The record-union., 1899-10-04


present circumstances seems doubtful,
my estimate of a fortnight ago re-
quires no correction, and certainly Will
not be exceeded.
Qsle of Thanet)
Picking now in full swing and hops
come down well, but there are great
symptoms of red spider and red mold,
and it is very evident they must be
picked very quickly indeed to secure
them with good color Heavy rain
would do immense good
Oittlebourne and Bekesbourne.)
In these parishes the hops on the
whole are keeping very well, and are
clean and sound In most grounds they
are as green and bright as they were
fortnight ago, but in others there is
deterioration setting in, though at
present it is not extensive
Qower Hardres)
Hop picking is progressing slowly in
this parish. The Bramlings are all
picked. The Goldings are going off
very fast owing, no doubt, to the pro-
ionsed drought, and in all probability
not more than half will be picked
FROM present appearances not more
tnan one weeks picking will be adj
Vlsable, instead of three weeks, thus
curtalllng the quantity of Goldings by
tWo-th1rds of the quantity we might
reasonably have expected to gather a
week ago.
Petham and District)
The hops that have been picked come
down quite up to expectations; but by
the present appearance of the grounds
unpicl1ed there will not be many more
bright samples, as the hops are going
of very fast and it is impossible to
get them all in before they are dam
aged with the vermin, of which there
IS a lot in nearly all the grounds. There
nave been two or three strikes with
the pickers, but after a short interval
they have gone on at the price of is
and Is I'd per basket.
(Sittingbourne District0
Generally speaking the growths in
thls district are heavy, ranging from
10 cWt. to in one instance at least -
cWt per acre. The hops were keeping
very Well down to Saturday, but much
d1scoloration is observable this week.
and some pieces are going off badly.
The quality of the hops already picked
IS on the whole remarkably fine
y
Whilst some of the grounds in this
parish are maturing splendidly some
are going off very fast, and it is feared
the end of the picking will in most
cases be very disappointing, as the hot
sun seems too much for them. The
yield is that of a fair average crop,
quality so far superb.
(Wingham.)
Owing to the large crop of hops and
shortness of pickers, it is a. serious
question if they will all keep to be
gathered in time. Generally they are,
up to now, in perfect condition, but
what will they be like in a months
time, and there will be many tons not
picked by then? If the fogs keep off
there will be some perfect ripe samples
this year
(Wye and Doughton Aluph)
Lice have spoilt a good crop in many
places. Choice hops will not be so
plentiful as at one time it appeared
they would. Many acres will not pay
for picking.
(Mid-Kent Parishes.)
AT Bearsted hops are coming down
very heavy, but unfortunately vermin
has increased, and it is feared that
several pieces will have to be left un-
picked. Around Maidstone the great
heat of last week proved too much for
some of the grounds and the hops have
turned brown. On the deep, cool soils
they are keeping well, and many splen-
did samples are being obtained Re-
ports from Arlington, Aylesford and
Often are favorable, but from the Far
leighs we hear that the hops are going
off very fast. At Mailing the cooler
weather is tending to favor the crop,
and it is expected that there will be a
big yield of sound and colory hops;
where diseased, however, they will not
be picked. AT Hunton, where there is
plentiful supply of pickers, the hops
are keeping well, and are of a gooo
color. The crop is exceptionally heavy,
and it is expected that all will be
picked. At Paddock Wood, Capel, and
in the Tonbridge district many yields
Of ton per acre have been obtained,
and the quality is described as superb
This week, however. it is found that
vermin has suddenly developed, and
also that red mold is running Doubts
are, therefore, entertained as to the
ultimate result; it is certain that many
acres will not be picked. At Sutton
Valence, also, where there was a splen-
did promise even down to last week,
the vermin attack and the spread of
red mold are causing grave anxiety.
(Surrey.)
Oxted-The hops in this parish and
neighborhood are fast being gathered
in. In some cases on the heavy CLAW
soils the yield is short Of expecta tions
On the deeper soils the hops maintain
their color. One garden Of five acres of
Bramlings has yielded 10 cwt. per acre
Picking will probably be commenced
in about a fortnight
CWorcester)
Picking in this district is now in fun
swing and the ingathering Of the ear
lies is mostly completed. The later
sorts maintain their color on the poles
better than might have been expected
after the great heat and they will
doubtless be aided in this respect by
the heavy rainfall last week, but in
some Of the samples of earliest shown
at market premature ripeness is very
! evident. There was a good attendance
Of growers and a fair supply of hops
at Saturdays market, but trade was
/ exceedingly slow for the class of hops
on offer. Only the better samples
found buyers at anything like previous
quotations and common early and mis-
managed parcels We're only salable at
los to los per cwt. reduction. Growers
expressed general dissatisfaction with
Z