The west shore., November 01, 1884, Page 350, Image 12

350
THE WEST SHORE.
altogether out of the hop, but it also renders what is left
less liable to ferment in the bale, and there is less danger
of ' heated bales.' This very fact, that sulphur is death
to fermentation, constitutes the great objection to the
use of such extravagant quantities of sulphur as will
injure the fermentation of the beer in which hops
drenched with sulphur are used. But the ordinary prac
tice of fiftoon, or even twenty, pounds has not been
observed to injuro the fermentation of the beer." The
correctness of the gentleman's statement may well be
questioned There is no way that sulphur can thus pre
vont fermentation in the bale or in the manufacture of
boor, unless it remain in the hops after the drying is
finished nnd until the hops are used. As a proof that it
does not do this, we refer our reader to the " United
States Disponsatory," which substantially says that, after
three or four weeks, only the slightest traces of sulphur
ous acids can bo found in the hops when subjected to a
thorough chemical test, and after two months the most
severe analysis fails to find even a delicate trace. The
Dispensatory handles tin's subject from the fact that hops
are used aB a medicine, and decides that the hop is in no
way injured by smoking it with sulphur. The dealer
and the brewer want a fancy article. To make it so it
must bo bleached with sulphur until the hops are of an
even color. Then, too, it is claimed by competent grow
ers that the Bulphur ponotrates to the stem of the cone,
soizos the vajMir in the hop and carries it away, thus
assisting the heated air in bringing the hop into a condi
tion that it will be preserved. We have discussed the
ubo of sulphur in drying hops because certain unscrupu
lous buyers ask the question, " What makes your hops
so even in color ?" ond when told it is caused by the use
of sulphur, condemn the practice in order to cheapen the
price. It is a safe estimate that three-fourths of the
growers in Nub valley are using only one to two pounds
of sulphur to a flooring, when firtoon ixmnds pure sulphur
are frequently used in the East The buyers will not
pay a go! price for discolored hops, and also try to
choopn tho finely bleached ones by condemning the use
of sulphur. Growers should remain firm in their prices
and not jwrmit themselves to bo thus browbeaten. Some
of our hop growers turn tho hops in tho kiln. We are
creditably informed that this is not necessary in order
that the hops dry evenly, if time enough is given them
It only breaks them up nnd thereby injures the market
value. This is dono when they desire to dry two floor
jugs in a day. With kiln capacity enough to rmit a
flooring to dry twenty hours or more this may bo avoided.
Ivor should they pormit men to tramp on the hops while
m tho ki In, warohouHO or baleing room.. To give the
dealer and brewer a ierrectly fancy article tho hops must
be uniform in color and the cones kept in as perfect a
shape as possible, Nature produces a perfect hop in
the valleys, and all are alike interested in having the
picking, curing and baleing done in such a manner that
all Imp shall be measured by this standard.
When the hops are Bu(lieioutly drv tl.ev i i
Ik. ki!. ttrousU . fc. "17,
the store room, known as the " cooling floor." The te
of proper drying is the brittleness of the stem f !,
cone, and much experience is required by the dryer i
order to determine this exactly. If not sufficiently drl
they will heat in the bale and spoil, while over-dS
hops are liable to break and powder in handling; yet
is better to have them too dry, as they will afterwards
absorb considerable moisture, and careful handling win
preserve them from breaking. When thoroughly cooled
they are lowered to the main floor of the warehouse, and
unless needed for immediate shipment are allowed to
accumulate in layers, one drying above another until tbe
whole crop is thus in store. This is done in order that
the hops may be thoroughly toughened and bales be
uniform in quality. The latter result cannot be reached
unless the early and late pickings are thoroughly mixed
This is accomplished by taking the hops off in perpen
dicular sections, portions of each layer thus getting into
every bale. When this is done a sample taken from any
bale will represent the entire crop. Baleing is performed
in portable presses of sufficient power to make a com
pact, smooth bale of about 200 pounds weight Care
must be taken in handling and baleing the hops not to
break or powder them, so that there may be no loss in
strength by the sifting out of the lupuline, the fine yellow
powder which contains the bitter principle; also that the
appearance of the cones, upon which the market value
largely depends, may not be injured.
The comparison of the hop industry with that of
wheat growing, which has become the one staple agricul
tural product of the Northwest, is so favorable to the
former, both in point of profits and the quantity of land
required, that our farmers who possess soil suitable for
llOD culture feel a fitrnnnr innlinfttinn tr emhnrk in it on I
small scale at least, and thus render themselves inde
pendent of the financial uncertainty attending a total
reliance UDOn ft wlifinf. rnn. TTnna fruit vegetables,
1 "-"I' " J D
cattle, dairy products, wool and pork are the panacea for
tho ills under which our farmers are suffering, as a result
of the world's increased production of breadstuff
Asbestos is becoming a valuable and much used
mineral. It has been lately discovered, in its purest
form, in Lower fJunndu nnH tlm'niitmtitv is said to be
, -i j
practically without limit The fibers are long, pa
wnne. and as fane as silk, and the district covered com-
nriuna tuv sM...l.'n x ;,. Ilia nrmllld
is brought to be crushed and cleaned, and from which
points large shipments are now being made to EugW
nnl TT...-i. 1 oi l mi -i m?i? I il.Io ml'tlMs
wio vjuimu o tares, ine possiDuiues ui w"
range over a field that is simply marvelous. Firepnw'
paper, rope and ink that resist the action of nre, a
as the weaving of textile fabrics, such as table cloth,
asbestos cloths, gloves, eta, while in the range of Wd"
inc materinla firanrf n.l-,'nrr fur safes,
deadening, roof protection, covering steam pip p10,1 , ,
among the most common uses. Its cheapness is its "
recommendation to many, but its thoroughly incomb
we nature is ol special value.