SECRETARY'S REPORT. Ill 



becomes heated and the bottom part of the layer becomes 

 crispy, allowing the fires to go down a little ; but the turning 

 should not take place till the hops arc nearly dry. Much must 

 depend on the judgment and practice of the operator. The 

 turning is commonly done with a rake. With a steady heat, 

 well regulated, a kiln of hops is dried in ten or twelve hours ; 

 and if the fires arc kept up day and night, two kilns may be 

 dried in twenty-four hours. The operation of drying is one 

 of great nicety, and requires much care and attention. As 

 soon as the drying is complete, which may be known by the 

 brittleness of the stems and crispness of the scales, they are 

 removed to another dark room near by and left in heaps at 

 least twenty days, when the bagging commences. This last 

 room is called the press room. 



Bali?ig, or Bagging. — As soon a3 the hops have become a 

 little softened by moisture acquired by lying from twelve to 

 twenty days in the heap, the process of bagging commences. 

 The bales used here ordinarily contain about two hundred 

 pounds. The great object in baling is to press the hops as 

 closely as possible, to prevent the escape of the fragrance. 

 The hops keep better for being well and closely pressed; and 

 for this reason screws are always used — sometimes in presses 

 made for the purpose, at others in the press of a cider mill. 



The mode of baling, which was first used and suggested by 

 Col. Jaques, and now universally adopted by the best growers 

 in this State, is thus : One-half of the baling cloth is laid down 

 upon the floor, and a large square box placed upon it. The 

 hops are now put into the box, and trodden down till it is full. 

 The screws are now applied ; after which they may be raised, 

 if necessary, and more hops put in to fill up. The other half 

 of the cloth is now put over the top, in the same manner as the 

 first cloth was laid to cover the lower part of the bale. The 

 screws are applied till the pressure is sufficient, when the sides 

 of the box, which are movable, are taken away ; the bale being 

 still under the screws, the two cloths are brought together and 

 sewed as tight as convenient to do it. After the sewing is 

 completed the screws may be raised, and the bale is finished. 



The process of baling among the hop growers in some parts 

 of England is still similar to the mode of baling here previous 



