is at least foure or fiue
foote ouerthwart in the bottome, and so high as conueniently that height
will carry: you shall not by any meanes this first yeere decay any cyons
or branches which spring from the hils, but maintaine them in their
growth, and suffer them to climbe vp the poales, but after the first
yeere is expired you shall not suffer aboue two or three cyons, at the
most, to rise vpon one poale. After your hils are made, which as before
I sayd would be at least foure or fiue foote square in the bottome, and
three foote high, you shall then diligently euery day attend your
garden, and if you finde any branches that being risen more then halfe
way vp the poales, doe then forsake them and spread outward, dangling
downe, then you shall either with the helpe of a high stoole, on which
standing you may reach the toppe of the poale, or else with a small
forckt sticke, put vp the branch, and winde it about the poale: you
shall also be carefull that no weeds or other filthinesse grow about the
rootes of your Hoppes to choake them, but vpon the first discouery to
destroy them.

CHAP. XIII.

_Of the gathering of Hoppes, and the preseruing of the Poales._

Touching the gathering of Hoppes you shall vnderstand that after Saint
_Margarets_ day they beginne to blossome, if it be in hot and rich
soyles, but otherwise not till Lammas: likewise in the best soyles they
bell at Lammas, in the worst at Michaelmas, and in the best earth they
are full ripe at Michaelmas, in the worst at Martillmas; but to know
when they are ripe indeede, you shall perceiue the seede to loose his
greene colour, and looke as browne as a Hares backe, wherefore then you
shall with all dilligence gather them, and because they are a fruit that
will endure little or no delay, as being ready to fall as soone as they
be ripe, and because the exchange of weather may breede change in your
worke, you shall vpon the first aduantage of faire weather, euen so
soone as you shall see the dewe exhaled and drawne from the earth, get
all the ayde of Men, Women, and children which haue any vnderstanding,
to helpe you, and then hauing some conuenient empty barne, or shedde,
made either of boards or canuas, neare to the garden, in which you shall
pull your Hoppes, you shall then beginne at the nearest part of the
garden, and with a sharpe garden knife cut the stalkes of the Hoppes
asunder close by the toppes of the hils; and then with a straite forke
of iron,