Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-04

part of their work well. We have no better
proof of the advantages to be gained by clean
picking, than the fact that foreign hops al
ways command higher price in our markets
than hops of native growth. This increased
value of foreign hops is attributed BY hop
dealers to their greater cleanliness, and not to
any superiority in the hop itself, our eli
mate and the fertility of our soil are surpassed
by that of no other country. There is no
good reason why We should not be able to
compete with foreign growers, in producing
as good hops are grown in the work. !;
since it is IA well-known fact that the Ameri
can hop. in point of strength and richness of
\ flavor, always exceeds those of foreign coun
tries.
Farmers, in excuse for not picking their
/ hops clean, say it cannot be done in yards of
/ light growth, where the hops are few and
scattering | maintain it can be done in all
Yards The hops in this country never were
picked clcan-not even in the seasons of 1860
and 1862, when the average yield was ton
I'd the acre. | have watched the process of
/ picking in yards Of all grades and sizes
throughout this state, and have observed
that, in most instances, the hops, instead of
being picked off one by one, are stripped off,
together with leaves and stems by the hand
fui. Ten cents per pound, or twenty dollars
per bale, ought to pay the grower well enough
Z
fully picked. | have known instances in
which increased price of ten cents or more
per pound has been obtained on hops when
there apparent difference in their quail
ity. If the present system OF picking hops
at Il stipulated price per box were abandoned,
and liberal wages by the day substituted, it
would tend to do away with the eager desire
pickcrs have to make out big days job by
picking fast, and filling up with leaves and
stems. The wages per day could be governed
" the care exercised by each picker in doing
her or his part well and not by the number
of boxes picked
Too much attention cannot be given in prop
crly curing hops. The practice of using sui
phur To give them a bright straw color is very
much abused and if INDUCED in to much ex-
tent, the natural rich favor and aroma Of the
mop is destroyed. Many growers, anxious to
get their hops into market early, hurry the
drying process 80 fast as to cause the hops to
become scOrched- The stove or heater should
never be allowed to get red hot. Smoke from
the burning fuel should also be guarded
against \ moderate, uniform heat gives the
hop more natural cure. Then. again. it Is
very important that hops should be sufficient
ly dried before being haled otherwise there
i danger Of their sweating and heating in the
bale. Most growers claim to thoroughly
derstand all these points, but the most expe-
rienced often fail 10 secure their hops proper
~ Bales should be put up to weigh
TWO hundred pounds as possible; when a large
quantity is compressed in a bale Of the ordi-
nary size, the hops are deprived of the nee
essary circulation Of air. and are liable to
heat. The best three ply Irvine should be
used in baling. rs poor article is apt to
break when bales are roughly handled, thus
allowing Il waste of the hops. Every grower
should provide himself with stencil plate,
bearing the initials Of his name. and stamp
each bale. Hop presses should be constructed
in such ma nner 70 render il unnecessary
for the hops to be stamped down with the feet.
Broken hops do not sample or sell so well as
those which are kept whole.
Growers should never refuse to sell their
hops at home, when they can get the market
price. When they can't sell at home TO adj
vantage, they should consign to some trust
worthy commission dealer. who deals strictly
ON commission. Hops should never be carried
over from one season 10 another, as the de-
terioration in value and quality is about
thIrty-thTee per cent. after the first year An
experienced commission merchant should
yer he subjected u restrictions on the price
to be obtained for the hops. If he is worthy
Of confidence, he should be allowed to exer-
else his best Judgment in effecting a sale: and
being in constant communication with the
general trade, his facilities for Judging the
market prices are generally better than the
growers, whose experience Is fitted TO the deal
ings they may have in the yearly sale of their
own produce. In many cases favorable Of
fer Is lost BY decline in the market before
the c0D-gnee can communicate with the
owner-Nntr York Tl7iune