Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-09-04
agricultural.
Harvesting Hons.

As the season for the hop harvest APP
proaches and there is prospect that the
crop will command fair price, a few wOrGs
on the subject of their preparation for mar
ket may not be out of place. Hops should
never be picked till the seed is SO far
matured that it will grow, or Is out Of
the dough state The last few days the hons
remain on the vine and mature they are
greatly improved IN strength, flavor and
weight.
When picking is to begin each box should
be allowed five rows, and set out on tie
center of twenty-five hills, bringing the bill
under the center of the box, thereby giving
room for the pickers to move around the box
without stepping on the bills since they
are often killed by the vines becoming broken
under foot, and bleeding while the sap is
flowing. The vine should be cut off about
four feet from the ground. Great care should
be taken to have the hops picked free from
leaves, stems and dead hops, as they all de-
presIste the quality. The sacks should never
be crowded with hops, as by so doing the
hops become bruised. and are injured before
they arrive at the kilns.
For drying they may be put on the kiln T.
any depth up to two feet, but care should be .
used in spreading them evenly, so that the .
heat will 90 through them, and a II dry alike
When the fire is built the heat should be got
up to about 1902 (but never higher where
it may (under heavy kiln) remain for about
i've hours, when the mercury should begin
20 settle gradually, so that when the fire has
been kept up about ten hours the mercury
will indicate about 1902; in every instance
measuring the heat within from twelve 10
fourteen inches Of the cloth on which the
hops are spread, and the heat should remain
till the hops begin 70 dry on top. When
they begin to feel light then they should he
turned over on the floor, which Is best done
by going in and throwing those around the
out wall toward the center, and then moving
around the kiln with the feet on the cloth.
turning them over and giving those on toy
a chance 10 get more of the heat, leveling
them down afterward with a rake Fire
should be kept up till all but about one
eighth of tho hope picked up in passing
around on the kiln prepared that the
upper end of the stem inside the hop viii De
perfectly dry and hard but for last
four 10 six hours the heat should continue t.
decrease gradually till not more than 1907
are indicated.
When the heat is first got to 100 deg.
small portion of birthstone may be burnt on
the stove and little added occasionally till
the hops feel dry on top, when no more
should be used, as It will thereafter do no
good The amount Of brim stone used should
depend entirely on the condition of the hops.
If rusty, or bruised, more is req ired than
when they are clear, but the color should be
as near - pea green as possible W hen
the hops are dried they should lie on the
kiln With windows and doors open till cool.
and then carefully showed off where they
should remain till they become soft, which d
will take from two TO three weeks or less +.
the weather Is damp and the storeroom open
but the sun should not be allowed to shine
on them during the time
For baling, the cloth should be cut as fol-
lows: Two pieces two yards long for the
nd MO -haIf
cut into cross for Gaping the ends. L.
pressing, care should be taken to fill the .
corners of the press full, that they may re-
tain their shape also, the sewing should be !,
neatly done, as all these little things speak 4
well for the grower. Bales should contain Il
about two hundred pounds, OF a little less. G
rather than more Western Rural Ia