The record-union., 1897-08-14
CROPS POOR, PRICES GOOD.
HOP GROWERS SHOULD NOT
BE IN HASTE TO SELL.
Prospect That They May Yet be
Able to Realize Is Cents,
II Not More.

Throughout the present season the
hop growers Of the American and Sac
ramento River Valleys have been pass
ing through a checkered bit of expe-
rience, and now that the crop is ready
for harvesting, find that the promise
of the early prospects have vanished,
and that the yield per acre will be less
than two-thirds of that usually har-
vested.
Daniel Flint, one Of the foremost hop
growers of Sacramento County, in
speaking of the situation last evening,
said that early in the spring prospects
were never better, but that the con-
tinued dry weather in April and May
had given the growing vines a set
back from which they never recovered.
The hop fields in the American River
Valley, Mr.. Flint said, have Jared bet
ter than those along the Sacramento,
and while many of the former will give
more than two-thirds of the usual yield,
some of those along the latter stream
will fall below a half crop.
Mr.. Flint, however. has received ad-
vices which warrant him in saying
that the yield, not only in New York,
but all over the world, viii not be over
a half crop, and is of the opinion that
that fact is accountable for the present
advance in the price of hops. While
at the present there is no established
value placed on the new crop, dealers
are talking about - cents q pound, and
he believes that before the season is
over prices viii be better than for sew
eral years.
A number of growers, Mr.. Flint stat
ed made contract sales OF their crops
several months ago, the prices named
being 10 cents per pound, and in several
instances they Will be pinched, as the
shortness of the yield will not allow
them to fill their contracts without
purchasing on the outside. The uni
versal partial failure will shoot prices
up though buyers attempt to dodge the
fact, and the contracting grower will
do we'll Mr.. Flint thinks, to lay in his
shortage at the earliest possible mo-
ment
Prices on sulphur and on hop or bail
ing cloth, Mr.. Flint casually remarked,
have advanced in price so as to meet
the tariff recently placed on those ar
ticles, but this he considers a small
matter, if prices on the new crop con-
tinue to advance.
Owing to the extremely dry spell dur
ing April and May the crop has ripen-
ed this season two weeks earlier than
usual and 120 pickers yesterday began
work on Mr.. Flmt's two yards, one of
which, the Pioneer, is down the river
the other the Flint & Raymond, near
Live Oak, on the Cosummes River, in
the eastern part of the county.
Mr. Flint is, as nearly as possible,
employing white and Indian help only.
Not a single Chinaman is employed in
his yards, and only four Japanese. The
price paid pickers is 20 cents per nun
dred, and when they understand the
extremely low prices at which hops
are quoted, they cheerfully accept the
inevitable. Mr.. Flint states that, did
prices admit he would willingly pay
his help so cents per hundred. He viii
begin baling on Monday next, and
from what he can see of the new crop
believes it win be of good quality.
In an interview with another promi-
nent grower he said:
Some of the growers have gotten
as far ahead with their harvesting as to
have a number OF bales already put up,
some samples of which prove to be of
chiefly from the American River dis
trict. The hops from that section, as
a rule, are not considered as good in
quality as those grown in this vicini-
ty, and especially those of Yolo Coun-
ty, along the Sacramento. This year
is an exception, as some grown in the
Jacob Casselman yard have been ac-
knowledged by prominent hop experts
with former years.
Prices in that section are very sat
isfaetory. and last week 9 cents per
pound was offered, but quickly re-
fused"
In an interview with one of San
Francisco's largest hop dealers a few
days ago, he said that growers were
foolish to get rid of their crops at the
present figures, meaning s and cents.
"Of course" he said the market is
extremely uncertain, but it would not
surprise me to see hops in a short while
selling for from 121a to Is cents.
This is about the first bit of real
encOura cement the few in this section
have had for the past four years. stin
there is but little doubt but that there
are a great many to-day who would
dispose of their crop at 10 cents"
The Yolo crop is the lightest ever
known this year, for the number of
acres in, and the reason of this is on
account of the late high water in the
YOlo County tule basin 1t is to be
hoped that the hop growers win meet
with much better success than in later
years. for if there is not a change for
the better before long. a great many,
In fact, nearly ALL will be bankrupt.