HOP-GROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1153, 14 June 1911, Page 10

HOP-GROWING.

AN INTERESTING- ADDBESS. In a lecture. delivered. under ' the auspices of the Hastings branch of the Farmers' Union, Mr. A. Masters made some interesting observations on the hop-grow-ing industry. Hops were known, hesaid, thousands of years ago and were introduced into Kent in 1525, the industry being legalised by. Parliament in 1054. Tho high price* "prevailing caused the nroa in England to increase, niitu in 1886 70,000 acres were under cultivation, but at-present this area has been reduced to half. There were at .least 1,00 varieties of hops. After , planting there was considerable labour entailed in cultivation and poleing, but, in up-to-date wardens, poles were being dispensed with and wire substituted, tho wire being placed at such a height as to allow of horses passing underneath. Hops had a wonderful growth in favourable weather and would climb 30 feet in four or five weeks. The picking season was most expensive. The average picker gathered 12 to 15 bushels per day, at 3d. per bushel. In New Zealand the hops were packed m bales containing 21cwt., as nw'nst Uowt. packed in pockets in the Old Country. Hons were judged by their colour, aroma and lippulin (a fine dust essential to brewing) and oily resin (also essential in brewing). In curing, hops lost all moisture except from 5 to i per cent. Only 5 to 10 per cent, of the hops grown were used for domestic purposes.