The record-union., 1899-06-16
HOP OUTLOOK IN ENGLAND.
NOT REGARDED AS VERY EN-
CoURAGING.
Gold and Frosty Weather Retard-
ing Growth-Consumers Have
Small Stocks.


1t Is not unlikely that the California
hopgrowers will have almost if not
quite as profitable a season as the
growers of fruit. AS the price is reg
ulated by the English market, the fol-
lowing reports on the growth of hops in
the English plantations for the week
ending Wednesday, May 81, 1899, fur
nished by "The Kentish Observer OF
Canterbury, Kent, Eng, and presented
with the compliments of M. H. burst OF
~ Effra Road, Brixton, S. W., London
resident agent in England for the burst
Bear River hops of Yuba County, Cal,
should be of interest. These reports are
furnished gratuitously, and in the hope
that they will be of service in keeping
the grower advised of the crop pros
poets abroad
Boughton (Faversham).-The hop ny
mas already made it's appearance IN lnls
parish, and washing has commenced.
The bine is backward growth checked
during the last few days.
Canterbury Parishes.-Tying has been
completed in many grounds, and is still
in progress in others. The bine has
grown very little during the past four
or five days in consequence Of the very
low temperature. and has lost the
healthy appearance it had in the early
part of last week, the frosty nights
being the cause of this. More genial
weather is urgently needed. Cultiva-
ton is fair as a whole, though some
grounds are full of weeds.
Chilham-The bine is coming away
very uneven, especially in the Bram-
lings, some partly up the pole or strings,
others just out of the ground. Wire
worm and flea are very troublesome,
and the late frosty nights have made
the bine look yellow and unkindly.
Lift ebourne and ekesbourne.-In
these parishes the bine was making
good progress last week, but since the
return of wintry weather it has prac-
tically stood still, and has evidently SUI
fered from the frosty nights. We do
not like the look of it at all at pres
ent, though a few days of nice warm
weather would probably bring about a
great .hange. The season will be a late
one, and the prospect generally does
not appear very hopeful.
Rainham and District.-The cold
grounds an unhealthy hue and stopped
its growth. Where sheltered from the
cold northeasterly wind the plants have
made fair progress, but the general
condition this week is not nearly SO sat-
isfactory as it was week ago.
Selling.-Wireworm has been very
troublesome in some of the largest
grounds in this parish, and this has
kept the bine backward so that tying
is only just commencing. The cold
winds and the frosty nights experienced
since last week have been very detri-
mental to the plants.
Sittingbourne and Neighborhood.--A
good many pieces are now tied, and the
grounds are getting in fair order.
Growth has been very slow since the
middle of last week owing to the cold
weather. Some growers say they have
seen a few aphides here and there.
Wye and Boughton Aluph.-The bina
is backward and some uneven. Wire
worm is troublesome. Cultivation not
good
Weald of Kent.-The bine was late in
starting nearly everywhere in the
Weald, but once it commenced it made
headway, and the warmer weather in
the. early part of last week, following
upon gentle rain, sent up the shoots
very fast, tyers being almost unable
to keep pace with it. Unfortunately,
however, bitterly cold weather set in
toward the end of the week, and sev-
eral frosty nights were experienced. The
result has been to give tho shoots a
sickly appearance and to check the
OH in, -1x-in dc
the bine has continued to make some
growth. Generally speaking the Fuggle
bine is very healthy. and apparently
full of vigor; the Bramling bine is not
so robust, but stronger than it was
last year
Surrey.-This season appears, by it's
opening. promising for the hop Planters
interests SO far as this neighboihood is
concerned. The first operation of the
-pruning-perhaps the most i'm
portant, was performed in favorable
circumstances as regards weather. The
wet autumn does not appear TO have in
jured the roots. the bines are growing
and look healthy and it will probably
be found that the night frosts we are
having, though causing a present check,
will be found later on an advantage.
Added to this the shortness of stocks
in consumers hands should stimulate
growers to pay more than usual atten-
ton to cultivation. The only drawback
We have to notice is that one small
plantation is being effected by kind
of beetle which is very destructive
to young shoots.
Sussex.-Reports from the principal
parishes in this county state that the
bine is beginning to recover from the
harmful effect of the cold winds and
frosty nights of the latter half of last
week. and that growth has been more
satisfactory since Monday. Tying is in
full operation, and cultivation is for
ward, the grounds being on the whole
In much better condition than for
some years past. There are few re-
ports of fly having been seen, but no
one appears to be troubling himself
about vermin at present.
Herefordshire.- pieces of hops
in Herefcrdshire have been attacked by
wireworm, and now flea is rather ore