324 
Mfty Years of Hop Carmine). 
44,088 acres, which had increased to 57,757 acres in 1855, to ha 
reduced by 10,000 acres in the next three years, in consequence 
of over-production and low prices. 
The excise duty was taken off hops in 1862. From this 
time there was a rapid rise in the number of acres until 1878, 
when there were 71,789 acres, the largest acreage on record. For 
the next few years there were reductions of from 4,000 to 8,000 
acres, but in 1885 there were again over 71,000 acres. Since 
then there has been a very great decrease. More than 12,000 
acres were grubbed between 1885 and 1888, and, as is shown 
above, the acreage was only 57,724 in 1889, or lower than it 
has been since 1867. The Agricultural Returns for 1890 will, 
it is believed, not show a further decrease. 
Excise Duty. 
The abolition of the excise duty on hops in 1862 gave a 
great impetus to hop planting. Taking the average of the whole 
hop plantations, this tax on the produce of the soil was equal to 
an annual charge of close upon 71. per acre. It pressed very 
heavily upon planters in districts such as Sussex and the Weald 
of Kent, where the yield was large and the value of the hops 
low as compared with that of those grown in East and Mid Kent, 
and Farnham. It frequently happened that a planter had to 
pay as much as 151. per acre for duty, while his hops did not 
make 31. per cwt. 
Import Duty. 
The import duty upon hops was also taken off in 1862. Though 
this caused much larger importations into this country, these 
importations did not appreciably interfere with the demand for 
home-grown hops, as the acreage steadily increased until 1885. 
This increase was caused in a great degree by the very high 
prices of hops in 1882, on account of the short crop. The 
average price of English hops in the season of 1882-3 \v;is 
181. 10s. per cwt., and some choice samples made 'SOI. per cwt., the 
highest price known for hops in this country. There also were 
exceedingly good times for hop planters between 1869 and 
1875. Prices were remunerative in spite of large crops upon a 
largely increased home acreage and of large importations duty 
free. 
Hops were on this account extensively planted. Common 
but prolific sorts were selected, and in many cases the land was 
not suitable for the production of samples of approved quality. 
After the heavy crops of 1883, 1884, 1885, and 1886, in which 
