The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-11
LITTLE DOING IN HOPS.
Importance OF Clean Samples-Town Lots
to Be Restored to Agriculture


Importance OF Clean samples-Town Lots
to Be Restored to Agriculture.
PUYALLUP, Dec. 1O.-[Special. Few
sales have been reported this week, these
being lots of fifty-seven and sixteen bales
of Oregon mediums, which Z. Meeker 81
Co. bought at II cents. and fifteen bales of
mediums bought of G. L. Jerrels, of Cow
litz, at II cents. Thursday twenty-six
bales were reported as bought by the same
firm. This firm up to date has purchased
in Oregon alone 4.02S bales of hops. G. G.
Campbell on Thursday shipped 1913 bales
of hops to Noakes, Son. Collard & Co., o
London, and has an order to fill of 200
bales more.
visit was paid to the sample room of
E. Meeker & Co. yesterday, and the en-
ployes were busily engaged in selecting a
lire of samples for the London market.
The room Is lighted only by large sky.
light in the center of the roof, under
which stands table six feet wide and ten
feet long, covered with samples of hops.
At this time in this office there were first.
second, third and fourth grade hops. When
sample is received it is put into one of
these four grades. The samples are taken
with fork and knife, prepared espe-
cially tor the business, from any part
of the bale. the cloth being cut through
and by neat sampler sown up again after
the sample is taken, although some bales
are left in sorry plight after the visit of
dozen samplers, some OF whom do not
sew. The samples are uniform in size,
being about 4x5 inches across and four or
five inches in thickness, there being more
difference in the latter than in the width
and length. This gives clean cut through
the hops for the four sides and layer for
the top and bottom, and may be divided
by the layers a number of times. Some
samples showed a fine pressure, each hop
appearing to have been laid on it's side and
firmly fiattened among the many others
treated in like manner, and whole hop
could be removed from the sample.
Other samples appeared to have had
the hops crushed from the top to
the bottom and vice versa, being
all broken up and presenting
congiomerate mass. OF course, the latter
samples are not rated as high as the
former. One sample was noticed in which
the hops were fine, but so uncleany
picked that medium-sized leaves and
stems were found, which, of course.
brought the quality of the sample down.
A cleanly picked box of hops will show a
clean sample every time, but grower who
allows his hops to be carelessiy picked
and trusts o chance for the buyer to get a
clean sample may be disappointed by the
buyer happening to get a sample which
shows the worst of the crop, the crop be-
ing sold on that sample; or, in other
words, the crop brings just the price that
that sample is worth and no more Three
sides of Meeker's sample room is covered
from the floor up for six feet with cases six
inches thick and divided into compart-
ments eighteen inches wide and lust wide
enough to hold firmly sample of
hops covered with its wrapper and
tied firmly. A white label. with
number and grade upon it. ap
pears upon the exposed side, but not the
growers name. Duplicate samples are al
ways taken. one of which is placed upon
the market and the other retained, so in
all correspondence the number is used and
the growers name appears in book only
opposite the number with the first buyer.
The center table was covered with
samples, also two long, narrow tables.
The compartments We're about half full
and nearly all these samples were from Or
eeon growers. The two gentlemen " no were
at work said they would rather do any
thing else than select line of SAMPLES for
the market. as it was 50 difficult TO make
right choice. They wished to select eight
samples. and had opened and placed in
view tor comparison hundreds Of samples
from which to select. Numberless sam
pies were taken up, inspected from the
long cut, the cross cut, the top. the bot
tom, then divided and examined. and last
the sense OF smell is brought into reauis-
ton. When q sample is 10 be matched the
same thing must he done with two sam
pies al time. 4 novice would think
that, with so much handling each samnle
being kept in or on its own wrapner. il
would not take long with such treat
ment before the sample was worn
out, yet with experienced hands the
sample loses very little in bulk.
Mr.. Meeker being asked how he could
grade the hops SO well. and wha, the re-
qGirements for each grade were, -eplied
that ne graded them a best he could. but
often found he knew nothing about it.
Mr.. Meeker has had much experience in
the London market. but is not able 10 tell
just which sample viii. suit a customer in
that market ana bring the high est bid or
bring bid ~ all. +. Meeker & Co. hava
at present nine men engaged in buying
hops. as high as 800 bales having been 70.
Ce.yed IN one day.
All the growers are preparing in
greater or less degree for next years cron.
T.. Neeker x Co. have ordered aoo0O
pounds OF quassia chips, 50 90 Of which are
already contracted for by growers. which
lie ,fx.a -, y.3.aa