12 



On examining a hop it will be observed that there are two 

 different kinds of bracts or " petals " arranged on an axis (or " strig," 

 as it is called in Kent) which is branched as in Fig. B, 2. One of these 



! Fully grown hop cone: sb. seedless bract or "petal"; b. seed-bearing "petal." 

 2 Hop axis or "strig." 3 and 4 Pieces of strig and petals as in i. 



kinds of bract (b) has the fruit or " seed " of the hop attached to it, 

 while the other is seedless (sb). The seed-bearing bracts always have 

 a larger or smaller number of glands present on their outer surfaces ; 

 but it is only in the better class of hops that lupulin glands are met 

 with on the seedless "petals." On the corolla surrounding the 

 " seed " they are very abundant. It is owing to the recognised import- 

 ance of these structures that some brewers have begun to show a 

 decided preference for whole hops. The glands are very easily broken 

 or rubbed off the petals, and considerable quantities are lost during 

 the process of drying and bagging, as may be seen on examining the 

 floor of the kiln and other parts of the hop oast. Not only are many 

 lost when the hops are broken up, but rough treatment is liable to 

 rupture the glands and set free the resinous contents, which are 

 rapidly acted on deleteriously by the air, and converted into a less 

 valuable form than when preserved in unbroken glands. Broken 

 hops do not retain their preservative power and aroma so long as 

 whole ones. 



It would, therefore, be to the interest of the brewer to lay much 

 more stress upon whole hops than he does at present, and at the same 



