HOPS

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 681, 23 January 1883, Page 2

HOPS

Amongst those industries which are talked of as suitable for the Peninsula, that of hop growing occupies an important position. Many thinking men are of opinion that this County is specially ad a: ted for the production of this much-sought bitter, and every information that can be gathered on the subject is therefore of interest. The. Weekly Advertiser, in a recent number, says :■—

" The present high price of hops (about 5s per lb) must cause many of the more reflecting portion of our farmers to regret that they have not devoted some of their energies to this very profitable branch of agriculture. In California, where this culture seems to succeed well, the average produce per acre is staled at 1274 lbs, which, at the ruling prices there, gives 637 dollars, or £132 14s per acre. An American paper says:—' Hops and cheese have an affinity which induces them to reniain close neighbors, The hop vine requires rich soil, or an abundance of fertilizer on soil that is naturally thin and weak. The dairies furnish much of the fertilizer used in the hop gardens throughout this (Otsego county) part of N. Y. State, where cheese-miiking and hop-growing are almost the only sources of income to the farmers. Ten cents per lb is the average estimated cost of production ; the local price to growers, 50 cents (2s Id) this season, and the.average priqeyior 17 years, 34 cents.' We commend-these facts to the consideration of'bur farmers, whose best crops will probably give them a.gross return of £5 or £6 pc» acre ; and would suggest that in such districts as the Bays, Lincoln, Rangiora, &c, the chance of clearing a profit of nearly £70 per acre, even noW and then, is worth trying for. Taking theproduction at 1000 lbs, or less than four-fifths of the Californi-m average, the co***t at la per pound, more than double the cost in America,.and the price at 2s, or less than half the price this season here, there remains for profit £50 per acre."

This shows what can be done in suitable localities, and from all we hear, Akaroa appears particularly adopted for the purpose. Hops require a rich loam with a clay sub-soil to be grown to perfection, and our land suits them well. When we say this we do not speak in a speculative manner, but from the knowledge gained by the actual fact. Mr George Haylock, when he had the Akaroa brewery, grew some splendid crops of hops, which were of first class quality. They were grown on the brewery site, and excited general admiration. The cultivation is described by Mr Haylock. as by no means difficult. The ground requires thorough digging and keeping clean, and the first year there is no return, but then a crop of any sort may be taken off between the rows of hop plants, as they do not attain any size. The seoond year they bagin to bear, aud will pay, but it is the third season before they attain to their full perfection. The poles required are from 12ft to 15ft high, and are, of course, easily obtainable here at a very . cheap rate from the native bush. When Mr Haylock grew these crops years ago there was one great drawback, and that was, that the hops haa to be picked by grown persons, whose wages were high, for in those days there were few children old enough to do such work. Now, however, it would probably be easy to get children to do the majority of the labor at comparatively low prices. Mr G. Haylock was not the only person who has grown hops in Akaroa, for Mr Munns and Mr Inman both cultivated them with great success at German Bay, and sold all they proiuced at an excellent price, the only drawback being that they had to dry them in the sun, as there was no kiln, a disadvantage that would, of course, soon disappear if they were produced in any quantity; : In-Nelson hop growing has become a very important industry, and is yearly. on the increase, and also in Gippsland in Victoria, The Argus, speaking oh the subject, says :—- ---" During the recent Ministerial visit to Gippsland it was ascertained that the profits upoti the hop crop in the IJ iim.sil.ile district this season will be exceptionally satisfactory. The growth is very good, and as the greater number of the growers hiive already sold at 3*-? 6d per pound, and as this quotation will probably be maintained, the average net return will be about £150 per acre on ail but yearlings. There will be *\bout 300 acres which will give.this result, and the total profit will therefore be £45,090. Tl*e area at present under cultivation is about 500 acres. 200 of which have been planted for the fir_t time, and are not expected to return any profit. Last season £5000 was paid to people engngt-H in picking, but in the ensuing harvest nearly dc-sbk. that amount will be distributed. Of .course, prices are this season exceptionally

high, but they are only about double the average rate, and to those who have suitable ground with some shelter, such profitssiiould bean inducement to experiment, if only on three or four acres." Tasmania also has her hop gardens, but; taken altogether, the land suitable for the. growth of this plant is limited, and the cultivation of it will thus be always confined to a few favored districts, where alone the necessary conditions exist; so that there is no fear of overproduction. This is proved by the present demand for all sorts of bitters as substitutes, none of which would be used could a sufficient supply of hops be obtained. We believe that if our farmers were to plant a few acres on each of their farms ia warmj sheltered positions, they would find they would yield a nice addition to ..their incomes, and they need not employ outside labor, as their own families could do the work. Th>j hop is a most,useful plant in many ways. It is not alone the fruit •which is used • the tender shoots make a delicious vegetable, and in Sweden a very strong kind of linen is made of the fibres in the stem. The roots and stem, also possess great astringent qualities, and have been largely used for tanning in England. In a new district like this, experiments should be tried to see what industry will succeed best, and, we confess that we are of opinion that hop growing is one to 'which great consideration should be - given, for it promises, jgreat results.- • Should it succeed;'lt is an industry that will enable a small area of laud to support many, and in a place like the Peninsula it will have the effect ,Qf .keeping families together, by giving profitable employment to the youngsters at home.