The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-11 00:00:00

HOP INTSLLIGENCE.

Picking has now- become general through all the hop-
growing districts, and they seem to come down faster
than most people anticipated, being got much easier than
last year. They are likely, therefore, to be secured in
better condition, the quality being generally far superior.
Of those picked last week, however, and sent to market,
there are complaints that they were unripe, weigh light,
and are by no means in the best state for keeping. They
are now matured in favourably situated plantations, and
will be perfectly ripe everywhere in a few days, should
the presliat fine weather continue. With regard to the
probable yialci there are conflicting opinions. Messrs.
Beeman and Oxley, of the Borough, inform us that the
estimate duty in London on Saturday last was as fol-
lows :

Kent £lBO,OOO
Sussex
Worc,ster . 8,000 1- £280,000
Farnham
1 Kingdom
Our Canterbury correspondent states that the general
opinion in that quarter is in favour of 00,0001. A well-
informed writer from Horsusonden says that an opinion
prevails there that the duty is much oversot ; and an
extensive planter in the neighbourhood of Maidstone
us be that believes it will not exceed '260,000/. Up to
Saturday last there had been about 300 pockets in the
London market, the first two of which sold fur 71. and
71. 5s ; but since then prices have varied from 51. 6 to
1/ , and some of those prematurely picked have been
offered at considerably less money. As yet, however, no
choice hops have been sent up, and consequently no price
can he quoted for the best descriptions. No difficulty has
hitherto been experienced in procuring pickers ; and a
strike which was attempted in the neighbourhood of
Goudhurst, on Thursday last, teas promptly met by the
offer of a number of other hands to fill their places. In
fact, the whole of the hop districts swarm with appli-
cants for employment.
From Farnham, Halton, and the country districts
we are informed the picking is now very general. The
quality is first-rate, but the quantity falls short.
It may be added, that although the crop of Jut year
left a large surplus over the year's consumption, rcarcely
any growth, exceeding 200,0001. duty, bas been in pro-
Portion so nearly sold from the grower as that is at the
present time. It must, therefore, bo for the advantage
of the planters not to press sales at an early period this
season and thus force down the markets. Since the qua-
lity is no More than usually goad, the samples are likely
to keep, and merchants and brewers will thus be induced
to keep up their stock, especially as there is every prn.
spect of a great reduction next year in the area of plan-
tation.

BOROUGH, Sept. B.—We have a few small parcels of
the new growth at market, but the merchants still held
off. The character of the growth is expected to bo very
good as to the quality and colour, especially if this fine
woather continues another week or two ;'the first samples
are, as might be expected of so large a growth, very thin
and unripe. The prices asked are from 60s. to 705., and
no buyers. Duty still quoted 270,0001.—Soutli. Eastern
Gazette.

THE HOP-PICKERS IN KENT.—Last year, in conse-
quence of the abundant growth othops, many hundreds
of poor families from London were enabled to realise a
few pounds after four or five weeks' labour at hop pick-
ing, in Kent, Sussex, or in other districts where hops
are grown. As it became known that this year the crop
is also abundant, these families again found their way to
their old quarters, and, tempted by the great success they
met with, thousands of others, to whom they told the
story, have also trudged into Kent. During the whole of
last week the railways to Maidstone also brought hun-
dred of poor families from London, accompanied by
troops of children, and, in addition to these, the roads
leading from Gravesend, or Rochester and Chatham, into
the middle of the county, have been thronged by groups
of wretched mortals seeking the plantations. On Satur-
day and Sunr'ay the numbers were much increased, and,
as might be expected, much hardship was felt by many
who were compelled to pass the night in the open air
with their infants and children. The first comers during
the week obtained the promise of employment, and so nu•
merous were the applicants that in a few days all the
growers were supplied. Many hundreds of the late corners
were therefore much chagrined to find they could not ob.
tam work. Most of these trudged off into the Weald of
Kent, but only to meet bitter disappointment, as they met
parties who had returned thence finding every place over-
stocked with bands. The natural consequence of this glut
of labour is that some growers require their hands to pick
10 or 12 bushels for Is., about half the usual rate of pay.
Some strikes have taken place, but a slight delay is the
only result, as fresh hands are readily obtained in abun-
dance. Persons practically acquainted with the hop plan-
tations for 50 years say they never knew so great an in-
flux of pickers. The conditions of those poor families who
have not the means of returning home is most deplorable.

A COSTLY AIiiERTISEMENT.—The Legislative Assem-
bly of Victoria having ordered a list of all registered
voters to be published in the local newspaper, the Mel-
bourne Arf,us, says a correspondent of the North British
Daily Mail, came out on tour different drys with 48
pages of double decoy; the charge for the advertisements
contained in these amounting to 10,2001.