224 THE HOP. 



of state hops in a favorable season; yet the hops of the 

 darker hue may be so attractive in other respects as to 

 command top prices. Again, hops of a greenish cast 

 or that are "of the green order," as Wahlberg and the 

 hop men say, may be choice in every particular and just 

 the kind that takes best with certain brewers. Indeed, 

 color in hops, as in art, seems to be largely a matter 

 of taste and habit, some people wanting one shade, 

 some another. 



The chief contention, is as to what constitutes a 

 choice hop. No doubt this is ; accounted for to a large 

 extent by the failure to distinguish between the use of 

 the word as an adjective or as a noun. For example, 

 in contracting for a growing crop, it is evident that the 

 term is used as a noun, and in this sense it would sig- 

 nify a hop which is to be chosen or selected. 

 In this case the hops might prove to be choice 

 hops of a certain growth and yet not possess that per- 

 fection of color, freedom from mold or vermin dam- 

 age or impurities, and that perfect cure which may be 

 implied by the adjective "choice" or "fancy." To some 

 this distinction may appear subtle, but an illustration 

 will prove that it may be vital.* 



In the spring of 1897, an Oregon hop grower sold 

 by contract to a merchant his growing crop of hops, 

 which he guaranteed to be choice. Unfortunately the 

 1897 hop crop of Oregon was blighted and every sam- 

 ple showed traces of the blight, or "mold," as it is term- 

 ed in this country. However, the particular lot of hops 

 in question were as good as any that were grown in 

 Oregon that season, and were manifestly therefore 

 such hops as would have been selected or chosen by an 



*For this illustration we are indebted to Mr. Hugh F. Fox, a well- 

 known American commission merchant in hops, formerly secretary of 

 the hop trade committee of the New York produce exchange, and rep- 

 resentative of the great, German house or Rothbarth & Sons. Being 

 entirely free from interests connected with hop culture, this opinion 

 may well be taken as unbiased. 



