CULTURE AND PRODUCTION IN ENGLAND. 67 



and to spare, there is little doubt; still, German dealers 

 have already been making, and will doubtless continue to 

 make, free purchases from both countries, thereby divert- 

 ing from this kingdom supplies which otherwise would have 

 come here. 



" As regards quality, the English crop is far in advance of 

 last year, we shall have a fair sprinkling of fine, coloury 

 stuff, with a full proportion of good medium, whilst really 

 low quality will be comparatively absent, unless mould, which 

 is more or less present in many districts, spreads to an^ 

 serious extent; but as picking is now rapidly progressing, 

 the chances are against its doing so. 



" Weighing carefully the general estimate of probabilities 

 in connection with this market, I am not induced to fear any 

 retrograde movement in prices, but rather to place faith in an 

 upward tendency. 



" As values have hardly settled down yet, the following 

 quotations must be regarded as more or less nominal, more 

 especially in regard to foreign : 



Kent, Mid and East 8/. to 12/. 



WtaldofKent 11. 91. 9s. 



Sussex 6/. 11. 10s. 



German Market hops 14J. 20 J. 



Belgian Poperinghe 11. 71. 5s. 



Alost 6/. 10s. ?/." 



A hop grower, in the ' Mark Lane Express/ writing under 

 date September 26, 1876, observes : 



u Picking being now over, something like an accurate 

 estimate of the crop can be formed. This is arrived at from 



p 2 



