The morning call., 1894-08-30
HOPS Go BEGGING.
No Market and No Prices
for the Crop.
GROWERS ARE DESPONDENT.
Many Will Leave Their Vines
Unpicked.
OYERPRODUCTION THE CAUSE.
Nominal Quotations Without Sales
Are s 10 9 Cents Against D to
"a Cents Last Year.
OyERPRoDUCHoN THE CAUSE.


extremely anxious over the low prices for
their product now prevailing. At present
quotations they cannot be marketed at a
profit, and in many fields 1t is more than
likely that the hops will not be picked
but will be allowed to remain on the vines
TO decay.
Three months ago hops were selling for
II cents pound. now it is doubtful if
more than s cents could be obtained, as
there is no demand and no trade in hops.
London ana New York are sending in no
orders. This year the Kentish hop fields
will market enough or nearly enough for
the English supply. condition of affairs
almost unheard of in recent years, and
coupled with this great English yield come
reports of Overabundance in all other hop
growing sections.
sStagnatlon In business in this country
mutually has something of an effect on
prices, and the general depression in trade
makes itself felt in the hop fields as well
as in all other lines of industry though
the great cause of low prices is overpro-
duction.
Many have believed that the depression
in business has so lessened the output of
the bIewerles that the demand for the
product OF the hop fields has been mate
rally lessened.
In speaking of this phase of the Ques-
ton, {. Is. Stone. general manager of the
San Francisco Breweries Limited said
. The output OF the whole United States
this year is less by 90. 900 barrels than last
year. / have not the figures for the Pa
CHIC Coast but very likely lesser produc-
tion would be found west of the Rocky
Noun ains. This decrease, however, is so
slight In comparison with the total beer
product that its effect on the hop trade
N c IGN foo inf
hops used in barrel Of beer is very small
and the saving per barrel at the reduced
price OF hops would amount to very little"
II. Ei0esser of the firm of William Ubl-
mann q Co. thought Overproduction al
most solely responsible for the fall in
prices. There is an enormous crop on
the Pacific Coast this year | think the
crop In Oregon. Washington and Califor-
mia will reach 10000 or 100, 600 bales if all
the hops are picked. Many growers talk
OF not picking on account Of the low
prices. Values have not been established,
ana only nominal rate in the absence of
any large trade can be given. N0minally
hops might be placed at OF 9 cents a
pound. There Is no business. Last season
at this time OF the year hops were worth
from p to p cents pound, so that the
loss TO the grower can be fully appreciated
by comparing prices then and now.
Inc general assumption has been that
the consumption of beer owing to the
hard times has so fallen off that the out
put Of the breweries has been greatly les
sened to the detTiment of the grower of
hops. This, l think. is incorrect" contin-
ned Mr. ElOesseT. The exceedingly low
prices are due to an enormous Overproduc-
ton of hops all over the world. Twice as
many hops have been raised this year as
can be consumed. Any lessening of the
output of the home breweries would have
scarcely any appreciate effect Pacific
hopgrowers market their product abroad
With product of $1,000 bales only about
5000 bales are used on the entire Pacific
Coast. This local demand can have
scarcely any effect upon the price.
The London market fixes prices. The
crop for export TO England is large through
out the United States. This is one of the
few years in which England has raised
enough hops for home consumption. The
product of the fields of Kent is estimated
at 100000 bales. Germany, TOO. which is a
great producer of hops, stands ready to
export heavily this year.
sacramento County ia the great hop
growing county Of the State. Sonoma will
probably be second this year in the num-
Der of bales and Yuba third. l think the
yield will be about equally divided on the
Pacific Coast between Oregon, Washington
and California, with perhaps 5000 bales
as the amount credited TO each Stale. The
great foreign factor in the English market
will be Germany.
The decrease in the brewery output
of this country" continued Mr.
Eloesser. would not lessen the home mar
ket for hops by more than 500 bales and
this compared 10 the total product is so
small that the prices for the hop crop
would not thereby be affected
Messrs. Hermann of Hermann & Co.
were inclined TO think that the general
stagnst IN trade had much to do with
low prices. They declared that the out
look at present was very gloomy. Growers
could not pick their hops and sell them az
z cents pound. They would be at actual
loss in so doing. Growers and traders de-
pend on the Eastern and European mar
kets. The local consum pIion was too small
to be considered an sctive factor.
There is no demand either in London or
New York for hops, said Mr.. Hermann.
1--WE hope for an improvement between
now and November l.
at is q strange assertion to make"
added Mr.. Herman, but when hops are
worth 90 cents you can go to the brewers
and they will buy all Won have TO offer.
When they are worth 3 cents you can
make no sales. 10 other words, it is easier
TO sell one bale when prices are good for
what you would offer ten now, with no
takers"
Stagnation in trade, and the strikes. with
so many men out of employment were adj
duced as other reasons why brewers did
not buy now. aud it was urged as quite
probable that the various brews would be
materially decreased.