The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
GATHERING THE HOP CROP.
4 LEADING FEATURE or FARM IN
IN THE CdTSKIBLS.

The Season Has Already B~eEun-Hard Work
and Much Anxiety for tho Farmer. but
Lots OF Fun for Ills Help-Hop Growing
an Extensive and Profitable Industry.
Far up among the Catskills. In many .
quaint and gable. rooted old farmhouse. from
tho middle Of August until the first OF Septern-
Der numerous preparations are made for the
gathering OF the hop crop. The breezy atmos.
phere and the absence OF heavy fogs render
this locality particularly adapted to the grow
ing OF this crop. To the hop grower IL means
n season Of anxiety and hard work; TO the
picker n sort Of holiday combined with the
satisfactory prospects, OF making n little; money!
The good wife certainly has her handle full ~
this time. Every available space is utilized
! for sleeping accommodations: beds are spread
in the parlor. hall, or attic. and the male part
Of the help often sleep In the hop houses.
The latest lambs the choicest chickena.
are all sacrificed to appease. the hungry pick
ere. There seems TO be q rivalry among the
farmers as to who will set the best table" Per-
haps IL is for their interest TO do this, as often
times there is n scarcity OF pickers. and the
farmer who has the reputation for good liv-
ing seldom has trouble in securing help.
When they are in the condition for picking,
the hops must be gathered at once. asa delay
Of q few days would result In serious loss to
the farmer. In certain places near, villages
the pickers often board themselves. bringing
their dinners and returning to their homes at
night. but the most OF the growers board their
hands. Almost every one in this region goes
hop picking the rich and poor. the young
and old. oftentimes whole families, in which
latter case the earnings are considerable.
1t is pleasant, some bright September NORM
ing, seated or q moss covered rock on the hill
side. with the sun Just rising from behind the
Berkshire Hills. which are plainly visible. to
watch the pickers going to their daily task.
A motley group, indeed: many g~entlemanly
looking people. matrons. pretty girls. and
young children. all looking fresh and cheer
full, with their lunch baskets on their arms,
all chatting and laughing. and appearing un-
concerned rs to the task before them. Yon-
der comes a lumber wagon loaded with n farm
er's entire family. Among them is one wo-
man. perhaps 40 years old. bringing her easy
chair to sit in while picking. The mother has
the baby on. her arms. who will soon be Sleep
ing beneath the clusters of hops. Here comes
a young woman dressed as 4 for an evening
Party Party ;on beside dr1 her ,S e99m Tb;, a s little maiden with with
airs. from the village. and stout, red-cheeked
maxi sfS up the tSrOnF.t and iSit toEiet Refy they Ss1 S sar5i
their way to their places in the hop fields. j..
oo aes H TRe main ns rn BOX f Is dl RiSksn in aFs four Sns c onto col
.partments or boxes, each holding eight BUSH
bushels. The number OF boxes picked by
ance Of hops. their size. and the ability Of the
picker. The general average Il. perhaps from
i fSSes TO tf FS%r 5 boxes cents Ref to az " ce Tae j wages iSs 1 BSSid
the picker i. boarded. or from 81 TO 81 % when T..
-. Every main box has n box tender. {" whose
business frnSn iSa 1t is TO- pun the poles; strip the vines
is also the tenders duty 70 see that the. poles
hnNna ara knnt frnn from laayaa and Gfapna
and that no hops are wasted on the ground. AS
soon as z box 4 i filled u it is sacked by ne bPx
box tender, puts in the hops, carefully picking ..
out every large stem and leaf, and frequently
hifRlo =eieaner: 'n & R3i Setting = aep plGR 4seir s afSP rows
q poles from each, end Of the box and three
OK is moved forward to another setting.
A busy. merry thhrong they are: with their
but none too soon. for the braclng air Of the
spirits Of the company are ali conducive of to g..
lbd pest SSrp ~ that ia are 2 stranger to
owns and cities. They generally selectsome
shady spot; beneath some grand old tree or
n some Here sFsyf fhe BESIDE sbre g dSPf5bi slFE S f$yi fpa eh tRss
{reen grass: Such q variety Of good things!
nan H'c can invent; AZ. for variety Hfstys t hey Would Would
ne with thar any ., h st L,d Cold turkey; chicken.
old coffee. tea. mix: and nc lFeHmHonaddee.' but 5Hss se2il-
any malt or spirituous liquors. The wO-
men gossip as they eat. and in the pure air,
With the cool breeze from the mountains fan
ing their sunburnt faces. their loquacity -.
GEMS to be SO increased that it would leave
ny traditional tea party far behind in the
ace of tongues.
II anything will bring good sound and whole-
ONE sleep. It is work among the hops. and when
ne places his head to rest the faint and sooth-
lg odor still fingers. Inyalids who for weeks
lsed to try Il. pillow of hops. slept soundly
trough the night.
The season Of picking generally lasts about
lree weeks. There are in round numbers
1000 acres devoted to hop culture in the
nited States. 10000 in New York State and
lie balance between fifteen other States Cali
'rnia md WISCONSIN standing next to New
DIRK, The Leading hop-growing counties in
ew York are Otsego, Madison, Schoharie and
reene. 1t is undoubtedly q money-making
lstness at 10 cents a pound or even lower.
]. 1871 there was a great scarcity of hops, and
ices reached the astounding figure OF IS
'nts per pound.