15 



The duplicates of the samples examined by Mr. Chapman 

 were handed to a well-known firm of hop factors in the 

 Borough, and their report, again substituting the proper 

 descriptions of the samples for the arbitrary numbers under 

 which they were submitted, is as follows : 



FACTORS' REPORT, 1899. 



" We have examined the nine samples, and find that taking each individual 

 sample as representing a growth, their values come in the following order : 

 " E (Phosphates, potash, and 8 cwt. nitrate of soda.) ^ ^ 



S (20 loads London dung, 6 cwt. superphosphate, and 6^cwt. nitrate of 

 soda. ) 



F (Phosphates, potash, and 10 cwt. nitrate of soda.) 



D ( ,, and 6 cwt. nitrate of soda.) 



C ( ,, and 4 cwt. nitrate of soda.) 



H ( ,, ,, and 2 cwt. nitrate of soda. ) 



X (30 loads London dung.) 



No. 9 (another part of farm) 6 cwt. superphosphate, 2 tons wool-waste, and 

 5 cwt. guano, without nitrate. 



A (Phosphates and potash, without nitrate.) 



"As to their value on to-day's market it is very hard to say within a shilling 

 or two ; but, taking E as being worth 505. and A 355. and the other samples 

 in proportion, is as near as it is possible to assess their market value." 



It may be added that, on the day on which this valuation 

 was made, 503. was the full value, to the grower, of what are 

 known as good medium Mid-kent Fuggles. 



Judging, therefore, from the quite independent reports of 

 Mr. Chapman and of the hop factors the one regarding the 

 samples from the ultimate purchaser's point of view, and the 

 other from that of the grower or original vendor there 

 appears to be no room for doubt that, notwithstanding the 

 very luxuriant growth of the year, the quality of the hops as 

 well as their quantity was materially improved by the liberal 

 use of nitrate of soda. 



In looking at the quantitative results, it will be seen that 

 three of the plots were all alike in giving the top yield of 24! 

 cwt. per acre. These were Plots X (manured with dung 

 only), F (manured with phosphates, potash, and 10 cwt. 



