8-1 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
mists of France, to this subject. The learned compiler of the Ma¬ 
teria Medica, Brewster’s Endinburgh Encyclopedia, Doctor John 
Bostock, M. D., F. R. S., Dr. Paris, an able, profound medical wri¬ 
ter, all agree that the lupulin is the only valuable part of the hop ; 
and Dr. Paris particularly mentions the hop, as the most valuable 
ingredient in ale, its stomachic qualities powerfully aiding diges¬ 
tion, “and particularly useful to the lower classes, enabling them 
to digest their innutritive food;” he says “Dr. Franklin was 
wrong in condemning ale,” and deprecates “ the disappearance of 
small beer from the tables of the rich, as there was nothing to re¬ 
place the tonic of the hop.” 
From the above authorities, there is one certain fact established 
which proves, conc'usively, that the leaves forming the pod of the 
hop, contains nothing of value for the purpose of brewing ; an 
acrid, nauseous bitter, the only properties they possess. 
In looking back to the qualities of hops the market for the last 
fifteen years have furnished, our opinion is, that the standard has 
gradually deteriorated ; many are now branded firsts, which have 
been picked before the resin had began to form in them, and a very 
large proportion of those branded firsts, are picked before the hops 
are ripe, and the resin or lupulin but partially appearing, being only 
sap, as soon as dry it is dissipated, ami very shortly after, not 
even the smell of the aroma is perceptible. 
This principle error of picking hops before they have arrived at 
maturity, is followed by another, as far as it goes, equally pernici¬ 
ous ; using brimstone to give them the appearance of maturity,— 
hence our markets are furnished with first rate hop pods or leaves, 
without any lupulin, possessing only the nauseous, acrid bitter, of 
unripe vegetation, and charged with sulphuric acid, the most de¬ 
leterious matter to a vinous fermentation. 
Various circumstances have combined to bring about this la¬ 
mentable state of things. The inspector is not the principal in 
fault for branding as firsts, those which are refuse from early pick¬ 
ing and brimstone. This error no doubt had its origin with mista¬ 
ken men conducting the brewing business, and ignorant of either 
the culture, curing or their essential properties. These men want¬ 
ed hops that would impart no color to their liquor, and advised 
the inspectors, that hops when ripe, were refuse, because when 
ripe, the leaves forming the head of the hop, accquired a brown or 
yellow tinge, slightly coloring the ale ; consequently the inspectors 
have branded those hops firsts, which are gathered green, before 
the lupulin is formed in them, and from this ill advised source, 
brimstone has been introduced and applied to both early and late 
picked hops ; to the early, to take away the green, and to the late, 
to take away the brown color, and bleach them all to the imaginary 
pale ale standard. By this pernicious course the rinds, if we may 
so term them, are substituted for the fruit, and for the wholesome 
aromatic resin, we are presented with an acrid, unhealthy bitter.^ 
Another cause may explain why our markets are yearly retrogra¬ 
ding, which is, the early demand for shipping, or a scarcity among 
the brewers ; hence often enormous prices are paid for trash, not 
worth the cartage for manure. This early demand makes numbers 
eager to avail themselves of the chance of advanced prices, and the 
first sales, while they run no risk of the inspectors condemning 
them, from early picking. The farmers also find their interests 
served in early picking, as it gives a much longer time for harvest, 
enabling them with but trifling help, and less kiln room, to secure 
their crop ; and can we blame them, while brewers and inspectors 
second their wishes I 
We have no personal feeling, nor intend attaching censure to 
any individual ; but insist that our present standard of inspection is 
an imposition ; it does not indicate the maturity or intrinsic value 
of the hops. To be a competent judge of hops, requires experi¬ 
ence, and a nice discrimination ; it is impossible for any man to de¬ 
cide, correctly, unless he is capable of distinguishing every peculiar 
odour that hops may have ; his sense of smell must be acute ; it is 
not enough that the hops are dry, that they look well on the out¬ 
side, that they have not been heated, smoked, stewed, brimstoned. 
or burnt; they must have the strong, pungent, aromatic smell of 
the hop when ripe, and just plucked from the stem ; they must 
have the small globules of resin or lupulin, bke gems surrounding 
the cove of the pod, and covering the bottom of the calyxes or 
leaves; without this lupulin, they are refuse. All which is re¬ 
spectfully submitted. L. FIDLER, Chairman. | 
Resolved, That this report meets the approbation of the trade. 
R. BOYD, President. 
M. Vassar, Secretary. 
The above report was transmitted to the brewers of Pennsylva¬ 
nia, and the following gentlemen were appointed a committee, who 
concurred with the brewers of the state of New-York, in the adop¬ 
tion of the above report. Philadelphia, June 18, 1835. 
GEO. PEPPER, ABBOTT, NEWL1N & Co. 
FRED'K GAUL k. SONS, FRANCIS & W. J. PEROT, 
SAM’L N. GRAY, M. L. DAWSON, 
HUTCINSON & STUMP, THOS. C. LUDERS. 
[We have received for publication, the circular of the Pennsylvania brew¬ 
ers, which we deem it unnecessary to insert, as the opinions it expresses ac¬ 
cord with those in the preceding circular.] 
Remarks of the Conductor. —We cheerfully give insertion to the above 
communication, as containing matter worthy the notice of farmeis, particularly 
of the hop grower. Am' we beg leave to suggest to the worthy fraternity of 
brewers, as the most ready and efficient means of improving the hop culture, 
the propriety of offering liberal premiums for the best samples of hops that shall 
be exhibited at the Albany October Fair. This is a great hop market, and the 
crop will then be mostly ready for sale. It will be the means of congregating 
together the growers, buyers and inspectors; of instructing all in the criteria 
which indicate the first quality; of demonstrating the relative value of good 
and bad parcels, and of curing their crops. Let a judicious committee be np“ 
pointed, to decide on the relative merits of the parcels shown; to point out de¬ 
fects, explain the causes of them, and to report facts, with directions for ma¬ 
naging the curing process. All parties would be benefitted by the arrange¬ 
ment here recommended. 
QUERIES. 
Jesse Buel, —Sir—The Oneida Agricultural Society has not 
yet been organized, but the subject is under consideration, and we 
wish to submit to you the following inquiries, viz : 
1st. Are the enterprising farmers of Oneida County either di¬ 
rectly or indirectly interested in the formation of such a Society? 
2d. If so, upon what plan should it be organized? 
3d. Should premiums be awarded or not? 
4th. What is the organization of the State Society, who are its 
officers, and who are its members,—what has it already done, and 
what does it intend to accomplish—-in short what is its whole his¬ 
tory ? 
5th. In what counties have Societies been formed, upon what 
plan, and who are their officers? 
6th. How should a young and inexperienced farmer proceed to 
bring about the formation of an agricultural society in this county, 
and will you not assist, him with your pen at least? 
The Utica papers are respectfully requested to insert the above 
inquiries, and Judge Buel’s reply to them. 
Vernon, June 21, 1835. ONEIDA. 
ANSWERS. 
1. Not only the enterprising farmers, but the entire population of a county, 
are interested in the formation of agricultural societies. Agriculture consti¬ 
tutes the main source of our wealth and social comforts : and the general pros¬ 
perity of any community is increased or retarded as this flourishes or languishes. 
In our young days, we remember to have heard the fertili y of Oneida 
highly and we believe justly extolled; but in our frequent rambles through 
it of late years, we have been impressed with a belief, that most of her far¬ 
mers adhere too closely to the practices of the primitive settlers,—forgetting, 
apparently, that the system employed to subdue the forest will not always 
serve to perpetuate the productiveness of the soil. While some of our coun¬ 
ties, say Dutchess and Orange for instance, have, within thirty years, doubled 
or trebled their agricultural products, by an improved mode of farming, Oneida 
has remained nearly stationary in her husbandry. Wheat is no longer her 
staple product; and the economical management of manures, alternation of 
crops, and a judicious system of draining, three great sources of improvment 
and profit, have seemed either not to have been properly appreciated there, 
or if appreciated, not to have been duly practised. The object of agricultural, 
like other associations, is to concentrate the energies of many for a common 
benefit;—to introduce the improvements which are constantly making in this 
as well as in other branches of industry, and thereby to increase the profits of 
agricultural labor, and the comforts and moral health of society. For these 
reasons, we are free to express an unqualified opinion, that the formation of 
an agricultural society in Oneida would be beneficial to every class of its po¬ 
pulation. 
2. The more simple, to answer useful purposes, the better the organization. 
The constitution and by-laws of existing societies afford good models. 
3. Premiums confer honorary distinction as well as pecuniary reward; and 
these constitute strong inducements to industry and useful exertion. Where 
they are bestowed, as they should be, for discoveries and improvements 
which are calculated to benefit a community, their public utility cannot be 
doubted. The premiums of the agricultural society of Scotland have been a 
principal means of the unprecedented improvements in her husbandry. And 
the premiums bestow ed by Napoleon did more to improve the arts, in France, 
than had been effected for a century previous : they called forth the energies 
