The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-26

faces and bright rainent in contrast among the
dark foliage of the hop vines, form picture that
10 ever new. And when the harvest il over they
return TO their homes by easy stages taxing
care that much of the bright silver Is well ex.
pended or gaInbled away before civilization is
As to the problem of harvesting as the produe-
tion increases. can only repeat what L have
written before If ever there was cause for anx-
iefy the hop growers of WASHINGTON haya il
when harvest time approaches The question
of questions with the hop growers Is. win pick
ers enough come? II so, will they arrive in
TIME, ,inas5 IRON supposed short supply OF help
bid up and run after flesh arrivals. The In
dians are quick TO perceive the situation, and
ready 70 prohi oy the anxiety Of the growers,
and 10 drive the best bargains possible. They
are masters OF the situation, or think they are,
and oftentimes there 10 much trouble and ex-
pense incurred rom the scramble among growers
10 procure pickeTs- AS the acreage has in
creased, however, the supply of labor has thus
lar been ample, 50 that there has never been any
real loss from lack OF pickers. In later years nu
petition with the Indians and now il il no nm
common sight to see both picking in the same
field, and maybe from the same row OF hops. I
had myself one year 10 white piekers out of a
total OF eco
When we remember that this industry was es
-tablished with total population for the then
territory of not more than BOO and that now
there are 900 within the borders of the state:
that seattle and Tacoma combined had a popu-
lation of less than 900. while now there are
those
tiers, we may reasonably expect further in
crease of help from this source az our popula-
ton increases How far this can 60 is a vital
question, Tor upon the answer to this depends
the possible extent OF the production of hops
In Washington. We could raise hops enough TO
supply the world: just how many can De picked
is q problem that remains TO be tested by the in
creased acreage being planted.
The profits realized from careful cultivation of
hops in the state OF Washington large. The
average yield OF hops in New York and in the
hop districts Of England and Germany is not
more than $50 pounds TO the acre, while the
average of Washington hops 10 1000 pounds to
the acre. have harvested l6S tons off 40 acres,
ana In several instances coming under my own
have been harvested. The cost of producing
hops in New York is not less than 15 cents per
pound. and in England an average o! at least
10 cents per pound is reached. In the state of
Washington the average cost is less than 10 cents
per pound, so that Washington hop farmers fire.
quently sell at profit, while others producing
at higher cost are selling at a loss For FIVE
years, from 1856 to 1890, inclusive, have kept
accurate account of the production of one farm
OF sixty -one acres which have in hops. During
this time there were grown aud marketed 574,62
pounds of hops, which sold at an average of
IL 80 cents per pound, aggregating SOL, 1895.
The cost OF production was cents per pound,
s5l.1l4-1s. The net profit, therefore, from the
sixty-one acres for the five years was s49,41h77,
an annual average of s9,Ss3l5, and yearly av-
ersge net profit per acre of $1,000.
AT the time OF writing we are approaching
Washington without a failure. I never have
had inner prospect for large crop than now
loads the poles within two weeks OF harvest
time; Already the notes of preparation for saw
Ing the coming crop fill the air. The Indians
are on the way while the pickers are moving
into the camps, and long before this reaches the
eye OF the public the crop will be safely in the
bale, but before the harvest is finished some of
II Will be halfway across the Atlantic on its
way to the markets of the world. We have
demonstrated within the last three weeks that
beyond question we can save the crop from
pests that at one time threatened 1t, by practic-
ing the usual diligence of the ordinary careful
farmer.
The improvements on the hop farms of Wash
lngton are the best to be found on the globe l
have seen the casts of England, the numerous
makeshifts of New York, the good but not equal
appliances of California, and the less complete
MIXTURES OF Oregon, but il remains for Washing
ton TO still stand at the front in being the best
prepared of any TO handle the crop. Ihavs this
year introduced the electric light into one group
OF kilns, undoubtedly the first instance OF the
kind ever practiced, and the time may not be
lar distant when the curing of the crop will be
carried on by the same process, thus insuring
uniformity OF heat, a smaller expense and
minimum risk from fire. Verify, the world is
marching on.