The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-06
our HOPS N LONDON.
valuable advise 70 Growers on
This Coast.
The wzshingtsn Produes Gaining Ia
rayer-Enxsssh Farmers paas-
ing Up Their Vines.

ing Up Their Vines.
PtYAELFr. Marcia The follow iax
tens concerning hops, aid more par
s;eusarly Washington hops. have been
as,sasnes from SIR, Eres. s Meeker.
xsEo has Just returned from London.
England, where for the past threa
,nonths be las been representing the
fsrn OF E. Heeker & Co.. OF PuyalIap.
The London hop market Il pracfi-
eslsv the hop market OF tie world. Is
the trade both n America and On the
continent Of Europe fiactuafes IN SYM
uatfsy With the London prices.
The large hop-factors OF London are
resi- experts in the handling of hops.
and are not long in finding where the
aest hops come FROM When the hops
arrive the first thing that Is done Is To
strip off al the taleng cloths, when the
bale is weighed. Al kinds Of false
uacki.g are easily discovered az this
r,oins, and bales that are not np 70 the
standard are laid aside.
The weight OF bales should not be
more than 1s3 pounds, as this Il the
weight which buyers prefer. There 4
practice prevalent among growers in
the territory Of putting or 10 pounds
Of cloth tc the bale 20 partially make
no for the tare, but fEsis should not he
done, as the bales are stripped TIL the
buver is satisfied the tare does not ex-
eesd seven pounds per bale Before
weighing. every tenth bale IL sampled
she paycr having the privilege OF cut
ting taenl up IN any way 10 see The.
contents The samples usually taken
are about 10 inches square, thus giving
a fair idea OF the character 81 tue
bale
0f course it i well known that dur
sYsg the aissfer season London IL fYe-
gusntly visited by heavy fogs. On
these days no buyers will look al hops.
The days must be bright and clear.
otherwise buying and selling by safn-
pies IS &c q stanastliI.
a crest amount Of the hops sent
!.on the territory - London is sold
long before they arrive. the shippers
here sending oE samples, which reach
London IS days after leaving here
while the bales usually take from 20 10
% DAYS 10 reach London.
Within the past year or two Pacific
coast hops have made great headway
IN London, buyers now taking moth
the establishment OF the largest inn
porfers OF hons in Lonaon, there Is d
separate hall Tor Washington and Ore
con hops. AS they are so much
brighter than Eastern and English
hops, they said they acre afraid 10
place them along side the Others, as il
would spoil the chance Of selling their
inferior grades.
Washington groueFs have acquired
the reputation OF sending cleaniy-
picked hops. and all who are euIiivat-
ing hops should make this one OF their
special cares. 10 hare cseass picked Aops
Sometimes beautiful, silky hops are
VERY mitch lowered in price and APP
pearance merely on accoantof careless
and inexperienced pickers A little
more attention on this point would
amply repay the extra labor and time
Another thing which growers must
get out OF the habit Of doing Is cold
basing-that is, drying a whole sea-
sons crop before any Of ii is baIed.
The hops should eli be baied two or
three days after drying, as in this way
they show better, are more silky and
sprlngy. Some growers have the idea
that baling them while hot is dan
gerous aud likely 10 spoil the hop.
London market = cold-haied = hops
are recognized At once, and are not 80
aeceptablei as .'hot-haled." IL Is also
much cheaper TO bale them as soon as
soon as dried, thus saving heavy in
sarance fees and storage. Ii also
gives the hops Q much timer appear
ance and gives them q silky, sprlngy
touch.
false packing should be absolutely
syastied. as il Is always sure % be de-
tested, and the hops thus packed sell
ior les than an inferior hop. Differ
eat shades and kinds Of hops should
alwAys he kept separate. There was
qnife demand for red hops this sea
son. bat they IL no way interlered
9Th the market IN choice growths.
One OF the oldest deaiefs, who has
been 10 years in the trade. said the
Washington hops arr becoming more
liked ia London On account Of the
packing being very much like the
English style. They prefer the hops
loose and hot-packeu, as they keep
great deal better. More especially Is
this required when she hops are
bought to be warehousel Pacific
hops are much improved by being
stored for some time. as they have a
Kind of rank smell which il absent in
the English and New York hops.
Still they we're rated higher as
whole and some days III London
nothing but NaShingten hops changed
hands. There Is stsli some prejudice
against t1etss, bat they are making
sure aud ssessly progress in the esti-
nation OF the London buyers. and by
careful attention TO drying and baiing
the hop. growers of Washington may
always lind ready sale in the British
capital for their hops. The same may
be said Of Oregon hops, some lots from
that state being much praised
In comparison with English and
German hops Wsshington's are VERY
bright IN color. the German hops
especially being duh and specky and
very inferior in quality. They sell at
from ~ to 20 shiliings less than Pacific
eolst hops.
Upto December u last 9o,u1 bales
Of German hops arrived in London.
being almost ali of the crop which
came 10 England.
Tie exports from New York alone
during last season amounted "a ~ 60
bales, aud by the end ot this month
that amount will &c considerably tn
creased. thus showing the extent al
our trade with the English mar kets.
To retain the good name o. Wash
iagton Territory hop growers must
pay mere attention to the points above
noted. namely. esean picking. absence
OF false pas king, and balsng sooa after
driving. strict attention TO these terms
vii. other things being equal, insure
good hop. halcd Ia the proper man
ner. which will always Gad fesaiy
sale.
The haling is another important part
OF the process which should be accom-
ilshed without the ''tranpsnr, which
Is the way ia which the hcps are
parked IA the bale at present. The
less brokea up the hops are The better
and those presses which require no
'traamns should be adopted.
The prospects Ger this year are very
favorable to the territory. as a great
number II hop-growers ~ England
are r0eilng their hop vines and plant
ing fruit instead Writing 10 the
Loaaoss SsssHssasi On the subject of
aoas, gTeas anahef us tile growers
t4Ae gleonly view az their position,
soTesga hops shutting taem out oi
sheir owa market. Some of them al
yoeate tx 81 al imp.rtesl hops. bat
las Is net at All probable. London
saases reners very taEuFahly on Pacific
s1seS daring the last wRxk no feMer