The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-12-01
THE NEED OF NEW STANDARDS
FOR HOP VALUATION.

Nh ftOF thL0H tt0Ns
BY Professor H. v. Tartar. Oregon Agriculture
College, Corvallis.
Hop growing is one of the import
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
5000 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 $1,000, 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
we'll 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 hop 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 t.
bleaching" is often given considera
tion; the proportion in which certain
mineral constituents, such as potas
sium, lime and magnesium occur il
the ash is regarded by some as cri
terion for determining, quality.
/ The most serious defect in tn
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 ac
curate information can be given as t.
actual value. The geographical origin
not infrequently is prominent sub
conscious factor in the determination
of quality, notwithstanding the fac
that hops from different parts of tht
same identical region often differ more
widely than hops from regions widely
separated. This factor also accounts
for the fact that the quantity of hops
sold on the market as coming from {
certain locality often exceeds greatly
the actual output of the region speci
fed.
To overcome this difficulty certain
legal restrictions have been made II
some countries. In Germany and Aus
tria regulations exist which require
that the package Of hops shall be seal
ed and accompanied by certificate ii
order that their origin may be guaran
teed in the interests of both grower
and consumer. In England, also, hops
must be branded with the name and
address of the grower. These very
legal requirements indicate wide
spread inability on the part OF. the con
sumer to Judge the quality of hops
Recently local hop dealer told the
author of an actual happening which
aptly illustrates the point in question
Some Idaho hop growers were enthusi
astic over the quality of their hops
and placed large labels on the bales
stating that they were Idaho hops
The dealer who purchased the lot made
arrangements for the sale of the same
consecutively to four different New
York firms, the shipment being az
many times rejected. The firms pur
chasing had not heard of Idaho hops
before. To overcome the difficulty the
local dealer had the baling cloth re
moved and replaced it with clotf
bearing labels which stated the con
n~~-so~, Lnoo