The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-17
A MODEL HOP RANCH.
Hon. Ezra Meeker's Big Yard
Near Kent Visited.
ENTIRE SUCCESS OF SPRAYING.
The Fruit Hangs in Big Clusters Like
Grapes In . California Vineyard
$500 Pounds to the Acre.

state board of horticulture, represented by
President BUGGY and Secretary c. A. Ton
neson, took the $50 train yesterday from
Tacoma for Kent, and at Puyaliup were
Joined by Mayor Ezra Meeker and Charles
II. Ross, large hop grower and buyer,
and the PosT-INrEILIGENcER correspond
emit. The Puyailup Hop Company's yards
are situated mile this side of Kent, so
carriage was provided by Mr.. Meeker and
the party driven thither. The upper
ranch, on the north of the river. was first
visited. Here q galvanized iron tank,
holding 1900 gallons of water, isplaced on
tower of height sufficient to produce the
pressure to supply the dwelling house, hop
house, spraying and for fire protection for
the whole The space underneath this
tank is finished into rooms, there being
several stories for the use Of hop pickers.
Mr.. Meeker carries no insurance on his
kilns, but they are made and kept in such
manner that there is little or no danger
from fire. The inside is all lathed and
plastered. The stove sits as usual, with
its door at the opening Of the kiln,
which is about six feet high, with
large piece of sheet iron placed
just above the top of the stove in front
and slanting upward and backward into
the kiln. This allows a draft of air to
| enter, and is also protection against fire.
The fresh air is allowed to enter from the
bottom, as the kiln is set up from the
ground foot and a half or two feet, so
that the air that dries the hops is fresh
and pure. It is safe to 60 inside the kiln
even with the sulphur burning, which is
put in ar ordinary frying pan and set on
fire and placed upon two bricks on an up
right post about three feet high, one near
each corner of the kiln. Mr.. Meeker be-
leves in using great deal of pipe, and
there is double row placed in each kiln,
which follow the contour of the room,
being placed several feet from the wall.
BY this means more heat is utilized. The
floor Of the kiln is clean sand, with large
hole scooped out behind the stove, into
which the ashes and Goals are scraped
from under the stove when they fall
through the CRATES. Thus the danger
from fire is greatly lessened by not carry
ing the refuse from the stove out from the
front, as is usual.
There are nine kilns here altogether and
they keep one horsepower press busy
turning out eighty bales per day, which
form car load, and very soon after baling
are shipped. Mr.. Meeker does not store in
his dry kilns. The hops are put in and
taken out of the kiln by the same side, and
not handled more than necessary, and not
stirred while drying. A wheeled SCOOP
used three or four times full. according to
the depth of the flooring, will fill bale.
The scoop is made somewhat similar to
the hand scoop, but larger, on two wheels
about a foot in diameter placed on either
side. A man on both sides starts and runs
and gives the scoop momentum enough to
send It far into the flooring of hops, which
are piled up. Thus the scoop is filled
without any handling. and quickly. The
hops are then wheeled to the press. In
baling every care is taken not to break the
hops. When the bale is taken from the
press, on the ground floor, it is sewed and
weighed. bale the party saw pressed
yesterday weighed 1873 pounds. There is
little variation in the weight of bales.
The first yard visited was set out ten
years ago. but in not the strongest soil.
This yard consisted of sixty-six acres in
about square, with two roads running
through the middle. The yard presented
beautiful appearance. The well-culti-
waited soil was smooth and clean as floor,
and the long vistas of poles were clothed
with sometimes only one vine and at
had often done rs we'll as the two or three
in clothing the pole with luxuriant
growth OF hops of fine quality. MIR.
Meeker thinks there will be no difficulty
in getting a ton per acre here. The large
field was new sight to most of Us. who
are used to fences dividing the yards
Around Puyaliup one man does not
usually own more than ten or twelve
acres in yard. The yard was uni
form all the way through for the
half-mile or more traversed. Very
few lice were found, although hops
were taken from the very top Of the poles
Once IN great while louise would be
found upon a leaf or in burr, but no
mildew, mould. rust or anything else
harmful was found except that q few
arms on hill now and then were devoid
of burrs. due to the spraying at the wrong
time. 70 the same cause also was due the
slight curling of q few of the leaflets on
the burr, noticed once in q great while,
this however, being of little consequence
After driving through the half mile or
more small. irregular-shaped part of the
yard was found to be the ideal portion.
Nine-foot poles stood here, with a nail
driven in at the top of each, around which
Irvine is wound, running from pole to pole
both ways across the yard. the hops being
then trained on the Irvine, making veri-
table arbors, where every part Of the vine
can be easily reached by the sprayer, rain.
sun and air. 1t is not difficult for even a
novice to see the advantages gained by
short poles. The clusters swim cling down.
ward, back and forth, seemed thankful for
the freedom given them to drink in the ele-
ments required for their best growth, in
stead of being crowded. choked and suffo-
Gated on q tall pole. The hops here were
ripper than in tall-pole yards. and had been
sprayed only four times. whereas the
Others, which had been sprayed eight
times, were not any freer, if as free. from
vermin as the short poles.
J. +. Van de Vanter. J. J. Crow, G. l..
Taylor and others from Kent had Joined
the party upon entering the hop field. and
it proved to be happy day, and all were
thoroughly convinced that strictly choice
hops may be still raised in Washington.
in spite of the hop louse by this practical
demonstration by Ezra Meeker, who has
worked so long and faithfully to build up
this industry started in Washington. Mr..
Meeker has contended all the time that
good hops could be raised here, even if the
lice were present He has visited England
numbe, Of times, where they are able to
raise choice hops in spite OF the vermin by
fighting them with skill. Ii il is possible
for them to do it there why not here? No
one now may argue the question, as it is