The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-12-26

evYS8& cakes place Dc
" meath a torrid sky,
the former Is the common pursuit of all
residents in certain localities, and falls In
delightful season of theyear. From the mid
die Of August until the last Of September,
among the Catskill mountain regions OF
Now York, through central Ohio and other
middle western states apd along the west
ern slopes of Oregon and Washington the
graceful hop vines are yielding up their
riches. The pale green worn all through
tho heat Of summer has changed to deep
brown, and thousands Of busy figures are
stripping the light cones from the delicate.
waving stems.
The west is rapidly becoming the leader
in the production Of this important crop.
The long valleys of the Pacific slope are
being studded thickly with hop poles, and
the annual output will soon exceed that Of
the famous hop regions Of the Empire
State. Clear skies, pure air. no fogs and
few heavy storms are essentials to perfec-
tion in hop growing. and in these the
Catskill region excels. But the same con-
ditions are found combined with cheaper
land in the newer states, and the advan-
tage is increasing the production there.
When the hops are ripe they must be
gathered at once, as their condition is
easily injured. Hence the pickers are in
demand in large numbers, and in the hop
regions there ia little else thought of for
three or four weeks by rich or poor.
At the hop farm piles of cakes, pies and
bread have been prepared, for each Is an5-
ious TO set the "best table," not only be-
cause Of rivalry, but because of the neces-
sity of winning good name from the
pickers in case of scarcity of hands. For
once beggars are welcome to those who are
more blessed with worldly comforts. The
hop growers are anxious for all to come,
as there cannot be too many hands en-
ployed in the harvest.
In many families, even those we'll to do,
the annual hop picking is looked forward
to rs an outing equal in interest to trip
to mountain or seashore. And when the
time arrives there is family exodus to the
fragrant fields. Father, mother and chill
dren work together, and even the white
haired grandmother can sometimes be
seen sitting in her easy chair between the
rows, her head shaded by overhanging
festoons of vines. Soothing is the fragrance
Of the waving tendrils. imparting healthful
tints to tired checks, and inducing pleas
ant drowsinsss and a grateful sleep that
puts new life into the workers, and makes
them dream for months after of the sweet
scenes among which their lot for time
was cast.
Scattered among the long rows of slen-
der poles upon which the hop vines are
trained, the pickers wait for the "pullers"
to do their work. These are usually tho
regular farm hands and go from pole to
pole, pulling each one from the ground and
cutting the hop vine near the root. The
TOPS are thrown down for the pickers to
denude of hops, while the poles, when strip
ped, are piled for use next year, when the
roots shall have sent up another crop Of
vines. The process of picking is by no
means as easy as huckleberrying or grape
gathering. The hops must be carefully
taken from the stems and no mixture Of
leaves is allowed.
AS the hops are picked they are put in
boxes, though many of the workers first
throw them in sacks, baskets or even open
umbrellas. The main box is divided into
-four compartments, each holding eight
bushels. There are four pickers to a main
box, each having his division to fill, and
the number of boxes picked by person
depends on the size and quality Of the hops
and the picker's ability. When four young
people get by themselves they are apt to be
a long time filling the compartments, but
igood workers can average from two to four
boxes daily.
Each main box has 'tender," who Is
also the ''puller," and has for his duty the
pulling of the poles, stripping vines, seeing
that the hops in the box are free from
leaves and stems and that none are wasted.