CULTURE AND PRODUCTION IN ENGLAND. 57 



From Belgium most of the samples exhibited the usual 

 fault of hops from that kingdom, being badly picked, with 

 too much stalk and green leaves, and with a smell of smoke 

 from bad curing. 



The hops from Canada and the United States still exhibit 

 the disagreeable flavour which renders them quite unsuitable 

 for fine qualifies of ales. 



Hops were also shown from the Netherlands, Denmark, 

 and Greece, but of very inferior quality. 



Portugal exhibited samples of wild hops, which seem to 

 indicate the possibility of successful cultivation there. 



The hops must on no account be gathered until the seed 

 is perfectly ripe, as it is only then that the bitter quality is 

 fully developed. The ripeness of the hops can be ascertained 

 by rubbing them between the fingers ; if an oily matter 

 remains, with a strong odour, they are fit for gathering. 



The aroma, which is very agreeable, is extremely volatile, and 

 hence the necessity for closely packing the hops, as is done 

 in practice when they are to be preserved. Under any cir- 

 cumstances, however, much of the aroma of the hops will be 

 lost by keeping, a circumstance rendering it indispensable 

 that they should be used as fresh as possible, especially in the 

 manufacture of superior descriptions of ale and beer. 



Preservation of Hops. The hop plant cannot, like grain, 

 be preserved for an indefinitely prolonged time without under- 

 going some modification, even under the most favourable cir- 

 cumstances, for its preservation. If hops are kept exposed to 

 the air they deteriorate materially ; while grain may very well 

 be kept to be employed the next year, hops, on the contrary, 

 will have considerably declined in value, and this chiefly on 



