Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-11-10
THE NEED OF NEW STANDARDS
FOR HOP VALUATION.

ant agricultural industries of this
state, certain sections being devoted
almost entirely to the production of
this crop. The annual production of
the Willamette valley approximates
10000 bales. Considered nationally
the hop crop, according to the latest
figures the writer has available, ranks
fourteenth in Importance on the list of
agricultural crops. In this country ap-
proximately 5000, 900 pounds of hops
are consumed annually. These facts
show that considerable attention should
be given to improvement in the cul-
ture and quality of American hops.
In the improvement of hops one of
the first requisites is the establish
ment of definite and scientific stand
ards for accurately judging the quail
ity of the hop. There must be some
ideal to work to. The necessity for
such standards has long been recog-
nized, but certain practical considera-
tions have thus far prevented their
realization. There have been wide
differences of opinion, and might
say, prejudices in some instances, as
to the factors which actually consti-
tute quality and also the amount of
the various constituents in the strictly
high grade hop.
Practically without exception the
producer sells his hops on the basis of
an empirical physical examination,
while the consumer who purchases his
supply from the broker or dealer may
form his judgment upon chemical as
well as physical examination. The
points considered and the relative i'm
portance of each vary widely with
different individuals, no two judging
the same; hops which one judge will
deem to be of good quality another
will consider inferior. The most i'm
portant of the points usually consid-
cred in physical examination are {:
Aroma, or smell, color, quantity of lu-
pulin or chop meal, "fatness," kind
of drying, amount of leaves or stems,
due to improper picking, freedom from
mould, quantity of seeds, broken cones
due to careless handling, ripeness,
softness of texture, sickness or gum
miness, amount of sulfuring and
''feel." In the use of chemical anal
ysis, which has been much less en-
ployed, it is the common custom to de-
termine only such constituents as are
regarded as of greatest Importance.
Some hold the quantity of hard (taste-
less) and soft (bitter) resins alone de-
termine the quality; others attach
weight to the tannin content; the
amount of sulfur present due tc
bleaching" is often given considera
ton; the proportion in which certain
mineral constituents, such as potas
sium, lime and magnesium occur il
the ash is regarded by some as a cri
terion for determining quality.
The most serious defect in th'
method of physical examination is tina
it cannot be accurately applied. Th'
relative merits of the different point
vary too widely with different individ
uals. Often the whims of certain con
sumers are allowed to accentuat
minor factors. Again, with many to-
much Importance is given to aroma,
factor concerning which no very &C
curate information oan be given as t
actual value. The geographical origi
not infrequently is a prominent sub
conscious factor in the determinatio
,of quality, notwithstanding the fac
that hops from different parts of tn
same identical region often differ NOR
widely than hops from regions widel
separated. This factor also account
for the fact that the quantity of hop
sold on the market as coming from
certain locality often exceeds great
the actual output of the region spec
fed.
To overcome this difficulty certai
legal restrictions have been made |
some countries. In Germany and Aus
tria regulations exist which requir
that the package of hops shall be sea
ed and accompanied by certificate
order that their origin may be guarar
teed in the interests of both grove
and consumer. In England, also, hoT
must be branded with the name an
address of the grower. These yer
legal requirements indicate wide
spread inability on the part of the col
sumer to Judge the quality of hop'
Recently local hop dealer told tn
author of an actual happening whic
aptly illustrates the point in question
Some Idaho hop growers were enthus
astic over the quality of their hoT
and placed large labels on the bale
stating that they were Idaho hop
The dealer who purchased the lot mao
arrangements for the sale of the SAN
consecutively to four different Ne
York firms, the shipment being {
many times rejected. The firms pu
chaainor had NOT heard of Idahn hons