Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-09-18
dallas Observer J

tnC Hdt NOob VI Nhlo Noot NAOR 10
The hop-picking machine in the E.
Clement Horst company's yards has
this year made an added attraction,
and automobiles from various sections
of the valley, loaded with the curious,
are to be seen daily vending their way
through the extensive acres of the CON-
pany to the location of this modern
} wonder, produced by the inventive in
genuity of Mr.. Horst himself, and sim.
liar patterns of which are doing all the
picking in the California yards of his
company this season, thus wholly elm
mating hand pickers. Contrary to gen.
eral opinion the machine is not used in
the field, but is housed conveniently to
the yards and the Aop vines hauled to
it by teams, dozens of teams being thus
employed in order to keep it supplied.
The vines are laid one way on plat.
} form wagon in order that they may be
handled by the feeders rapidly and
without rearranging. The vines pass
over large cylinders making sixty revo-
, lutions per minute, the teeth Of which
separate the mop from the vine. Mr.. j.
G. Virgins, Californian in charge of
, the plant at the Horst yard, in explain
ing the machines entrusted to his care,
told representative of the Observer
that each vine was struck by 5000
teeth in the picking process, thus max
ing it practically impossible for waste
to occur. Following the picking by
means Of these cylinders, the hops are
separated from the leaves and twigs by
passing through revolving screens the
openings in which are of graduated di-
mensions in order to permit the refuse
to waste away and leave the cleaned
product. This, however, is not t1e pro
cess in its entirety, and neither could it
be given in the amount of space at
command There are two of these ma
chimes, besides which are two arm
picking machines, which separate the
nops from the arms of the vines and
e two overflow machines, the capacity ot
I which is approximately 10000 pounds
e or close to 1000 sacks of hops daily.
But these machines, notwithstanding
It their enormous capacity as compared
{ with hand picking, are insufficient t
i gather the harvest from the more thai
l. 600 acres planted to hops by this com
pany, and in addition about 1900 men
n women and children are there employe,
2 throughout the season, many of tn
5, pickers comprising large familie
d known to the company and who are an
r. nual workers in the yards. The camp
e are sanitary, special provision havin
,. been made with this important featur
in view. Mr.. II. N. Ord, the superin
y. tendent of this, the most extensive no
~ yard in the world, expects an ayerag
i of ten bales to the acre. In one sma
- fptrtaap holag tn hn al
been harvested, but this is an excel
4 tionally good yield under most favoi
; able conditions.
- The Horst company probably has tn
y only hot air blast system for dryin
~ hops in the state, and $500 boxes Q
% hops are turned off daily by the en-
le ployment of this modern method. Nc
d only are practically twice as many hoI
cared for during the twenty-four houl
= as by the old plan, but the danger q
a damaging the product is entirely elm
III mated, while it is claimed that hoI
Se dried by the process are better valu
W II. Landon, the engineer, piloted III
ly Observer party through the dryer du
at ing the temporary absence of Willia
ST. Buffman, who is the real thing abol
tine plant, first visiting the sulpht
,k burning room, the fumes from whic
en- reach the hops on the dryers by force
Ie draft, and tnen on through the varol
~. departments. Between 1870 and l40 d
ed grees Of heat only is necessary to cui
nd the crop by this process, which is COZ
ha siderably less than under the old sy
ao TEN.
&c The Wigrich Ranch.
si. Is Major Rose about the premises
ia inquired the manipulation Of the festi'
at % faber as he approached young En-
"s lishman at the office on the Wigrit
~, an ranch of 500 acres, located four and
l's half miles southeast of independence
PE is, sir; who shall Hi announc
as sir " After having paved the wa
lst the scribe was ushcred into the pre-
nd ence of Major w. Lewis Rose, typic
ST. Englishman Of perhaps fifty.five, wi
was ensconsed in n huge easy chair
. English pattern enjoying his afterlun'
siesta in the quiet of his attractive de
The greeting was cordial, the inform
ton voluble and decidedly interestin
not only reference being made 10 4
ranch, which most Interests Major Roi
but TO various otncr themes, includi
the present unpleasGntness across {
deep blue, which is followed close
from day TO day by the major he havi
for nearly quarter Of century be
an officer OF a British cavalry, !
signing only four years ago. This ran
is the property Of Englshmen, Mess
Wigans & Richardson, the former ha
ing been Major Rose's companion
the army for many years and for who
the highest admiration is cherish'
This explains why Major Rose, who b
high connections on British soil, is ma
ager for the company operating 80
tensively IN Polk county, and still 0
other reason why he is so vitality int
ested in the eucccss Of the underta
ing by the Englishmen whom he rep
sents. Last season this ranch yield
100000 ponnds Of hops from the 2
acres devoted to the crop, while q
year = estimate III 100000 pounds, whi
estimate is connidered low. Six ht
dred and fifty people are necessary
gather the hop crop, and about $50
boxes a day gro being picked. Expci
say that Major Rose has the best or
In the valley this season; that the ho
from the entire area win average
20 an acre, but tho major himself
more optimistic In his views, belicvi