HORTICULTURE BY IRRIGATION. 



129 



Smyrna." The former was imported from Italy, and 

 the latter from Smyrna, by Mr. G. P. Rixford, of the 

 San Francisco Daily Bulletin. A number of growers 

 are making money with figs in Central and Southern 

 California, because their methods of curing and pack- 

 ing are so attractive that their product commands a 

 good price, even in competition with the foreign fruit. 



FIGS FOR CANNING. 



In some sections ot the country there is a demand 

 for figs for canning purposes; especially is this 

 demand noted in Louisiana, where efforts are now 

 being made to extend the fig industry, which, to some 

 extent, has long been an industry there. Few of the 

 cured fruits, either domestic or foreign, comprise so 

 large a share of nutritive qualities, combined with a 

 delicious flavor, as the fig. While there should be 

 a very much larger production of good figs in the 

 United States, those wishing to plant on any consi d 

 erable scale should study carefully the experience of_ 

 others in different parts of the country, which may be 

 learned from a perusal of THE IRRIGATION AGE. 

 Under proper and easily attainable conditions, fig 

 culture may be entered upon with confidence 

 throughout many parts of the arid region, but care 

 should be exercised in the selection of well drained 

 soils and in the varieties to be planted. The fig tree 

 does not require much irrigating water, and many 

 failures have resulted from having figs in the same 

 rows with other fruit trees requiring frequent irriga- 

 tion, as the orange and lemon. Those who find that 

 the fruit sours and drops from the trees when 

 abundantly irrigated may therefore learn the cause 

 and turn off the water. 



THE PRODUCTION OF HOPS 



However much the drinking of beer may be con- 

 demned by a great many good people, it is an eco- 

 nomic fact of importance that the production of hops 

 for brewing purposes is on the increase. The hop 

 crop of the world last year was about 146,000,000 

 pounds, of which the United States produced 40,000,- 

 000 pounds, or about 27 per cent, of the entire world's 

 crop. Of the crop grown in this country last year, the 

 State of New York produced a little more than one- 

 half, while the States of California, Oregon and 

 Washington yielded most of the remainder. Wis- 

 consin produces a considerable quantity of hops, and 

 the crop is grown to some extent in other States, but 

 the great bulk of the American crop is grown in the 

 States first named. While this is true, it has been 

 found by experiment that hops can be grown with 

 success in a number of the mountain States, including 

 large areas in the arid regions. Census figures show 

 that California has hitherto given the largest yield 

 per acre of hops, and that the other Pacific coast 



States fall but little behind her. Yet some experi- 

 ments in Colorado and other mountain districts indi- 

 cate that California may be surpassed in the amount 

 of yield per acre by these States wherein the indus- 

 try has been but little developed as yet. The amount 

 of hops used in Great Britain in 1892 was about 80,- 

 000,000 pounds, of which 44,600,000 pounds were pro- 

 duced in British yards, and the remainder imported 

 from the United States and Germany. American 

 hops are gaining in favor in European markets, and 

 with the exception of those grown in certain limited 

 districts in Germany and England, command the 

 best prices in the market. 



Although the hop market is subject to considerable 

 fluctuation from year to year, it is believed by many 

 who are engaged in the industry to be a most prom- 

 ising one, and one whose future is reasonably assured. 

 It is one purpose of THE AGE to point out from time 

 to time such new industries or modified old ones as 

 appear most promising to those cultivating land in 

 the arid domain, and in pursuance of this object we 

 recommend hop growing as a feature of rural indus- 

 try where the conditions are found by careful experi- 

 ment to be best adapted. It must be said, however, 

 that the hop is a somewhat expensive plant to grow, 

 and slip-shod methods will scarcely win in its produc- 

 tion. But it should be remembered that THE AGE 

 does not recognize slovenly methods as likely to win 

 in any pursuit, certainly not in the cultivation of the 

 soil in the arid belt. In engaging in the culture of 

 the hop it will be found advantageous for a number 

 of growers to unite, in order that the quantity pro- 

 duced may attract the attention of buyers, if the 

 district be a new one. In most of the mountain 

 States cheap labor may probably be found for hop- 

 picking among the various Indian tribes and among 

 the Spanish Americans, who are found to some extent 

 throughout this region, and in some places almost to 

 the exclusion of other nationalities. It is found on 

 the Pacific coast that the Indian is especially a valu- 

 able factor in the hop yard. Especially in Wash- 

 ington and California are Indians brought into serv- 

 ice as hop gatherers, greatly to the advantage of the 

 growers as well as to the Indians themselves. It is a 

 form of labor to which the native son seems especially 

 inclined, but his Zealand faithfulness may possibly be 

 to some extent due to his knowledge that the hop ulti- 

 mately comes to him in the form of a mild substitute 

 for the firewater of his ancestors. In any event, hop 

 growers avail themselves of this form of aboriginal 

 activity, and the hop gathering season has become 

 one of great moment to the Indian far and near. 

 Great preparations for the work are made, sometimes 

 before the season begins, and the women are seen 

 bustling about in the labors preparatory to the journey 

 of perhaps a hundred miles or more to the hop yards. 



