288 
Farming of Kent. 
£. s. d. £. s. d. 
Cost of cultivation per annum . . 26 13 4 
Estimated growth, 10 cwt. per acre. 
Picking 5 0 0 
Drying, packing, &c. . . . . 3 10 0 
Duty 8 14 6 
n 4 6 
Total cost per annum . . . £43 17 10 
The above calculation will probably somewhat exceed the 
actual cost per acre of an entire plantation, consisting of several 
gardens of different ages and strength, as in such case the poles 
would be thoroughly worn out, and a few other expenses dimi- 
nished. It must nevertheless be considered as a fair average of 
the class of hops to which it relates. In Mid-Kent the cost per acre 
is several pounds higher. The Mid-Kent hops, however, consist 
mostly of the finer sorts, and will command from 15 to 25 per 
cent, higher prices than those of the Weald; the duty in each 
case being precisely the same. It must be observed that there is 
no crop the first year, and that the second is generally but trifling. 
I have added nothing^ for interest on the original cost of rearingr 
O DO 
the plantation, since draining is a permanent improvement, and 
hop-gardens when grubbed are in a much improved condition for 
every purpose of cultivation. 
The following is a summary of the produce, &c., of a hop- 
plantation in the Weald of Kent for ten years. The plantation 
may be considered quite an average for the district, either as it 
relates to the suitabihty of the soil, the state of cultivation, or the 
prices obtained. 
Years. 
Acres. 
Growtli. 
Sold for. 
Average 
per Acre. 
Cwts. 
qis. U)s. 
£. 
s. 
(/. 
Cwfs. 
qrs. 
lbs. 
18.15 
27^ 
315 
0 0 
*1,148 
5 
0 
11 
1 
23 
30 
245 
0 0 
801 
11 
2 
8 
0 
18 
lb37 
28 
207 
0 0 
727 
10 
0 
7 
1 
16 
ls38 
254 
298 
2 0 
1,202 
0 
3 
11 
2 
23 
1R39 
2U 
329 
0 4 
939 
IG 
0 
15 
1 
C 
18-10 
22^ 
14 
1 17 
/9 
3 
6 
0 
2 
15 
1841 
22i 
223 
0 11 
1,31G 
0 
7 
9 
3 
18 * 
1842 
22i 
228 
3 C 
9fi2 
14 
6 
10 
0 
19 
1813 
25i 
274 
0 0 
1,523 
3 
3 
10 
3 
0 
1844 
25^ 
78 
2 23 
549 
9 
Q 
%J 
3 
0 
9 
2,213 
2 5 
9,249 
13 
6 
8 
3 
7 
Average value per acre for 10 years . . £30 17 0 
Average value per cwt., after deducting expenses 
of carriage and connnission . . . .430 
Tlie price per cwt. ranged between 485. and 150s. in the above case 
during the ten years. 
