Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-09-01
nor GROWING.

Among the many new Industries
that seem 10 thrive best on irrigated
lands, hop culture is attracting
great attention not only from the
superiority Of the products but also
the phenomenal yield per acre.
From a very interesting article in
the Salt Lake Tribune, written by
J. NJ. Goodwin, we learn that to p.
p. Shelby, then at the head Of the
U. p. offices in Salt Lake city, must
be accorded the honor of develop
ing and determining the certainty
with which hops could be grown for
profit in Idaho. His first work in
the line was done under a canal at
Idaho Falls, but more recently on
larger scale in Canyon county I'M
der the Sebree ditch. After invest
igating hop culture in the Yakima
country, he planted ten acres to
hops aud last year it began to bear.
He harvested seven and one-half
tons Of hops, or yield of 1900 lbs.
per acre. This year he expects to
get double that amount from the
ten acres. He has besides this, IS
acres more now bearing the first
crop, which looks as if the product
will be nearly one ton per acre.
Hop raiscrs from the banner por-
ton OF Washington are not slow to
appreciate the advantages here Of
fered and the Golden Hop Company
has purchased 1000 acres under
the Payette canal, 100 acres of
which are now being planted in
hops. The product of the State Of
New York averages but 700 pounds
to the acre, while here IL promises
three times that yield. With plenty
Of water to irrigate. the best results
are obtained, while a very impor-
tant feature is the fact that no in
sects trouble the plants, and there
will be no red rust, which in moist
climates Is common and will en-
tirely destroy crop in few hours.
The ground must be well cult
waited with a .'cultivator after
which a shovel pillow opens two
bitches between each pair of rows.
The plants are set just seven feet
apart each way, two roots in a hill,
requiring SSS hills to the acre.
Once well set the roots are good for
many years, The first year the
roots are permitted to throw out
vines as numerous as they will,
and pruning begins with the second
year. This field of hops is about
equally divided i'm class of support
for the vines between poles and
what is known as trellis. The
poles are small fir or cedar, extend
ing ten or twelve feet above the
ground, around which two vines
| Irvine.
The trellis consists Of So wed
posts AKA inches and thirteen feet
apart, the posts being fifty-six feet
apart the other way. Over these
posts is stretched No. s galvanized
wire. Hemp or cotton Irvine is
used for vines TO climb up. Irvine
is thrown over the wire so as TO ex-
tend from each hill. where il is held
by being tied to an anchor stake,
thence over the wire and down to
the next hill, thus giving each hill
two strings for vines TO climb,
This would throw the strings so low
when crossing the space between
the rows as to prevent horses
pulling the plows were it not that
the strings are tied together at a
point up six or eight feet. Two
good vines to each root are selected
to be trained up the strings, and all
other vines which may start are cut
off. This trellis system, while
being new, not only presents a more
attractive appearance. but it has
the advantage of standing wind
better. When poles are used the
strain under wind pressure causes
prostration and hence injury to the
crop, and again II Is easier TO cut
the strings and vines than TO pull
up poles and clean them. The
trellis system promises to becom
popular.