Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-08-13
WASHINGTON HOP NEWS.

The County H Ipgrowers' Association me
at Chehalis Saturday to take final action OF
the question ofprices for picking. Alta formel
meeting it was decided to adopt the 7s-een
rate, provided growers representing 700 acre,
would not pay more. The committee tc
secure signatures reported yesterday that i,
had been unable to secure more than about
$50 acres in the the agreement, consequently
the price for picking will be governed by the
ability or inclination Of the individual growers
to pay IS cents or more. The failure of the
plan to reduce the price was due to the fact
that number of large growers and some
other who have contracted their crops feared
1t would be impossible to hire pickers at 7s
cents box. There will probably be scare
ity Of pickers at any price, for the number of
idle people in the vicinity is much smaller than
for two or three years past. Most gro Rers, ac
cording to statement now made, will pay 81 a
box, as formerly, though some say they have
secured pickers enough at IS cents.
The condition Of the growing crop in these
valleys is fairly good, but the continued dry
weather is undoubtedly shortening in some.
what Low prices and the discourging pro
Pect ahead have led many hopmen to decide
shat they will not pick at all, Nevertheless
when the season opens, from the sth to the
10th Of next month, there will doubtless be
demand for more pickers than can be had,
unless outside help can be secured.
The Puyallup Citizen August o,says:
The past week has made great improve
ment in the vine and the hops are coming out
of burr.
The Meeker companies will all have large
crops Of clean hops unless late attack ofly
enters their yards.
Most Of the yards in this immediate vicinity
are comparatively clean.
There is total inaction in the market Stock
are cleaned out and consequently no shipments
have been made.
Generally speaking hops look bad and
there is no reason to make better estimate
than have been made earlier in the season.
The latest intelligence leads one to the be-
lief that Germany will have three fourths of a
crop and England and New York half crop.
The talk about "a cold storage hops filling
he needs Of 'o5 is quite bearish. 1t takes
good fresh hops and plenty of them to make
good beer. While inferior grades can be made
out of old, cold storage stocks and extra
good beer that is in best demand must be
made from fresh hops. The hop crop will be
short this year but plenty of good be.r will be
and it is but logical to believe
that cnoice hops will sell at a fair
figure
Never, however, have the lice been so little
under control, There will not be many hops
picked and choice samples will be very ex-
ceptional.
H. sE. McGowon, of Puyallup one Of the
leading hop manipulators Of Washington. offers
prizes Of $40 and S. respectively, for the best
Two samples of Of Washington hops that may
be aent to him. Entries will be accepted un-
til October 1. Expert judges will pass upon
the merits Of the samples. Mr.. McGowans
object is to determine which side of OF the
mountains will succeed in raising the best
hops. Samples should be carefully marked
with the growers names, and post Office &C
dress and the amount OF their crop.