256 
Hop Cultivation. 
rooms, would cost 500 1. If the hops are dried at a lower tem- 
perature, the kilns must he doubled. 
Several systems of drying hops at comparatively low tem- 
peratures have been introduced, some of which have been 
patented, but not one has been adopted extensively. The late 
Mr. Hopkins, of Worcester, invented a process of drying by 
means of a rapidly-revolving fan, which drives currents of heated 
air through the hops, arranged in two series of trays, one 
above the other. When the lower tray of hops is desiccated, 
it is drawn out and the upper tray is let down into its place. 
The hops are taken directly on the tray to the pressing machine, 
without having been trodden on, or turned, and without any 
loss of quality or flavour by the volatilization of oil and resin, 
and as whole as when they were picked. 
Upon ordinary kilns the hops have to be turned over while 
drying that they may all be thoroughly desiccated ; this naturally 
breaks them and causes the “ gold dust,” or lupulin, to escape ; 
and the process of cleai’ing the kilns and of pushing the dried 
hops to the presses, in many cases a considerable distance, 
further disintegrates them. A kiln floor of wrought iron rods 
with strong iron supports has been patented by Messi’s. Hether- 
ington, of Alton, arranged so that when the hops are dried the 
hair cloth upon which they are lying is drawn out by a drum 
with pulleys and chains, and the hops are delivered by the sides 
of the presses as whole as when they were put on, or they fall 
into a receiver, if the presses are distant, and are carried in it. 
Above the floor, and well above the level of the drying hops, 
a light tramway is fixed to carry a trolley for the dryer to get 
upon to see how the hops are drying, and to turn them without 
trampling on and breaking them. Very good samples have 
been seen from kilns fitted with this patent, the hops being 
whole and, consequently, having retained their lupulin. 
Pressing. 
Hops, after being dried, are now generally packed quickly 
into the pockets, and not left long to cool, as formerly. Extensive 
cooling rooms are therefore not required. No hops are trod 
by men’s feet into the pockets in these days. They are invariably 
pressed into them by a machine, as shown in fig. 13. 
Pressing machines are made upon the same principle as that in 
fig. 13, anddifFer only in details. 1 A circular foot, just large enough 
to go into a pocket which is 3 feet in diameter, is fitted to a ratchet 
' Pressing machines oorriplete cost from 14 1 , 10s, to 2Q£, 
