The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-10-05
ge' THH HOP FARN
PORTABLE oAsE AND ITS IEV USES
wendcrfai Bsp-Psck,ns maesine.
Den's Hub Ysur Eyes with Hop
stained Hanas-Generaiiy u Poor
Weld ON the sound.

Hop dances are about as important a
feature Of the hop harvest time as the
picking Of the hops. and both are at their
best just now.
Did You ever pick hops or go to hop
dance? Then you have missed expert.
ences Of which nothing can take the
place. The work Is hard, the hours are
long in the field, but the fun when the
work Ia over, and the field has been de-
serted for the day, and the sun has set,
is fascinating enough to make il all up.
AT least that Is what thousands of hop
pickers think about 1t. In New York
state and the east generally the workers
are made up OF ''home pickers" and "for-
eiSn pickers."
They are Of many conditions In life.
The ''saleslady" from New York, Utica
or Syracuse, who takes her vacation in
the hopield, earning her way the while,
works alongside the factory girl, and the
heavy. brawny young countryman. and
the pale, specialized, f1st-chested young
student who 10 earning money to help
meet the expenses Of bis next term at
college, are mates.
Most OF the pickers are boarded and
lodged by their employers, and on large
fsrms the 'hoppers' boarding houses"
are sometimes quite important structures,
with separate dormitories for the men and
women. On smaller farms less care is
taken with these places. All men and
women alike are expected to make their
own beds. The food in most cases Is
abundant and good, and includes liber-
nj allowance Of pie. Money and fun are
what they are after, and the fun comes
o tier supper. Then the dances, then the
moonlight walks, then the drives about
the country in buggies-all these tor the
yolng folks who are somewhat inclined
to sentiment. For the men and boys who
doa't want to be bothered with the girl
Here are wrestling matches and stories
aud pipes, and sometimes a little hard
cider for change, but not often any dis
reputable proceedings.
The hop dances Of today do not greatly
,.'tfer from those Of other days, though l
have heard Of series that was held in y
mid New York state village in rink this
year where an earnest attempt was made
to conform TO urban ideals in dancing
and etiquette. The result was interesting.
Sometimes dudes from the towns invade
the hop dance and try TO monopolize the
attention Of all the prettiest girls. When
that happens look out for a storm. II
won't do, however, to assume that it is
always the dudes who get the worst OF it,
although that il usually the result Of a
contest between them and pickers, owing
in some measure possibly to the superior
numbers of the pickers, who generally
stick by each other.
With variations the hop pickers Of the
east and west and OF merrie, merrie En-.
gland are alike. "Goin' 'oppin" they call
it in the tight little island, and the ranks
OF the 'oppers" are largely recruited
from London and other cities as they are
from cities here. In the state Of Wash.
ington Indians have done most OF the
picking till lately, when the Chinese be-
gin to take the places Of the redskins.
The hop-picking Indians for the Puget
Sound country come from British Colum.
bia and as far north as Southern Alaska,
crossing the Straits Of Fuca and the gull
OF Georgia to get to the hop fields.
In their way they fill the hours OF night
with merriment the same as the white
pickers Of the east, but when the Chinese
pick hops by day they sleep and smoke
by night. Chinese hop pickers are not
popular save with tho owners Of the yards.
Hop picking is healthful employ
ment, and many persons engage in it for
season or two simply as recupsrative
measure. As manual labor goes it pays
well. and there are probably in every hon
raising neighborhood whole families who
earn almost ell they expend during the
entire twelve months, at hop picking time.