NELSON HOP GARDENS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 22, 1 June 1867, Page 3

NELSON HOP GARDENS.

(From the “ Nelson Evening Mail,”)

This is the season for hopping, and we are reminded that thehop pickers have just terminated their labors. We sometimes hear the stupid remark, we wonder how half the Nelson people live. If critics would look a little below- the surface of things, they would correct their superficial notions. On seeing the women and children picking hops during the past month, we concluded that Nelson possesses one interesting local industry at least. Messrs Hooper and Dodson celebrated their hop gathering on Monday last. On that occasion about 100 of the hop gatherers and their friends were regaled by their employers in the Maitai Gardens, and great enjoyment was experienced by the workpeople as well as by their friends who shared in the hospitality of the firm. Messrs Hooper and Dodson have cultivated nine acres of Imps this year. The quantity gathered is 13 cwt. to the acre, the total value of which is about £I6OO. The hops are gathered by women and children, about 40 of whom were employed on this occasion. These were paid on Monday last the large sum of £l6O, the value of a month’s work. One family received £l3 17s 9d. Notwithstanding the large quantity of hops grown, the firm have to bay two-thirds of what the)’ use. Tins year they will require to buy only one third. It will be seen that the hop gardens find useful employment for women and children, and the conclusion of the work is regarded as a holiday. A prize used to be .given for hop gathering by the Agricultural Society, why it was discontinued does not clearly appear, and we imagine that much good would be done if the hop growers of the province were stimulated to greater exertions in this important industry. If more Imps were grown, a greater amount of money would be kept in the province, and in all probability, a better article produced. There are three Lop growing firms in Nelson, Messrs. Harley and son, Messrs. Hooper and Dodson, and Mr. J. Hooper jun., who all grow an article surperior to the English which is sent out here. The praises of Nelson hops are everywhere in the Australian colonies, they being superior to those of Tasmania, which realise a high price in the market. It is the opinion of competent judges that hops grown in this province would command an extensive market, and it is surprising that the great success which has followed the cultivation of the industry here has not led to their being grown on a large scale for exportation. English Imps, we learn realise from 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. per lb. here; but Nelson hops would he worth 3s’ per lb. in the colonial market, in consequence of their superior quality. On Thursday evening, Messrs Harly and Son entertained a largo number of their hop gatherers and friends, on the occasion of the harvest home. This firm cultivated four acres, which this year yielded 6951 bushels. The picking of this quantity employed about 100 women and children for about a fortnight, and cost £B6 17s. 9d., and one person received £5 12s. 6d. On Thursday evening 128 persons sat down to tea, in the malt-house Bridge street. Mr. and Mrs. Harley presided, and several young ladies of their acquaintance volunteered to serve the refreshments. After tea, a number of the friends of the hop gatherers supplemented by several ladies and gentlemen of influence in the town amounting to at least 200, attended, and a very nice hall was got up, which was continued with considerable interest till a late hour in the evening. Some very good music was supplied by a well known violinist and Mr. Simpson, concertina. A very agreeable evening was spent, the most pleasing feature of which was the entente cordiale which existed between the employers and the employed. It may not be out of place to add, that all the hop growers previously alluded to received first-class medals from the Intercolonial Exhibition, which is an additional reason why attention should he drawn to this industry, for which Nelson is celebrated, and which appears susceptible of indefinite extension in the colonial market.