The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-15 00:00:00

HOP INTELLIGENCE.

MAIDSTONE, AuG. 11.—Our reports all tell the same tale—
continued wet, wintry weather putting an entire stop to the pro-
gress of the plant : and if we get anything !ike an average
crop this year, according to the present appearances, it will be
the most remarkable instance on record—hops and hot sum-
mers having always gone hand in hand hitherto. The late
wi❑ds and rains have retarded the plantations another week,
in additi,.n to having bruised the bine and broken down a
great many poles. The burr has suffered much by the
whipping at the tops of the branches ; it is as hard as shot, and
about the same size as number fours. The duty has receded
to 175,0001.

A correspondent observes that this is the most singular
season he ever remembered. For freedom from vermin and
mould, together with the general luxuriousness of the plant,
he never sa•w so abundant a prospect—provided this was the
early part of July, instead of the second week in August. For
a thousand acres not a spot of mould, or an appearance of
vermin is to be seen—but yet the growth is at a stand-still, not
a hop is visible, and the burr itself comes out very languidly—
and this within a month of the usual time for commencing
hopping.
'FRE Fa RLEIGHS.—Coming out in burr slowly—abundance
of bine, which has suffered much from the wind.
BOXLEY, AYLESFOAD, AND BURHA M.—The hops in these
parishes have received considerable injury from wet and rain
the burr comes out very slowly, and from the backwardness of
the season a short crop must be expected.
YALDING.—We have plenty of bine and burr and are now
free from vermin. At this late period, however, there is much
against the crop. The wind also knocks the shoots about sadly,
and the weather is much too cold for them. A frosty night
would probably he fatal, as a similar occurrence was about
this time, in 1816.
MEREWORTII, WATERINGBURY, AND BA AMING. From
these parishes we have the same report as from others—
abundance of bine, burr coming out slowly, but no appearance
of hops.
EAST Ma r.r,lNG.—The plantations here present as splendid
an appearance of bine as ever was seen. and one forty-acre
piece (Mr. Browning's) has at present the prospect of grow-
ing more than a ton an acre.
WEST DIALLING.—The bines here have been considerably
beaten by the late stormy weather, but have a great show of
burr.
Hantow.—ln consequence•of the late heavy rains and cold
winds the hops in this district appear almost at a stand. Some
burr has appeared, but few and far between. Fr m these cir.
cumstances the probability of anything like a full crop is very
doub' ful.
WAOTHAM, PLA VTOL, IGHTHAM. —The late heavy winds,
rain, and cold nights and mornings, make a very decidt dly un-
favourable impression relative to anything like a full crop of
hops here. The burr does not come out freely. Still we are
free from vermin, and have but little disease. No one can say
what a few weeks' fine weather would do, but without it, cer-
tainly a large crop cannot be expected. Grounds within the
range of the high winds of Saturday sustained much damage;
500 poles were torn down in one plantation of about three acres,
in the course of an hour.

SEVENOAKS —The hops have made little progress this week,
and we are fearful, without an alteration in the weather, we
shall have to report very unfavourably of them next. The bine
begins to look sickly and yellow, particularly in the wet soils
below the hill. Towards L•denbridke, we have seen a piece or
two out in hop, but the generality hang much in burr, owing,
most probably, to the cold n'ghts and heavy rains. We dis-
cover but little fly. In exposed situations the wind has sadly
battered the plant, particularly where the bine is very luxuriant,
and it has certainly knocked the duty down to 180,000/. at
least. —Maidstone Journal.