The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-12-14
FEARS OF BREAK IN HOP
MARKET NO LONGER FEARED
Dealers on Sound Are Said to Be Con.
tracing at Big Prices for the
Next Three Years.

Dealers no longer fear a break in the
hop market. The repeated onslaught
of the bears mas nad no perceptible eff
feet on the price, and it has proven that
there are no old hops hidden away.
ready to be dumped when prices are
at the highest.
Tacoma dealers are now contracting
for three years at Is cents per pound,
or double the cost of production. For
next years crop they are offering from
Is to 1872 cents, and at the next squirt
in the market contract will 90 to 20
cents or more for 1905 crops, says the
Tacoma News.
Though these contract prices prove
that dealers have faith in three fair
years to come, the wise hop growers
are not increasing their acreage to any
great extent. but. "fools rush in where
angels fear to tread"
1t is stated that in the state of Wash
ington the mop acreage will be increased
by 1000 acres next year. Oregon and
California will each have 1000 acres
more in the crop than this year. This
total of 5000 acres means an increase
of 10000 bales in the production of the
Pacific states. Of course, some of this
acreage is owned by men who are ex-
perienced in the hop business; who
know what they are up against, and
VINO are not going in any deeper than
they can afford, but in many cases it is
the small rancher, who, tempted by the
riches of his neighbor. who was lucky
enough or wise enough to have crops
bearing when the high prices began, and
VINO this year has made small for
tune. desires himself to become sudden
ly rich.
On the new acreage next years crop
will amount to nothing; 1906 crop will
be about half yield; 1907 crop should
be an average one. Now, if the new hop
grower should contract at present prices
he should come out whole on the three
years, but after that. what?
Herman Klaber of Klaber & Company
said yesterday:
Following the big years in the eight
les everybody rushed into the hop bust
ness. The product of Western Wash
ington was about $4,000 bales. where
now it is but 10000 bales Many of
them knew nothing about hop raising,
and after perhaps fair price for year
or two there came on the hard years.
when if hops sold at all it was at
three or four cents pound or mucn
less than the cost of raising. Those who
did not 60 broke tore up their fields
and got out of the business, with the
exception of few men who knew what
they were doing and who are still rails
ing hops.
Il see some of those old hop dealers
every few days. and l talk with them.
The other day I asked one if he didn't
feel the itch-if he didn't feel sorry he
had given up. His answer was:
"'No, sir. I tried the business and l
got my fill. I'm better satisfied raising
'spuds' and berries and making fair
profit every year.
Next years crop will probably bring
good price. Never in the history of
the hop business has stocks been so low
as now We have had three years of
under production. There We're practi-
cally no old hops on hand. Brewers
have no hops now. They are buying
just few bales at time, as they have
to have them. Package manufacturers
like myself, are not doing business.
There are no hops that we can afford to
use that way. the stock is down to
bed rock.
Now, then, if in 1905 there should be
another short year-if England should
have another short crop. or if Germany
should have a short crop and England
a fair crop. prices are likely to 90 away
up-perhaps to so cents or 81 per
pound"