St. Landry democrat., 1884-07-12
A Poor Time to Commence.

Prime hops are now selling for fifty
cents per pound in the leading markets
of the country. With this statement
comes the report that very many farm
ers in the Northern States, on the Pacific
slope, and in Canada are preparing to
engage in hop culture on a very extern
sive scale Already inquiries are made
by correspondents in regard to the best
soil for hops and the best methods of
setting out and cultivating the plants.
There is a great demand for hop litera-
ture, and many growers are receiving
orders for plants. Now, before farmers
resolve to commence hop-growing, they
would do well to ascertain why the
price of one Of the ingredients of beer
happens to be SO high at present. Briefly
stated, hops are higher now because
they have been so low for several years
that the owners OF many yards aban-
doned them or plowed them up, as they
could only obtain enough for the prod
uct of them to pay the cost of picking,
curing and marketing. A little more
than two years ago hops now worth
fifty cents per pound were selling at
from six TO seven cents. The crop was
a losing one when disposed of at these
rates. Growers were aware Of it and
each waited for the other to become
discouraged and 90 out of the business.
Many did become discouraged and de-
voted their fields and drying houses to
other purposes. Some lost their farms
which they had mortgaged to raise
moueyto procure plants, cultivate till
they were old enough to produce paying
crops. and to erect buildings for drying
purposes. During the past few years
but very few new fields have been
planted to hops. Quite recently unfa-
yorable seasons and insects enemies
have reduced the product, and at length
the time was reached when the supply
was somewhat small aud good prices
were realized.
The present is not q favorable, but,
on the other hand, a very unfayorable,
one to commence hop culture in anew
district. Farmers in districts where the
crop has long been cultivated will now
give more attention to it, and will have
a better chance for success than per-
sons will who have to experiment with
an untried soil and climate, and who
have no experience in planting and
cultivating the vines, and in curing and
marketing the product. The prospect
is that the market will be overstocked
with hops before three years. All the
old fields will be kept up, and many
new ones will be started. There is al
ways disposition to engage in any de-
partment of agriculture that yields for
the time large returns. A farmer who
sees his neighbor receive $500 per acre
for a crop while he receives but 500 for
his, will be likely to turn his attention
to the former. The consequence will
be that the market viii be oversupplied,
and prices will fall This is especially
likely to5be the case when the crop pro-
dueed is one for which there is only
limited demand for few specific pur-
poses. The history of broom-corn is
much like that of hops in respect to
great fluctuations inprices. Ithas been
by turns the most profitable and least
profitable crop in the country. Fort
unes have been made in raising both
hops and broom-corn. On the other
hand, it is true that many farmers have
ruined themselves financially by engag-
ing in the cultivation of each of them.
There is always more risk attending the
raising of any crop for which there is
a quite limited demand than one for
which there is very large demand.
This is especially true of a crop, like
hops, whose quality deteriorates by
keeping. If it is not sold the season it
is raised it brings very small price,
while the expense of storage is consid-
cradle.
The crops that involve the smallest
risks, so far as prices are concerned, are
those for which there is large demand,
for which there are many uses, and
which can be kept a long time without
deterioration and with little expense.
Indian corn, most of the small grains
and wool come within this class of
products. Ii one wishes to enter into
new department of agriculture the best
time to do it is when many others are
going out. Prices are then low, and it
will cost but little to get start. Many
will sell their stocks at a great sacrifice.
1t is:easy then to procure experienced
laborers, if they are desired, at a low
rate of wages, as they cannot find en-
ployment elsewhere. Farmers, how
ever, are generally inclined to adopt the
contrary course. They abandon one de-
partment of agriculture or stock-raising
at q time when it is paying poorly and
engage in another which is paying for
the time. very handsomely. In a few
years matters are reversed. The pay
ing crop becomes the losing one, and
the article that gave little or no return
for the labor requiredto produce it COM
mands a high price in the market. They
are then anxious to change back, and
not unfrequently they return to the pro-
duction of the same thing they aban-
tloned because thew found it unprofita-
bic. Some farmers are perpetuallS
chan eirn. from ono 4hino. E 1890