THE ENGLISH HOP CROP.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 166, 22 October 1880, Page 4

THE ENGLISH HOP CROP.

Hop picking has already commenced in Kent. The J faidsfone donnial says that in that district considerable improvement still goes on in some gardens, while others are going from had to worse. Mould continues to increase in spite of the beautiful weather. In most of the parishes in the Ashford district mould has rather extended than lessened. They are, however, favored localities in winch the hops hang, not only luxuriantly, but most healthily. On the other hand, spots might he mentioned where the produce seems hardly worth the picking. In the parish of Charing, and going on through Moldash, Chilham, and Selling, there many acres in which no baskets will he put. Gentlemen in these parishes have been offering their gardens at .£1 an acre. Beyond question the major part of the damaged by mould. The average quantity gathered will certainly not be beyond the six hundred weight an acre previouly estimated. In some of the Sussex gardens an im provement lias taken place. At Sedlescombe the hops which were able to overcome the blight are doing well, but very few will be grown in the grounds that were badly attacked. Most favorable accounts arc received from Salehurst, and a splendid yield is anticipated. At Uckiield the gardens, where there is a fair quantity of bine, arc doing very well, and promise an average crop. The general prospect is very favourable, especially for the later sorts, ana the quality of a good proportion of the English crop promises to he as excellent as the quantity will certainly be abundant. With trifling exceptions, reports from the Continent and America continue excellent.