The record-union., 1894-04-14
PRESENT OUTLOOK FOR 1894 HOPS.
1t Is Better in Sonoma and Mendo-
cino Than Here.
Also Good in Oregon and Washington
An Increased Acreage Put
In This Season.

California has had an exceedingly mild
winter, and the prospects for good hop
crop should be very bright, but they are
not in the vicinity of Sacramento. The
roots were in an unhealthy state. and
many thousand new ones have been used
for replacing old fields The stock is de-
cidedly scarce, The cause of the poor
roots is ascribed to late cultivation and
close trimming. Conservative estimates
place the increased acreage at about 70 per
cent.
The long continued dry weather has
been detrimental to new planting, especl-
ally those on high ground, but the dry
weather has forced the roots, and the
ground is covered with vines at this time,
giving assurances Of an early crop. The
quantity will depend upon the amount of
rain within the next fifteen days, and at
the same time the yards along the Sacra-
mento River will be helped considerably
by the present high water. The following
reports have been received from other
parts of the coast:
MENDoCINO COUNTY.
Ukiah-While it is considered too early
| in the season to predict the outcome OF
the crop report, the wintering OF the
plants has been excellent in this locality,
and all signs point to yield equal to
that of last year. The acreage has been
increased by at least five per cent, and
although the crop is somewhat dependent
on the late rains, there is no fear among
prominent growers regarding the out
| come. Last year about $500, 900 was real
| lied by the growers in this vicinity, and
with an increased acreage this year, there
is no fear that this sum will not be IN
creased. Altogether the outlook is an
excellent one, and with a few spring
showers the yield will be very large.
soNoMA COUNTY.
Santa Rosa-About 400 bales of last sea-
sons hops remain unsold in this county.
The yards are all reported in good con-
dition: the roots have Wintered we'll.
Over 500. 600 roots were shipped from this
point to sacramento County, during the
! late winter and early spring. AS to the
prospect of the quality and size OF the
| coming seasons crop, growers are all en-
couraged Several have contracted their
crops ahead, and are using the advances
| thus obtained III enlarglng and putting
| out new yards. The yards which came
! into bearing this year will probably in
crease the county's hop revenue $4,000.
! This calculation is based on an authentic
| report that the yield will exceed that OF
last season by 500 to 700 bales.
| Healdsburg-The season thus far has
been a dry one for the hop crop, but the
growers of this section claim that they
| will produce fully as large yield as last
year. and many growers believe they
will have much larger yield. 1t is i'm
possible at this time to estimate what the
probable excess in dollars and cents OF
| this years crop over that of last year will
| be.
OUTLOOK IN OREGON.
Portland-The prospects of large hop
| crop i'll Oregon the coming season is
good. The plants have wintered well and
are now further advanced by probably
three weeks than at this time last year.
| There has been large increase In acre
age this season. though this increase will
not materially affect this years crop. 1t
! is estimated that the increase Will amount
| to 20 per cent, or about 200 acres. The
growing plants are healthy, and at this
! time there is no indication OF disease.
| Last years crop amounted to sc, 600 bales,
which was small yield. II the weather
| conditions continue favorable to the end
of the season the crop should be 80, 600
bales, as against $4,000 in 1893, and n, 800
in 1892.
Bearing yards are already being twined
and under heavy cultivation. For the
most part new yards are adopting the
short pole and twine and wire rrellis sys-
TEN. Actual contracts for the 1894 crop
are being made at from twelve to thir-
teen cents. A few contracts for five years
have been made at twelve and half
cents.
Growers who last year consigned to
London are not pleased at the slow and
small returns, about eleven cents being
the best returns yet reported.
WASHINGTON.
Tacoma-Reports from the hop-growing
districts of Washington show that hop
roots are just peeping through the
ground. They are about two weeks
backward. The acreage is largely in
creased over that of last year. Some
growers estimate the increase at % per
cent, and the yield for 1894 at about the
same proportion. The bulk of The in
crease is in the Yakima Valley, where
the completion of irrigation bitches has
given a stimulus to the hop business
The vines, so far as can be determined
at present, are in good condition, and no
danger from lice is anticipated. Wash
ington State in 1893 produced in the
neighborhood of $4,000 bales, and under
favorable conditions this seasons pro-
duct will be 10000 bales.
SOCIAL, AND PERSONAL.