112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to the use of screws, though in some instances they have 

 adopted the hydraulic presses. "A circular hole, covered 

 by a trap door, and sufficiently large to admit the mouth of a 

 hop bag, is made in the floor of the storage room. A few 

 hops are tied tight in the lower corners of the bag, in order 

 that, when full, they may be lifted and removed with ease. A 

 hoop, rather larger than the circumference of the hole, is used 

 to stretch out the bag, by means of hooks on the outer side 

 of it — the inner side of the hoop, when the bag is let down 

 into the hole, either resting on the floor, or on a frame of wood 

 made over it. When the bag is thus stretched out and let into 

 the opening, the feeder throws down a few shovelfuls, and the 

 'bagster,' descending into the bag, with flat shoes or leather 

 socks on his feet, treads the hops regularly and carefully down, 

 especially towards the sides. More hops are then thrown 

 down, and closely pressed, until the bag is filled — the tighter 

 and closer the better ; for, the firmer they are packed, the longer 

 they will keep. The hoop is then loosened, the bag is let 

 down to the lower floor, more hops are tied into the upper cor- 

 ners, and it is sewed up as closely as possible — the whole 

 operation being generally completed within an hour." 



The mode of pressure with screws is so far superior to the 

 baling described above that it is surprising that it has not been 

 universally adopted. 



Cost and Profit of Raising. — The cost of cultivating an 

 acre of hops varies with the skill and labor applied, and of 

 course the profits will be regulated very much by these and 

 other circumstances. The writer from Lunenburg above 

 quoted says : " The average yield with us is about GOO pounds 

 per acre, and the cost, exclusive of the poles, about $55 per 

 acre, all told. The poles are worth $2 or, $2.50 per hundred, 

 ready for setting, and will cost, at sixteen hundred to the acre, 

 from $32 to $40; but as good poles will last ten or twelve 

 years, the expense per year will not be much increased." 



The profit must depend entirely upon the price obtained for 

 them, and nothing in the whole range of farming varies more 

 in price than hops. For the last four years the price to the 

 grower has averaged 25 cts. per pound, or perhaps somewhat 

 more, leaving a considerable margin for profit; but for the pre- 



