The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-10
A TON TO THE ACRE.
Hop Growers Who Took Care OF Thel
Yards Have Been Well Repaid.

Hop Growers Who Took Care OF Their
Yards Have Been Well Repaid.
PuYALLuP, Oct a-tspeciaL Hop picking
was finished around Puyallup last week. C. O.
Bean being the last. Some pickers were very
lucky, beginning picking for Ross Bros. on Sep
TENDER and finishing for Bean Last week.
There have been 525 pickers ct work at Kent.
MT. Meeker has been very slow picking, so Is to
allow the hops to fully mature The time at
which hops arrive at maturity is quite an i'm
portant question when the hop plant louise IL
present. as the sooner the hop natures and can
be harvested the less it will cost to keep the
min down. Some lay the lateness OF the matur.
ing Of the Kent yards to all manner Of causes.
some to high fertilization, others to late cultiva
ton and pruning and spraying Mr.. Meeker.
when asked his opinion, said that it was very
late season. and often In years before he had not
begun picking until September II. A year ago
the season lasted from the last week in August,
with some early varieties OF forward season.
until half through October. Mr.. Meeker has
not, like many others. picked his hops green.
He not only waits Tor the seeds to harden and
get their color. but also for the leaflets Of tho
burr to take on q rich yellow color, which is .
very desirable qualification for Q sample 70 show
in the London market. A sample of these hops
examined in Mr.. Meekers Office presented this
fine color and was the most springy OF any
sample ever noticed. 1t was perfectly free, 80
far a. could be ascertained, OF mould. mildew or
vermin presenting clean appearance instead
Of that green color, with . blackish,
soiled appearance, which the hop pre-
sents when infested with vermin.
some persons aver that Meeker's yards
are full OF vermin, mould and mildew, and that
the hops are soft Mi. Meekef says that he has
2os white picksrs in the sixty -six-acre yard who
Will all saythat the hops are absolutely clean. Mr.
Meeker has started an innovation this year by
requiring the hops TO be picked clean. This Is
REQUIRED In Oregon, therefore the growers in
that state receive higher price for their hops
than the Washington grower. Mr.. Meeker says
he IL getting his hops picked a. clean as the
Oregoniaus. Considerable complaint 10 heard
from the pickers because of this, as they are not
able to pick as fast In years past there was
so much attention paid to this part OF the busi-
meas C.. II. Ross says that 81 box was paid
when all wages and prices in this vicinity were
high, and these have all been lowered, but still
81 per box 10 paid for picking hops. and the
growers are still willing TO pay that, but they
hereafter will require . cleaner box than in
times past.
Mr.. Meeker has q bale Of hops ready 10
send 10 the Worlds fair at Chicago. A
little better idea can be gained Of the
yield of the Kent yards, a. tie picking
has progressed 80 far. The "string" yard.
which Mr. Meeker only estimated at 1900
pounds to the acre, turned OUT 500 pounds TO
acres. The whole gard win average $50
mounds 70 the scre OF the seven acres at tho
old place no hill had more than two vines. and
one acre had been pruned 10 only one The
hops were not kept separate, but, so lar as could
be judged By sight, the single vine produced
fully as much as the two-vtne hills, and the
whole yard produced fully :, 100 pounds % the
acre.
y. s.iily, from Marion, near Bucksey. re-
ports all the picking finished and on the aver.
age about hat crop. although lev had
full crop, ton 10 the acre.
A. C. Campbell has a sample OF J. ". Fernan-
dex' hops. and pronouGces them az me ~ he
ever saw He shows q good many samples.
some are choice Others the yeriess trash. VIII
slythe's yard yielded . ton 20 the acre. Ross
Bros. harvested little over half crop. which
sample OF good quality. c. II. Ross q Co. have
q beautiful sample from Lake Tappa Growers
can congratulate themselves that the hops