41 



In the earlier seasons no critical examination was made as to the 

 comparative quality of the hops from the several plots ; but in 1898, 

 and since, the hops from each plot have, after drying, been packed 

 separately, and duplicate sets of samples from the growth of each 

 plot, drawn in the ordinary way as for market purposes, have been 

 subjected to the ordeal of chemical examination as well as that of 

 examination by market experts. 



One of the sets of samples each year has been submitted to Mr. 

 ALFRED C. CHAPMAN, F.I.C., for the determination of total resin and 

 " soft " resin. Mr. CHAPMAN has at the same time been asked to 

 " place " the samples in order of merit, and, during the last six years, 

 he has also been asked to state what he considered to be the money 

 value of the samples to the brewer, having regard to the market 

 conditions of the moment and to the general quality of Fuggles hops 

 during the particular season. In kindly acceding to this request, Mr. 

 CHAPMAN has taken into account the physical properties of the hops 

 such as aroma, condition of strobiles, freedom from disease, colour, 

 &c. considering all these points together with the resin percentages. 



Duplicate samples have also been each year submitted to a firm 

 of experienced hop factors, and, in later years, not only to a firm of 

 factors, but (independently) to a firm of hop merchants also. These 

 gentlemen have been good enough to place the samples in their 

 order of merit and (in most cases) to put on each its current market 

 value on the day of examination. 



It should be stated that all the samples both those submitted to 

 Mr. CHAPMAN and those submitted to the factors and merchants have 

 each year been marked with casual cipher numbers bearing no rela- 

 tion to the alphabetical letters by which the experimental plots are 

 distinguished, so that in every case the valuation has been made 

 without any knowledge of the mode of manuring corresponding to any 

 particular sample. Indeed, on several occasions other samples than 

 those grown on the plots have been included in the set of samples 

 submitted for valuation. 



The percentages of total and " soft resin " found by Mr. CHAPMAN 

 are shown in the following table : 



