CURING, COOLING AND BALING. 



201 



from them are what dealers call boarcly and which they 

 claim are slack-dried. If hops are to be held by the 

 grower for some months, there is considerable testi- 

 mony to show that they can be kept with less injury 

 in bulk than in bales. Meeker inquired particularly into 

 this point, and still believes it is fully demonstrated. 

 Of course the warehouse must be kept cool and very 

 dry, so the hops in bulk will neither heat nor absorb 

 moisture. 



Meeker covers another important point as follows: 

 "One objection to the practice of baling immediately 



FIG.' 113. THE HARRIS HOP PRESS. 



after curing is that the grower's crop will not run as 

 even in quality as if carefully stored, in order that they 

 may mix the whole thoroughly. The earlier pick- 

 ing will be lighter; that is, not so rich as the later, be- 

 sides no field of hops will be of exactly the same quality 

 and color, even if picked on the same day. To most 

 effectually mix, so as to have the whole crop uniform, 

 the warehouse should be filled in layers, first covering 



