116 HOP CULTURE IN AUSTRALASIA. 



practices elsewhere, and printed instructions were not easily 

 to be had, if we except the few articles on this subject which 

 have appeared in the weekly papers from time to time. 

 Thus the pioneers in this branch of rural industry have had 

 to acquire experimentally, as it were, their knowledge ; but 

 they have proved parts of the colony to be eminently adapted 

 for the growth of hops. Labour was scarce and dear at 

 picking time, and the casting part of the work was not 

 understood, so that the pecuniary returns were at first disap- 

 pointing ; but experience has convinced the growers that 

 further knowledge is alone required to render their hop 

 gardens highly remunerative. To supply this in part Mr. 

 Howitt obtained from Kent plans of the most approved kilns 

 or oasts, which he kindly placed at the disposal of the Com- 

 mission. And it may be encouraging to say that in Gipps- 

 land very simple kilns have been erected of rough materials 

 and at moderate cost, with which complete success has been 

 achieved. But this result was not obtained by the means 

 before alluded to, but by the skill of an experienced hop- 

 curer, who was engaged at other work, until he learned from 

 the published reports of our proceedings that practical know- 

 ledge of the kind was needed by the growers of hops in a part 

 of the country with which he was not previously acquainted." 

 Wherever beer is made hops form a serious item of expen- 

 diture, and it is probable that within a few years enough may 

 be grown in Victoria to supply the demands of the colony, 

 even if they were not readily obtainable in Tasmania. Hop 

 gardens have been made in Gippsland and in the Ovens 

 district, and the plant tried successfully in other parts of the 

 colony. Of the prospects of this branch of agricultural 



