The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-08
CALIFORNIA HOP GROWERS.
INDIGESTION THAT THEY
SHOULD ORGANIZE.
How Hops Should be Handled
in the London
Market. 4

AAS AOllOWluS ~ 800
Record Union will be read with IN
terest by all who are interested in the
mop growing industry in this State:
Eds. Record Union: Now that the
fruit growers are combining in order
70 Cooperate in trying to, sell their
crops to better advantage, would 1T not
be wise thing for the hop growers OF
California to combine their mutual in
terests and endeavor to get into a way
of marketing their hops to better adj
vantage?
No class of agriculturists is SO help
less as against adverse conditions and
manipulation of the local markets az
are growers of hops.
OF course it is hard to get the farm
Ing interests of a large section or coun-
try to combine successfully.
But it should not be difficult for the
growers of a section-say like Sonoma
combined prestige for their mutual
good. Hop growers of the several hop
growing districts have had associa-
tons for good many years. But
judged from a standpoint of profit and
loss I fear that none of these associa-
lions have been of much mutual bene-
fit
There are many ways the association
might put dollars into the members
pockets" They might secure and dis
tribute reliable crop and market re-
ports-not occasionally, but regularly.
They might combine to purchase their
supplies in quantity and thus get bet.
ter prices. They might also by their
united action compel absolutely fair and
straightforward treatment from those
who purchase their goods. More par
ticularly they might by combining Sc
cure better prices and be more inde.'
pendent of local manipulators.
These last two are very important.
Growers are too reticent. They should
let one another know how they are
treated by the dealers. There should
be blacklist kept by the association
in which all of the questionable actions
of dealer and grower-if need be
should be kept on file. Growers would
soon be able to see who it would be
safe to deal with.
But, after all, the main thing is to
sell to the best advantage.
Commercial houses are forming
trusts" and cooperating for the hand
ling of their businesses. They reduce
their STATS and sell as nearly direct to
the consumer as can be.
Hop growers should do the same.
England is the ultimate market for the
bulk of the choice hops grown on the
Pacific Coast. The choicest goods gen.
orally come to this market. They gen,
orally reach here by round about way.
and after passing through from two to
five different dealers hands. Each of
these dealers must have his commits
sion of from / to 3 cents per pound
The hops only bring so much. Tho
grower gets what is left after all costs
and commissions are paid.
Why could not the growers of, say
ten thousand bales in Sonoma County.
begin by saying we will not sell a bale
of our 1899 crop except in the London
market. We will harvest our hops in
good shape and send some one, two OF
three of the representative growers
over to London with the combined crop3
with instructions to sell on the Lon,
don market, and to inaugurate a trade
that could be depended upon to take
the same goods each year Freights
and costs are not excessive except
where growers are lax about making
their arrangements.
Insurance in transit can be effected
to cover all risks from shipping point
to London warehouse for say one-half
of one per cent. go cents on the 5000.
Freight Isl generally about "a cents per
pound. All other expenses would foot
up. from Is to a of a cent per pound.
One commission of say l cent per
pound would leave all middlemen's profit
on this end.
Arrangements could be made SO that
those of the growers who needed adj
vances could be supplied with reason,
able advance at low rate of interest,
say to 5 per cent.
The expenses of sending two or three
of the growers over here would be of
no consequence as compared to the en-
HANGED prices they would get. Trans
portation might be secured free or at
reduced rates. The fact of some of the
owners being ION the ground with the
hops would facilitate business. At the
same time every individual grower in
California could by means of the cable
be "in touch with the people in Lon
don, and he might have the option of
declining or accepting every bid on his
individual hops.
With his hops in London the grower
has the best chance in the world to sell