GRADING AND MARKETING HOPS. 



233 



HOP EXPORTS IN BALES FROM NEW YORK CITY, AND PRICES (ill Cents 

 per pound.) 



The receipts of domestic hops at New York city 

 by rail are reported in American Agriculturist from 

 week to week, together with the exports. If it appears 

 that the exports are taking a large proportion of the 

 receipts, this is usually a healthy sign for the 

 immediate future of values. The moment ship- 

 ments abroad fall off and domestic supplies accumu- 

 late at New York, dealers make this a pretext for ham- 

 mering down prices. The appendix exhibit of receipts 

 st New York city should be carefully studied, in rela- 

 tion to both the total crop at home and abroad, and 

 our exports and imports. Then, by comparing the 

 weekly and monthly statistics as the season advances, 

 one may form some judgment of the movement of 

 the crop. 



The uncertainty as to prices makes hops a very 

 fascinating crop to speculate in, and growers as well as 

 dealers often cannot resist the temptation to speculate 

 in their community. When prices advance, it is impos- 

 sible to foretell how high they will go, and growers 

 feel justified in holding, but when prices begin to de- 

 cline, no one is anxious to buy, as there is no telling 

 how low they will go. Therefore, the hop grower fre- 

 quently sells too soon or holds on too long, and rarely 

 indeed does he realize the top market price. 



The author has made a close study of this matter 

 for some years, and has collected the actual experience 

 in selling of about TOO planters, including men of all 

 shades of ability in raising and selling hops. It appears 

 that those who have sold early for cash at the market 



