Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-11-15

FOuu0s
The near completion of the ingath
ering OF the English crop enables u
to put before our American friends
reliable information respecting tn,
quality and quantity OF the new seas
on's growth.
The quantity is now generally con
sidered to be about one-fourth les.
than last years crop, which, according
to the official statistics was 636, ,S4t
cwts.. equal, at $50 lbs. to the bale, tc
nearly 100000 bales. The prescn,
English crop may therefore be reck
oned at about 3OO,OoO bales. The
continental crop is estimated at abonl
one-fifth less than last years yield
The crop in America is also reported
to be from one-fourth to one.fifth un.
der that of last season, but this will
probably be reduced by growths left
unpicked. The yield for the whole
world is computed at some $1,000
tons, or 1,O0S,OOO bales, being about
twenty-five per cent. less than last
year.
The importations into the United
Kingdom during last season were
From the United States, 800; from
the continent, 25.SOO; total Ill 500
bales.
Adding the home crop to the above
we have grand total Of 51l 500 bales
which were thrown on the English
market during the season. while the
consumption of the United Kingdom
is usually computed at only about
400 600 bales per annum.
While it must be admitted that q
great many hops were picked in Eng
land in 1894 that were too poor for use
and did not find market, yet it is OBJ.
vious that the above figures tell tale
of over-production, and show very
good reasons for the low prices tina,
have prevailed, and the impossibility
OF finding purchasers for all the parcels
OF even good quality hops which have
been on offer here.
1t will, however, be seen that the
present crop being 100000 bales less
than the annual consumption, there
will be room in this market in the
coming season for considerable quan.
titles OF American hops of good quail
ity and it is to be hoped that shippers
will refrain from sending inferior quail
tiles, there being besides this seasons
percentage, large stocks of the com.
mon grades of last years hops still on
hand and as brewers are we'll stocked
they will be independent and critical
buyers.
Prices for American hops opened
last season at about IL cents per ID
for good quality, and gradually de.
clined to about y cents for the same
quality near the end of the season
when a great many poor Californian,
were sold at about ST cents. Very
few " States" we're received here. The
quality OF these and OF " Pacifics" was
generally disappointing.
As regards the probable prices the
coming season, the market for Eng
lish hops has not yet settled, ane
therefore the prices of American hop,
can only be assumed, but we regre
that the outlook affords no prospectl
of anything but very moderate values
and we think that opening prices fo
American hops will be from n to l:
cents per pound for qualities rangin,
from medium to choicest.
Some American dealers have beer
trying the experiment of selling thei
hops direct to English brewers, an,
their easy quotations to the trade be
ing made a handle of by all brewer
against the English hop merchants
the latter have been compelled to re
taliate on the market by bearing dowr
prices still lower in order to compete
and in some cases even to undercu
their new opponents. The Englisf
merchants have at present the brew
ers' trade entirely in their own hands
both for home and foreign hops, and
declare their intention of retaining it
come what may. 1t is strongly con
tended in the Borough that the few
American hops which have been sold
to brewers direct would have fetched
more in the open market in the ab-
sence of competition which they have
provoked, and that this becomes a
very serious consideration when its eff.
fects extend to the bulk of similar
produce on the market. 1t is to be
hoped, on behalf of the already impov.
erished hop growers that this fight
over their produce may not be con.
tinued. We remind our friends that
our business in hops is confined to the
handling of the American crop, and
while we much regret the present de.
pressed condition of trade We hope
better times may he near at hand.
Oar best services are at the disposal OF
our friends as hitherto.
THOMAS & SHORT.