THE HOP TRADE. 317 



ing increase is undoubtedly less than the diminution afore- 

 said, so that a compensation of area is out of the question. 



It is specially noteworthy that the enlarged hop area in 

 Austria is almost entirely confined to Bohemia, where the 

 yield per acre is notably much smaller than in England and 

 Germany. 



The reason for this increase in Bohemia is certainly due 

 solely to the fact that good hops, such as are produced there, 

 are always saleable. This sufficiently explains the meaning 

 to be attached to the term over-production, and it would be 

 going beyond the mark to immediately set about reducing' 

 the area under hop cultivation without further consideration, 

 since the increase in Bohemia is a sure indication that hops, 

 of good quality are always in demand. 



Consequently if any necessity for restricting the area 

 under hops is spoken of, it applies solely to the inferior and 

 freer-cropping varieties, for which remunerative prices can 

 no longer be obtained now that the public taste demands 

 better hops, especially in pale beers. The keen competition 

 in the brewing trade compels every brewer to look after good 

 hops, and of these truly there is no superfluity. Therefore 

 it should be the aim of growers to produce as many hops as- 

 they can of the finer varieties and reduce the area under 

 poorer kinds ; and this of course means a diminished output, 

 the better hops being small croppers. 



Over-production is a very convenient fetish for the dealer 

 to terrify the grower with who is ill acquainted with the true 

 state of affairs, and force him to part with his hops at a low 

 price. 



Now let us see whether there is really any ground at 

 all for complaining about over-production at the present 

 time. In the statistical table already reproduced the total 

 area under hops in all parts of the world is given as 249,150 

 acres, and the total consumption in 1897 as 1,998,026 cwt. 



