Evening star., 1900-09-24
HOPS AND HOP PICKERS.
Interesting Scenes In and About the
Kent Harvest.

Interesting Scenes In and About the
Kent Harvest.
From the London Express.
The end of August, or a few days later,
brings round once more the annual exodus
of the hop pickers
Poorest of the most poverty-stricken, as
class, are these people. the raggedest, nois-
lest tribe Of all London's seething work
world. With few exceptions they remain,
even in these improved days. immovable IN
their own slough, the despair OF the re-
former the hope Of nobody. Respectable
ity. It is true, contributes a small quota to
the fraternity-perhaps from to lO per
cent; but in many Kentish hop gardens the
customs and habits of the majority are
dominant.
AS soon as the crop of "goldings," "fug-
pIes'' and whatnot is ripe for the ingather-
ing the Southeastern's Queerest excursion
is announced. The starting hour is mid
night, when the station precincts are de-
serted and both the up and down lines
clear of traffic. The reeking courts of the
Borough and the byways of the East End
shoot forth their surplusage OF ne'er-do-
well and deyil-may-care humanity, and the
London bridge terminus becomes an lnde-
scribable scene of excited men, women and
children; pots, kettles. bundles and babies;
the very flower OF OF the the towns srimhess'
Then follows journey. say to Canter-
bury in the dead of night. by the slowest
possible of trains. The return ticket to any
where this side Of the coast, which costs 2
shillings, covers the entire period OF the
picking.
The humble picker if not already en-
gagged may-and probably will-be bundled
out of the train into an unknown country
road before daylight Yet, fortified by
hopes of bright shiliings-each one pay
ment for twelve or sixteen bushels turned
into the ''bin"-he is disposed to be cheerful
rather than gloomy at the novelty.
For 1t Is possible for himself and family
to earn as much as 10 shillings per day be-
tween daybreak and sunset-prosperity
quite unbounded!
Moreover he forgets not that to be among
the "alleys" of waving hops in the Far
leighs, the Valley Of the Weald of Kent. or
elsewhere. Is a joyful and reviving expert
ence.
But there is a commercial purpose in hop
cultivation-always q work of never-ending
uncertainty. Heavy rains at low tempera-
ture or long drought when the burr" be-
gins form on the lateral fruit-bearing
shoots: scorching suns followed by chilly
night; and such meterologic vagaries mean
danger, and at different stages "lice" may
infest the vine or the red spider work Its
way of mischief, or, what is worse, the
aphis fly may start ats blighting career. or
mold commence its devastating run. Age
does not wither the infinite variety of the
hop plants vicissitudes. Memories OF 1892
the famine year-wken hops, which in the
autumn of 1850 would, not have realized f5
per hundredweight were sold at f25 to- ESQ
per NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. an undue ex-
citement to any check that crop may suf-
fer.
Times have changed. Hops of all quail
tiles are now grown largely In many coun-
ties besides Kent, and the range Of possi-
BILE values, though Of considerable elastic
fty, is kept down by the shortage or bad
quality from one area of culture being bal
anced by more successful yields in other
areas. Worcestershire and Herefordshire
at home-and California. Oregon and Wis
consin abroad-are among the most for
midable competitors In this result
For some three weeks the hopper" is