Junction City bulletin. [volume] (Junction City, Or.) 189?-1901, 1901-05-30
Hop Culture.

has been prosecuted for many years, but
Of late not 10 the extent OF former Year..
The production OF hops up TO IN the " .
WIS lucrative buancsG. The go0h
prices realized and the tremendous yie d
10 be obtained from the rich bottom
lands Of the Willamette River alluTcd
many farmers TO try their luck IN the
hop business. Not only here, bnt all
over the world, people became infatuated
with the idea Of immediate riches from
hop culture. The outcome was not lar
b seek. The market was glutted, prices
dwindlcd and ruin followed. The buy
ers had full swing in naming prices, with
the fact before them that the growers
were completely at their mercy, and, as
is common in such cases, the fexibility
Of their consciences admitted Of colossal
thrift. During this ordeal tho small
and inexperienced growers were well
weeded out, many qualified and well
equipped fell badly behind, while others
failed entirely. Under these conditions
many fine gardens were plowed up and
Appropriated TO other uses, thGs reduc
ing the output about one hall III this
district. Statistics reveal the fact that
that the same condition exists ir the
whole Northwest.
Under this State Of affairs, and the
short crop Of 1900, the production Of
hops was under the cOnsumptiye d,.
mand, resulting in stiff prices and q
buoyancy in the spirits OF growers that
had not been felt for long time. Last
years work, in most cases, placed the
producers who had managed TO keep
their heads above water we'll on their
feet. Hop raising as business is in
better condition now than 1t has ever
been, in that those who have been able
"a weather the storm have the control
Of their holdings we'll in hand, and the
buyers have narrowed down 10 men who
have deposits upon which they can
draw at sight for any amount needed for
purchases
In this connection we cannot forego 10
motion that the new conditions in tie
hop business Las eliminated, 10 great
extent, thcworst curse known 10 the basi-
ness. Reference is had TO the hoet Of
"snide" contractors who made il their
business 10 take every possible advan.
tage 81 the un%ary grower. \ favori;e
method with them WAS 70 contract 10
pay lUiI market price Tor hops to be
| delivered When cured, and at the time
! oi delivery condemn good portion Of
! the lot without cause. OF course, this
would bring on controversy, the end
| oi which would be a compromise whore.
in tho grower would get much the r ,ags
OF tie bargain. tie was compelhsl to
accept whatever the offer might be !,
otherwise his hops would be on his
hands as q condemned lot and be neg
lected 10y buyers.
The present outlook for full crop in
this district is very encouraging, and
Tith the prospects for q fair price the
growers are in fine spirits. They are
| putting in their best liCks, and since
| scientific methods have been discovered
whereby hop lice aud their destructive
work can be safely provided against, the
| country ~ assured an immCnue amount
! Of money for the channels OF trade this
, fall, The hop industry sends more
MONEY INTO circulation than any other
industry in proportion TO the volume of
business. Last year there was soll
! from thc hop ,irids hercubouts an aggrc-
gate OF $4,000. Oi this amount the
! handsome sum ol $500 was distributed
ior laLor AMI supplies. When il is re-.
mcmbcred that in harvesting, curing
and preparing the crops for market,
there are employed six to seven hun
drcd people for about eighteen days, it
| Is conceivable that So much money is
needed tor this purpose. A large pro-
portion of this money is paid to people
! who depend upon their labor i0r the
necessities OF life. These people look
forward to hop picking with u greater
degree of delight and expectancy than
to any other event in their routine Of toll
This opportunity affords them means to
have comforts in their living which they
would be strangers to without. In the
mean time, many people, who are we'll.
to-do, 90 to the hop field at harvest time
more for an outing on the camp ground
than for the money they can make
while there, the object beinga rollicking
good time. All conYontionalities are
cast aside. When picking hops, the
multitude forms common family.
They mingle and intermingle in an in.
formal way, until within Il short time
all feel to be at home and on basis of
equality. But unlucky are they who by
mlschNnCe become tine butt OF n joke,
for, without doubt, the batteries of ridi-
Cule are better concentrated, more effec-
tive and worse to be dreaded in hop
camp than anywhere else on earth.
The protraCted meeting being held at
| tho MpthpIiSt ChurCb onJ cnn1n,Enl