The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-10-28

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magnificent garden shire of Ken
cannot fail to be impressed with tn
amplitude and snugness of most 0
its country homesteads. They ar
very ancient, stone built and exceed
ingly large; low, but wide, with out
spreading wings and ''lean tos.
Centuries-old ash, lime or oak tree
cluster about them. Fine old WALL
enclose shaded lanes leading to anC
from them. The outbuildings arr
large and substantial. Great orch
ards are set about them. The group
ings are pictures of rustic opulence
thrift and good husbandry. The,
almost cause the wanderer to long t
know them and tarry within them
But stranger not understanding
one of the sources of the great wealth
of Kent, will curiously regard certain
strange looking structures standing
near every farmhouse in many dis
tricts.
They are round and tall and white
Some have red painted cones, and
these are in turn surmounted by
white cowls, shaped like an arched
fan, their mouths always opening in
the direction opposite that from
which the wind blows. Against gray
and wintry horizons these odd struc
lures form wierd silhouettes. But
wherever you see them you may
know, at any time of the year, that
you are in the long famous hop coun.
try of Kent. 1t is to these quaint
and always picturesque old kiins, OF
"oast- houses as they are here call.
ed, that she hops are brought fol
drying, or curing, after they are
picked by the molly throngs in the
odorous gardens and fields.
In all of England perhaps $4,000
acres are planted in hops Nearly
one-half of the entire area is within
the shire of Kent. The system Of
hop raising, picking and drying is
simple and interesting. The plants,
which are perennial, are set in hills
one foot high, six feet apart and in
rows, as we plant Indian corn in
America. These hills fF8m baiua
rounded are called crowns There
are about |, 200 to the acre, and each
one requires from TWO to four poles
from ten to sixteen feet in length,
according to the variety of the hops
planted. These poles are of larch.
alder, ash, chestnut, and occasional
ly OF oak, and owing to the scarcity
of woods in England, in themselves
represent very large outlay.
Early in April the 'crown" are
opened and trimmed of the last year S
shoots which have been cut close to
the ground, and these "sets" are
used for propagation in nursery beds.
The new vine or stem now springs
from the bottom of the permanent
setting. In the open winter months
the hop garden has been dug to a
depth Of eight inches with fiat tined
forks. Shortly after the opening OF
the crowns and trimming of the
old vines pooling" is begun. This
is done by the acre, or by the hun
dred poles. The laborer's wife and
children lay out the poles while he
makes the holes with an iron HOP
pitcher. Women are solely EN-
ployed in the next process, called
hop tying. The puny shoots must
be trimmed away, and two or three
of the hardy ones tied to the poles.
This is done by the acre, and what
ever portion of the hop garden is
thus attended to by one woman is
called a taking" For securing the
shoots to the poles without injury.
rushes are exclusively used, and
these are harvested from marshes,
laughs beside streams or wet mead
ows, and dried in manner to ren
der them tough, by children. The
women must go over their "takings''
many times, cutting out sickly or
broken bines and tying in newer and
healthier ones until the work is be-
You'd their reach.
Then the men resume the work.
They go over the "takings" as the
women have done, standing upon
short rough step-ladders, until they
reach the top of the poles. Then
''niggeting" season begins and only
ends when the hop gardens are in
full bloom. The nugget is an nipple
ment with iron tines, something like
a huge hoe slit into several narrow
divisions. With this the "alleys''
between the rows are kept as clean
of weeds as newly ploughed field,
and the soil is constantly broken and
pulverized about the "crowns' that
the roots may derive all possible nu-
triton, air and free moisture. These
comprise all the necessities of cuiti-
walton; but the alarms, vexations
and anxieties of the hop grower are
only fairly begun as his heaviest la
bors are ending.
No one ever knew of an American
peach crop, good or bad, that was
not half dozen times menaced by
this or that, or ruined by something
else altogether. So it is with the
hop vines and hops in Kent. Fol
nearly two months before they arc
secure from danger every true Bri.
ton who quaffs his -four ale" or ''hit.
ter" is subjected to qualms and
starts and pangs through announce
ment of successive impending calam
tiles to the Draw bantling of Kent
and every hop district of that shire
is in perturbation and turmoil in
describable. The "mildew" has rot
ted the hop; the wet weather has
drowned it; the drought has scorch
ed il; the blight has taken the very
life out of it; the smut has smother.
ed it, the flies, from which it car
only be rescued by millions of mys
teriously arriving "lady- BIRDS" are
eating its head off; innumerable in.
sects are preying upon its tendrils
and body; and even the pestiferous
heas have made deadly assault upon
its very stem and roots! Bulletins
are posted az every ale house in Kent
Nothing else is talked about in ev.
cry parish of the shire. The London
market is "feverish' while the HOP
j is In its throes. In fact. all southern