Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-26
nor crlrrss N CALIFORNIA.


world can be found climate aud soil Q.
well adapted to the c1!ture Of the ho,
As thai of California Then the sveraes
| yield per scre Il % great. the quality q
good and the climate dry and cool. thus
| protecting the plant from the enernie.
10 which il ID subject II other counfries
less favored. The extrava9ans prices
| paid 10 lSS2 naturally led 10 = great in
crease In ths acreage of lSS3. Many
were bat slightly acquainted with the
! cultivation. aad totally ignorant of the
process of curing the hop. This, togeth-
er With the increase Of the old yards
without the necessary extra facilities
for curing, had the tendency to force
upon the market greater quantity OF
inferior hops than ever before. This
neglect 10 properly care for our hops
leads outside dealers and consumers OF
other countries TO a wrong conception
of our climate and soil as regards Its
adaptabiiity 20 the production of a first
class hop / do not hesitate TO state,
and feel confident of the same express
sion from other growers of experience,
that our Sacramento hops ara q superior
article, and when they are properly pre-
pared for market In careful and IN
Outstanding manner We need not fear
inspection of, or comparison with hops
raised In older hop growing States. The
writer OF this article considers the hop
growers of this State, and Sacramento
county especially far ahead of the East
ern growers of New York, New Jersey.
Vermont and Connecticut, as to the
DsosIHs operasds pertaining to hops In all
Its details. Concerning the better cul-
tivat:on and curing Of hops there will
always be something for the intelligent
and observing grower to learn.
hops grow on almost every variety of
soil, but for the best success plant In
ricn, mellow, sandy loan. This soil is
easily cultivated and at less expense,
and the grower IL surer of a CROP than
on any other kind. / consider If the
very best kind of land for hops, with
out any exception. 10 is quite gener-
ally found along the many rivers of the
State. The ground should be well
plowed early in the fall and then in the
spring, just before planting, it should
again be thoroughly and deeply piowed,
and finely pulverized.
With a double team and pillow, furrow
out the rows. using stakes of length
equal to the distance between the rows.
generally seven and half and eight
feet apart. Begin on one side of the
neld, running the rows east and west
and as nearly straight as you may be
able. Then, having finished the rows
east and west across the field, go to the
side of either end of the rows already
run and run cross burrows north and
south, equal distances apart. If, hew-
ever your ground il very mellow a
marker could be used with two
runners Set the proper distance
apart, and which would make drills
three or four inches deep. The
reason for marking the rows north and
south last il that III planting the roots
may always be laid mp against one side
of the furrow, and by pressing little
dirt with the hand Ground the bottom
of the roots you have them neatly and
firmly set now with the hoe a man
comes along, and taking the DIRT from
the east side and to q depth equal to the
depth of the roots in the furrow, covers
the roots already planted /; one hoeful is
generally sufficient, as the roo.s should
be lightly covered. Always lay the roots
to the west side of the furrow, planting
north and south, and take the dirt for
covering from the east side, because the
AoOts RtahtAhk Will AbUhh Od5t
to west on slight angle, and in this
manner the lower part of the roots are
not covered bat very little more than
the upper part, and the sun rising in the
east acts With full force of its heat from
the earliest to the latest part of the day.
and upon the whole side of the hill
covering the roots and thus causing
the almost immediate growth of the
~ ..k a -
need be no failure in securing q full
stand and an excellent crop the first
year. This Is one OF our advantages
over Eastern growers. The first year
they get no hops at all, while in this
country l have known as much as 5000
pounds, and very common thing is
OO0 to 25OO poands-raised on one acre
the first year. Begin at one corner of
the field, after having laid out the rows
both ways, and place small stake,
about fourteen inches in length, IN the
first corner hill, then follow the row on
one side of the field and count from the
first corner stake ten hills, placing a
stake IN this tenth hill, leaving eight
hills between the stakes continue
across the field IN the same manner
then return TO the corner stake and in
the same manner count ten hills at a
right angle to the first lines set, and
place n stake. continue across the field
and 50 set stakes At each tenth hill in
every line. In this manner the stakes
will form squares all over the
field. This stalking of should be done
before planting the rest of the field. At
each stake must be planted tine male
roots. The male roots are essential to
the formation Of seed in the hops, as
we'll as to the greater deposit Of the lup-
ulin of the hop. Hop roots for planting
are the surplus roots or runners, anu
are taken from the main roots of the
hills of an old hop yard. They are sim
ply underground vines, which continue
TO grow in length, in the meantime
throwing out small fibrous roots,
which help to feed them, and
thereby make them independent
OF the original or main stock
from which they sprang. They
vary In size from 0ne-eighth to three
quarters and even an inch IN diameter.
Iney are much shorter jointed than the
exposed vines upon which the hops are
grown, probably owing to their slower
growth, owing to the resistance exerted
by the soil. The long roots are cut into
shorter lengths. froussix TO seven inches,
before planting in q new field. Three
good healthy roots to the hill are suff.
cieut.
In this country We use principally the
willow pole. of which there are three
kinds, commonly known and valued in
the order naned-black, red and white
willows. These may be found along the
Sacramento and Feather rivers in any
quantity, Oar black willow at cents
apiece Is superior to the cedar poles of
New York. which cost from - to 80 cents
each on account Ut the great distance
they must be transported By canal, rail
and wagon. Have the ground thoroughly
free from weeds, then haul on your
piles. The best kind Of bar for setting
poles il made from piece of round iron
81 TO four inches in diameter. tapered
down to fine point at one end, on the
other end tapered 50 IS 10 weld on
piece of Ras-pipe say three feet long
aud one inch In diameter. This makes
q much lighter bar and Is more easily
handled than one of solid iron. Set
two poles to the bill, one on each side
directly opposite each other and about
u incses apart.
This Ia done on a new field as sson AZ
the vines are of sufficient length to be
brought To the pole. II is gene rally best
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