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ARTHUR AMOS. Picking, Drying and Packing Hops. Journal 

 of the Board of Agriculture, Vol. XVII, No. 2, pp. 89 to 103. 

 London, May 1910. 



Time of picking. In average years picking begins about the first 

 week of September. The operation should not last longer than 

 three weeks. 



The loss incurred by picking unripe hops is very serious, chiefly 

 because a great deal more of them goes to the hundredweight of 

 dry hops, and then because of the inferior quality; they are said 

 to "cut thin." On the other hand over ripe hops "lose colour." 

 The author gives the characteristics of ripe hops. 

 The size of the crop, the presence or absence of disease, and 

 the variety of hops grown have also their influence on the time 

 for picking. 



Hop drying is the most difficult and the most important of all 

 the operations connected with hop growing. Careful drying can 

 increase the value even to the extent of los. per cwt. (25 frs. per 

 100 kgs). Well dried hops can be kept for two or three years in 

 cold storage without injury. 



The open-fire system consists in spreading the hops on a horse- 

 hair cloth stretched over a floor of laths. Below this floor at a di- 

 stance of from 12 to 14 feet (3 m. 60 to 4 m. 20) is a fire place 

 in which smokeless coal is burnt. The heated air together with 

 the products of combustion pass through the hops and dry them. 



The rate of drying depends upon the temperature and upon 

 the rate at which the air passes through the hops. Many oasts 

 are provided with fans to increase the draught. 



Temperature of hop drying. At the beginning it should be be- 

 tween 80 F. and 100 F. (26.5 and 37.5 C.). It should rise 

 gradually to 140 F. (60 C.) during the first three hours if the 

 draught is good. If poor, four or five hours must elapse before 

 140 be reached. 



From this point the temperature should be kept steady for 

 about five hours rising to between 150 to 160 F. (65 C. to 7iC.) 

 but not higher. 



Finally the temperature should be allowed to fall to about 120 

 (48 1 /, C.). ^ 



An casting can usually be dried in from 9 to 12 hours.. 



The hops picked in the morning are dried as soon as they 



