The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-07-20
THE HOP CROP.
Report on Conditions in New York, Eng
land and Europe.

Report on 1OnultlOnS III ANeW IOIk, Eng
land and Europe.
The recent rains have frightened NJ
the vines considerably but as most o.
them are IN the burr they will not grow
much more. II is generally acknowl
dyed that the vine was rserious,
checked from one cause or another and
failed to arm out or grow as it should
This is the general complaint from the
hop growing sections of the state. The
crop, therefore, promises to be much
short of full one.
Crop advices were variable, and upon
the whole indicated somewhat unfavor-
able growth of vine in New York State.
yet causing no increase in the late es-
Inmates of probable shortage in the crop.
There was also smattering of uniavor-
able accounts in the reports from some
localities, on the Pacific Coast. How
ever, buying interest is not stimulated
perceptibly, and probably the only
stir is in the direction of circulating re-
ports OF high bids for 1899 crop in the
face of sales at l5c and thereabouts to
brewers.
A correspondent of the Waterville n.
Y. Times writes that paper as follows:
1t is said and seems to be true that
hops are continually doing the unex-
pected. Said dealer last fall, "If we
export as many this year as last the
price will go to 25c." We have exported
10000 bales more and the price has been
10c.
So of the growing crop, we are sadly
disappointed, for we have the worst
case of curled leaf blight remembered.
And so curious no one can even suggest
cause which satisfies the conditions
1t has been called "a scald" and thought
to be the result of hot sunshine, but
this theory fails to suit the case. What
ever the origin, the results are evident
and bad. For time the plant energy
is gone and it stands still, the vine
joints become fixed at about one-fourth
the healthy distance apart. The under
side of the leaf contracts, causing the
curl of the leaf which is a conspicuous
become an injured
light green and the edge of the eaf in
some cases and to some extent dry and
brown. After the malign influence has
ceased, the plant energy and healthy
growte is resumed of light green color
but the new growth is slender, thick
and fuzzy. How much this check and
change Of growth may injure the quail
ity or amount OF the crop, no one can
ioretel with any reasonable precision.
This will not be top crop for Il
feature this season is Il lack of top
growth. The upper arms are short or
none at all and the tops OF the poles are
conspiciuously bare. Some lice can he
found.
All that has been said of the strong
statistical condition Of supply and de-
mand is proving true, but all OF the.
skill OF the manipulating dealers has
been brought in play TO depress prices
in the hope OF securing Pacifs ironclad
contracts. The crop estimated and re-
ported in the Commercial Bulletin by
the dealers at 10000 bales will gain
only l5O, 900 bales at the most as esti-
mated by reliable man on the ground
The state crop must be very much less
than last year and the United States
crop cannot from the standpoint OF to"
day be bale more than in '9S ut the
most, with many probabilities of being
smaller in the aggr egate.
HoP GROWER.