CROPS. 291 



delay would be extremely injurious. The most approved kilns 

 are now made of brick, of a conical or sugar-loaf form ; &quot; that 

 is, a circular kiln of brick-work, from fifteen to eighteen feet 

 diameter, with rafters, twenty-four to twenty-seven feet long, 

 leaving a round opening in the apex of the roof, surmounted by 

 a movable cowl, (or swinging ventilator,) the object of which is 

 to allow the vapor of the drying hops freely to escape. The 

 drying-floor should be at least ten or twelve feet from the fires ; 

 it is usually made of stout lathes of fir, about two inches apart, 

 covered with a horse-hair cloth, upon which the hops are evenly 

 spread. The improved modern practice consists in having one 

 or more large openings or fires to one kiln, and to admit 

 plenty of cool air from without, the draught being regulated by 

 means of flues and sliding doors. The fuel used in drying hops 

 is, in all cases, charcoal or coke, with some anthracite.&quot; * They 

 are laid upon the kiln from six inches to a foot thick, and are 

 about twelve hours in being dried. 



A large amount of sulphur is now used in drying hops, and is 

 deemed most important to their color. Great prejudices existed 

 at first against its use, but it is not now objected to by the 

 brewers. The hops remain a few days, after being taken from 

 the kiln, in the storehouses, before being packed. The packing 

 has been repeatedly attempted by machinery, but none found 

 equal to the human machine. A bag, therefore, is suspended 

 through the floor of the room, in which the hops are deposited, 

 by a hoop, which forms a temporary rim to it ; two large hand- 

 fuls are tied up in the corners of the bottom of the bag, to render 

 the handling of the bag more convenient j and the packer then 

 gets into the bag, and draws the hops, which are shoved towards 

 him, on the floor, by a child, with his arms, into the bag, and 

 treads them with his feet as closely as possible. This is most 

 severe and awkward labor, and he receives from 9 d. to 1 s. 

 per cwt. for packing. Every part of the body, arms, and legs, 

 is brought into violent motion, and the effort resembles what one 

 would conceive it might be with a man trying to shake off his 

 skin. A. bag or pocket contains about 2J cwt. They have 

 established markets for hops on fixed days, where buyers and 

 sellers attend, and the sample bags are exhibited. The great 



* Buckland s Report of Kent. 



