Among the directions for good husbandry for the various months, Tusser advises that—
In March at the furdest, drye season or wet, Hope rootes so well chosen, let skilful go set, The goeler[37] and younger, the better I love Wel gutted[38] and pared, the better they prove.
Some layeth them crosewise, along in the ground, As high as the knee, they do come up round. Some pricke up a sticke, in the midds of the same: That little round hillocke, the better to frame!
Some maketh a hollownes, halfe a foote deepe, With fower sets in it, set slant wise a steepe One foote from another, in order to lye, And thereon a hillock, as round as a pye.
By willows that groweth, thy hopyard without, And also by hedges, thy meadowes about, Good hop hath a pleasure, to climbe and to spread: If sonne may have passage to comfort her hed.
[37] goeler = goodlier.
[38] gutted = taken off from the old roots.
The process of setting the hop-poles is thus described:—
Get into thy hopyard with plentie of poles, Amongst those same hillocks deuide them by doles, Three poles to a hillock (I pas not how long) Shall yield thee more profit, set deeplie and strong.