The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-13
PICKING THE HOPS GREEN.
EZRA Meeker Takes . Gloomy View o.
tho CrOp-Benefit Of Spraying.

EZRA Meekef Takes = gloomy view OF
the CrOp-Benefit OF Spraying.
PUYALLUp, Sept. II, 1892.
To THE EDITOR: More than half of the hop
crop for the year 1892 of the state of Washing
ton has been wholly lost or so badly damaged
as to be practically worthless. it is now doubt
full if we will harvest much more than 10000
bales. whereas We should have had at least
$1,000. OF this We are harvesting, much of it is
SO early picked-in the race Of the pickers with
the lice-that the glory OF our golden rich hops
of years past is nearly gone, and in their stead
the green trash of our earlier experience has
taken their place.
Facts like these are unpalatable, but being
facts, we had best face the music and profit by
disaster. am perfectly sure OF mourning the
present displeasure of many hop growers for
writing and publis hing this article, it will, to
a certain extent. touch the value OF their hops
and real estate and remotely affect the credit of
every one in the business. at this writing
september 1l) the bulk OF the hops has been
picked, and as said before, in an immature
state. We have our whole crop at kent-13S
acres-yet on the poles untouched aud ripening,
free from vermin, and we will be able to harvest
q full crop, or nearly a quarter OF q million
pounds OF choice quality, not beginning to pick
before the 18th and possibly the 10Th instant.
wish az many growers, or other persons in
terested, possibly can do so. to go and see that
crop (''seeing is believing') which has been
saved at an expenditure of an average cost of
not over cent q pound over and above the
usual cost OF production. Especially I wish
them to see the stringed yard, sight the like of
which has never been excelled lii any country.
What we have accomplished there, every hop
grower in this broad state may accomplish next
year ii he will. 1t is no secret: / wish the
growers to know how il was done and to 60 see
for themselves. The yard is but mile from
Kent. the trains arc frequent from Seattle and
Tacoma and visit and inspection OF the yard
may be made and return to either city within
four hours from the time of leaving same.
At Puyallup several crops that have been
sprayed, as this crop OF which have written
was sprayed. may be seen within the next ten
days 'sound to the CORE More than dozen
such crops may be seen in the vicinity OF Puy-
allup and Kent, proving beyond question that
II Is practical to save the whole crop of the state
Now, to my mind, the hop grower OF this state
is confronted with this problem: Either he had
best destroy his hop yard or else make up his
mind to do the thorough work that has been
done with these yards referred To-. Which will
he do? Now is the opportune time to compare
results and profit by the experience of others.
will be at the Kent yard, at TIE White river
railroad crossing, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Saturdays of the two weeks following the date
of this article, and at Pnyallup the remaining
alternate days of the same period, and will take
pleasure in showing the result to- all " no wish
70 investigate, up to the completion of the har-
vest of these crops. y. MEEKEk