HASTINGS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3914, 5 February 1884, Page 3

HASTINGS.

fI'HOK OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Mr Selig, our enterprising jeweller and watchmaker, deserves the thanks of tho public for having erected ovor his verandah a largo and handsome clock, whereby the townspeople and passers-by can always obtain, tho correct time. The other day Mr Selig showed mo a very handsome silver Maltese cross, picked out and ornamented with gold, which has been manufactured by himself, and is a trophy that has been won by Mr Galbrairfi for rifle shooting. During tho week I paid a visit to MiTanner's hop gardens. Mr Whibley, who laid out the ground, and has had chargo of it, kindly showed mo round aud gave me all information. There are cloven acres planted with, hops, which are looking remarkably well. Tho ground is kept in first-rate order, scarcely a weed to be seen in tho whole garden.; The bines, whioh are of only about.;; four months growth, have runup to the top of tho poles, and are hanging down, many of them having a growth of twenty-six feet. The hops aro fust begiuning to form, and from appearances there should be a good crop for the first year. Mr Whibley says that he nevor saw hops of tho same ago looking so well, and that ho believes that no soil and climate in. the world, is better adopfcecli'or hop growing. I may hero state that Mr Whibley _is an authority, he having been all his life hopfarming, chiefly in Kent, where his family for generations back have nearly all been,-hop farmers. In connection with the garden is a hopkiln, which is built of brick, it is 20 feet.square, and built upon the latest and most approved plan. Connected with the kiln is astpre-room 20 by 50 feet, and above it is a packing-room of the same size, all very substantially built. Mr Tanner stated in his address to the electors at the Town Hall tho other night that there were 500 acres of hops grown in Nolson last year, tho hops from which land were sold for £91,000. This would givo an averago of just £182 por acre; but, as a good deal, "of the laud was only newly planted, which would not yield moro thau one-fourth of what a three or _ four-year-old garden would do, the land in full bearing would realise considerably more than that. Mr Whibley tolls me that 30 cwt. per acre is often obtained at Nelson, and that last year's hops were selling for over 2s per lb. This would come to the nice little sum of £336 por acre ; but, even suppose they only fetched Is per lb, and I believe they have never been lower than that, this would give £168 per acre. The first year's expenses aro of course the heaviest, being from £40 to £50 per acre; after ' that'tho expenses arc considerably less. At Nelson they pay 3d per bushel for picking. That is chiefly done by women and children, who can earn from ,4s to 7s per day.' There they close the public schools during hop-picking times so as to give the children a chance of earning money, as well as to enable the hop growers to get their hops picked. Now that a start in th'S i'P e has been made here, it is to be hoped that several of pur settlers will turn their attention to it. Mr Whibley, who is a thoroughly practical man, is willing to contract with any one wishing to start a hop garden. He wpuld find sets, get all tho work' done, and koep the place in proper order, or if anybody wishes to start a garden ho will bo happy to give them all the information ho can.