The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-12

The hop harvest on the Pacific coast
is over and while the yield may be said
to be satisfactory. market conditions can
hardly be so proclaimed. There are many
circumstances that combine to bring
about this result. but chief among them.
It is said. is the fact that England. UP
to the present time has been a poor buy
err and the prospects are she will not buy
much more heavily at any time during
the season. 1t is said the prices paid,
to the present time have been satisfac-
tory, ranging for choice lots from IL TO
14ta cents per pound. There is, however.
very little. ii is believed. on which to base
a hope that these figures will keep up for
any considerable time and buyers are in
clined to the belief that they viii decline
rather than go up
Yield In Washington.
is estimated at about the same as ii was
last year. about 5000 bales, while the
grade is said to be far ahead of last sea-
eon and better than II has been in years
The total crop in this state is divided as
nearly as can be estimated in the follow
ing districts: Puyallup, 1900 to 1900
bales: Yakima 1900 to 1900 bales; Che
halls, 1000 TO 1900 bales with the remain
der about Kent. the lower Sound country
and the Quillayute.
The Oregon crop, which Is always taken
into consideration when figuring the crop
and market for this product on the Coast
is about 1900 to 5000 bales and OF the
best quality that has been raised in that
state in many years. The yield there has
also been about ten days earlier than In
this state and for that reason the early
market in Oregon has been better than In
Washington.
Among the oldest hop buyers in this
section Of the country is s. Ramsey, who
has been In the business about thirty-fivs
years. In speaking of the outlook yester-
day he said:
The market is hardly opened yet. There
have been but few sales in Washington
and to the present time the best prices
paid for the finest kind of hops has been
from 10 to 14is cents. The oregon market
has been somewhat more brisk than our
own as their crops were ten days to two
weeks earlier and the early buyers in the
London market have gone there. At the
present time London is the only buyer on
the Pacific coast and is paying quite free
ly from II to 14ia cents.
London buying Little.
about one-third OF the yield OF the
Pacific coast in former years has been
shipped to London. Last year the English
yield OF hops was about a one and a half
crop and so the hreweries. which use by
far the greater amount of hops sent
there, stocked UP at low prices and they
yet have on hand very large amount
that II VIII take them a long time TO use
up. For this reason the London market,
at this time, is quiet and while England
has only half a crop this year, there will
be no great demand for our hops from
there. 1t is, therefore. my opinion that
prices on the Pacific coast this year must
be moderate i would say that the aver
age price Tor the season viii be about
THE reason why the London market IA
now paying i4is cents Is that early in the
season dealers get into the market quick
in the hope of picking up the cream OF the
crop and therefore were willing to pay
more at that time than little later on.
II Is my opinion that the man who holds
his hops this year will be a heavy loser,
for the probabilities are that the top
price is being paid now. II has always
been my experience that the man who
sells his hops In October and November
is the man who makes the profit. AL
ways, later IN the season. there IL a fall
and this season viii be no exception TO
t the prces w aeens on me s er
that | have heard Of being paid is i4h
cents and gave that for choice lot for
export. but now ! am. not able to offer
more than IA cents and few sales are bA-
Ing made in Washington at that price
Present Prices May FAN.
There Is another thing that Is having
an effect on the market. The brewers OF
the United States are refusing TO buy any
large quantities Of hops at the present
prices. They have as a rule, a stock on
hand that viii last them until November
and believe that by that time the price
Will be lower. only few days ago I
uas offered a large order from the East
IL would guarantee that the price would
not decline before January J. was forced
20 refuse the order for I could not give
such a guarantee
John II. Irvine. Of this city. who owns
n large hon ranch near Sfany wood was in
the city yesterday and in an interview re-
garding the outlook, from growers
standpoint. said
The prospects for large prices this
season are not very favorable. We are
rot receiving any orders from England
and the demand from our own markets Is
not very heavy Owing 10 the heavy crop
In England last year. Il n the general
belief that Ne vii not receive more than
half the amount Of orders from there
that We have usually had. The prevail
Ing prices for the season viii probably not
he mere than 10 70 " cents. except for
some exceptionally choice iots,"