight of dry hops. The hops must be free of stems and leaves to be saleable. The average yield of hops is about 1500 pounds per acre, though they frequently yield over a ton per acre. ■■■■''."■.