16 THE HOP. 



racy year in and year out. In America, however, 

 owing no doubt to the more sudden growth of our for- 

 eign population, the consumption of beer has increased 

 more than in Europe. The world's steady increase in 

 beer consumption indicates that the demand for hops 

 is not likely to vary to any great extent, such as would 

 warrant the planting of a much larger area in those 

 sections where climate and soil have been found suit- 

 able for hop cultivation. 



Even additional taxation of beer has not materially 

 restricted consumption in the past and is not likely to 

 in the future. Duties on hops would affect their value 

 more than taxes on ];ccr, yet the world's supply of hops 

 must in the long run govern prices. In a year of short 

 crops in the United States, a tariff of fifteen cents per 

 pound on imported hops would be of more benefit to 

 domestic producers than a duty of eight cents; in a 

 season of domestic overproduction, the higher rate 

 would not much influence the price of domestic hops, 

 except possibly the fancy brands. In either case, the 

 higher duty would not affect the price of beer, and 

 therefore a moderately stiff tariff on imported hops is 

 a good thing for American growers. But as *'the for- 

 eigner pays the tariff tax," it would be bad for hop 

 growers outside of England if the British Parliament 

 should impose a high duty on hops imported into Great 

 Britain, which is the market for the world's surplus 

 of hops. 



It is fortunate that the hop area throughout the 

 world is limited, because, with an increased area avail- 

 able, the temptation would be such, in seasons of high 

 prices, as to induce farmers to increase their acreage 

 so as to thoroughly demoralize the market and depress 

 prices to a point that would cause a loss to all growers. 

 Such a condition has been experienced already more 

 than once. Then, again, the failure of the hop crop in 

 Europe has caused a heavy shortage in supply, with 



