INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1910-11. 39 



At present hop growing in Kashmir is in a very primi- 

 tive condition, the average yield of sun-dried hops being less 

 than 2^ cwt. to the acre, or one-fifth the average yield of 

 Kent. In spite of this, however, the net profits are very 

 great, and for the last sixteen years have averaged about 

 130 per cent, or over £7 an acre. 



The natural advantages possessed by Kashmir as a pos- 

 sible competitor in the world's hop production are consider- 

 able. Labour is cheap, plentiful, easily trained and easily 

 managed. The soil of considerable areas of the valley is 

 suitable for hops, while irrigation water is abundant, should 

 it be found necessary to supplement the rainfall. Insect 

 and fungoid pests are almost entirely absent, while the cost 

 of transport to India is likely to be much cheaper as soon 

 as the rope railway to Jammu is completed. These advant- 

 ages, however, are not likely to be utilised to the full unless 

 the Durbar decides to take the necessary steps to place the 

 industry on modern lines. 



In the details of cultivation, irrigation, training, pick- 

 ing and drying there is great room for improvement, and it 

 was a great surprise to me to find that even a crop of 2^ 

 cwt. of saleable hops could be produced under present condi- 

 tions. The cultivation of the crop is exceedingly defective, 

 and a large amount of moisture is lost by the dense growth 

 of grass and weeds and the absence of a surface mulch. 

 This necessitates surface irrigation and the consequent 

 hardening of the land and loss of tilth. Beyond the provi- 

 sion of single poles there are no attempts at training, so 

 that there is insufiicient space for the free development of 

 bine and hops. The drying is done on sheets in the sun, 

 and during this process the hops are a good deal broken, 

 and a large amount of lupulin is lost. 



In my report an attempt was made not only to present 

 the scientific principles which underlie modern hop produc- 

 tion, but also to indicate the improvements which are pos- 

 sible if it is decided to continue the industry on the present 

 lines. In addition the steps were indicated that would be 

 necessary if hop growing in Kashmir is to be placed on 



