12 THE H0P 



to continue to do so. Throughout the world the ten- 

 dency seems to be to replace the heavy beverages and 

 injurious liquors ^vith the lighter wines and beer. 

 Brewing makes a product so much cheaper 

 than wine that beer is destined to hold first place until 

 humanity reaches the stage in its evolution that is char- 

 acterized by total abstinence. 



An increasing demand being thus assured, an- 

 other favorable influence is the fact that the value of 

 this crop is of late years being more governed by the 

 law ot supply and demand than formerly. The increas- 

 ing efficiency of the crop reporting service, especially 

 that conducted by American Agriculturist in co-opera- 

 tion with hop growers, has done something to mitigate 

 the gambling that has characterized the selling of hops. 

 Much more could be done to place the industry on a 

 safer commercial basis, as suggested in the chapter on 

 marketing, but it will require years of effort to educate 

 growers up to the co-operation needed to accomplish 

 Hiis purpose. 



In spite of the peculiarities of the plant and of the 

 hop industry, as set forth in Chapters II and III, the 

 hop for many years will continue to be an agricultural 

 specialty that will yield profits according to the judg- 

 ment employed in its culture and sale. 



FIG. 2. COMMENCEMENT OF POLE 6TACK. 



