128 ' HOP SUBSTITUTES. 



> 'I.-'}'-", V ! ' !'* '.'** 



THe dates of the occasions when the payment of the duty 

 on hops was deferred were: 1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 

 1827, 1828, 1829, 1831, 1849, 1850, 1857, and 1858. 



The seasons of 1855 and 1856 were conspicuous in the 

 history of the hop trade, the former having produced the 

 largest crop on record (over 83 million pounds), and the latter 

 having presented the somewhat unusual phenomenon of a 

 very considerable produce immediately following so extra- 

 ordinary a luxuriance of growth. The duty in 1855 was no 

 less than 728,183Z., or almost double the average of years. 

 Prices were of course depressed by this excess of production. 

 Four consecutive years of large produce, 1856 to 1859, 

 necessarily brought down still further the price of hops, and 

 they were sold in the market at rates which, inclusive of the 

 duty, were for the most part unremunerative, and pressing 

 applications were made by the hop planters of the kingdom, 

 some 6500, for the postponement of the payment of the duty, 

 and facilities for payment were granted from time to time by 

 the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 



In 1603 several statutes and regulations were made for 

 the curing of hops, which had to be carried out under the 

 inspection of the officers of Excise. 



In 1710 a duty of 3d. per pound was imposed on all hops 

 imported into England, and in 1734 a duty of Id. per pound 

 was imposed on all grown in this country, which in 1805 was 

 fixed at 2d. per pound, subject to a drawback of 10 per cent. 

 in favour of the grower. 



In 1840 a further duty of 5 per cent, was imposed upon 

 the whole of the previous charge; the actual duty being 

 thereby raised to 17s. l\d. per cwt. On imported hops, 



