228 Appendix. 



of his ability. It is the privilege of every grower to sell his fruit when. 

 and where he pleases, so I do not want any one to be influenced by 

 what I say. The last two years my observation leads me to believe some 

 of the growers exercise poor judgment along this line; whether it 

 is from lack of current information regarding the market conditions or 

 indifference, I am not able to say. Entirely too much stress is laid on 

 crop reports. Early last season we were not able to do much business 

 because the grower held out the argument that our crop was a failure, 

 and our supply would no more than equal the local demand, forgetting 

 that California had a very large crop. Freight from San Francisco to 

 Portland was only 10 cents per hundred pounds, putting San Francisco 

 on a better footing than most of the valley points. 



Contracting Early. — I know you will not agree with me on this point, 

 nevertheless it is an important matter. In 1888 75 per cent of ojr 

 sales were made before drying was completed, in fact, we bought largely 

 when the fruit was on the ti'ees. A very able editorial appeared in the 

 Oregonian pertaining to this matter. The writer held out the argumeit 

 that a producer was not a speculator, referring to the hop man. Well, 

 I do not know much about hops, but the system of selling ahead is largely 

 practiced, and if we want to get the best results when we have an 

 inquiry for such contracts some consideration must be given them. We 

 are living in a fast age. I wish such conditions did not exist, but they 

 do in all lines, and let us meet them. There is some advantage for the 

 Eastern buyer to contract, aside from the speculative price view. Our 

 crop comes in a little behind California, and if we get this business we 

 must make prices. It gives the Eastern dealer an opportunity to work 

 his trade and secure orders for immediate shipment on arrival, gets the 

 goods into the hands of the consumer early, and is in many ways 

 better for the dealer. As to the producer, he takes the chances as to 

 prices being better later on. Our experience is that early sales are the 

 best. There is an enthusiasm when the new crop arrives in the market 

 that must be supplied. 



HOPS IN OREGON. 



By A. J. Ray. 

 A paper read before the Oregon State Horticultural Society. 



While it may be said that a horticultural meeting is hardly the place 

 to discuss the subject of hops, the fact that it has grown to be one of 

 our largest industries, and that there is no society here which treats of 

 the subject, will be my excuse for offering these remarks. 



As is well known, hops have been cultivated and used in the manu- 

 facture of beer for several hundi'ed years. First in Germany, then 

 England, from where they were brought to New York about two hun- 

 dred years ago. 



