STRONG DRINK AND TOBACCO SMOKK 43 



the national exchequer, at the time when the hop eliity 

 was levied. 



" To this singular tribe belongs the hop fly, an insect 

 which has more rule over the pockets and tempers of 

 mankind than any other ; its abundance or scarcity 

 being almost the only criterion of a scarcity or abundance 

 in the crops of hops ; and of all articles of merchandise, 

 the hop is consequently the most variable in price. 

 Owing to the interest taken in the crop of hops, much 

 more close attention has been paid to the hop fly than to 

 any other insect, and you find men conversant with its 

 habits who would blush if you were to suppose them 

 possessed of enough natural history to know the name 

 of the commonest beetle or even bird ; but let me 

 assure those that there is nothing derogatory to their 

 manhood, their common sense, or their dignity, in 

 knowing somethino' of the works of nature. I never 



O o 



met with an individual who was the worse man for 

 it. I don't go myself the length of some of your 

 contributors, who measure the joints of an insect's 

 ears, as Professor Kennie called them. But perhaps 

 even this is necessary to acquire an accurate knowledge 

 of each kind. 



" The hop counties are Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Wor- 

 cester, and Hereford, The produce of these are termed 

 on the market, Kent, Sussex, Farnham, and Worcester 

 hops. The Farnham are invariably the highest priced, 

 and the Sussex the lowest. The Worcester hops never 

 come on the London market, and have a price of their 



