TIIE OREGON. DAILY JOURNAL. PORTLAND, FRIDAY EVENING, ..AUGUST 5, 1004.
HOP CROP IS THE
KING OF OREGON
Weather Improves Outlook in Willamette Valley
f arid Immense Yield Predicted-Picking
; ' "- ; Arrangements Being Hade; v
1. . J 'bl . TJ . 1 Cef m i i II a 8m . aWL, a - 1 s-af- t I r r-m S -
iii
111 a :
CJ WUlUm X, Clarke.) .
' (Special Owraspoadeat of Te ioernaL)
Qerval. Or., Auk. 8. Hop picking in
. Oregon will be In vogue soon after Sep
. tember 10 not before. -
: Owing to late rain the crop hu lm
' proved wonderfully .and where . few
- weeke go a light cropajtas anticipated
. the opposite la now the outlook. Weather
conditions have added fully 10 per cent
to the crop. - , j .. -'.'
; Thle condition hits not caused the crop
',. to mature any earlier but to the ooo-
. trary. The bur Is .now forming and Is
. more numerous. It will be .-what Is
termed a 'top crop" and It Is thought
' that the bur will be small and llgllt
that Idea' now remains to ixconi a fact,
v A personal .visit to numerous yards
- situated at Gervals, ' Mount Angel.
' Monitor and Marquam Induce tbe. belief
, that the yards inspected ,, will produce
a normal crop, say four- bales per acre.
:- on an estimated acreage of about 18,90
in the state, not Including new yards.
Mew yards haVlng suffered moet from
the dry season, and In many oases will
produce little or nothing. .
- Oreroa in the Teed.'
Under favorable conditions Oregon Is
the hop producing section of tbe United
States today. It was not until 1180 that
the production of bops acquired tn Ore
gon any standing aa a commercial oom
' modlty. It is true that a few vines were
bearing as early as 18(0, but not to. any
large extent was the cultivation carried
on. The past 15 years has demonstrated
the adaptability of Oregon soil to tho
growth of the bop vine.
' Tbe first efforts at extensive , hop
' (rowing were made at Puyellup, Waah
Ington, In 1868 when John -V. Meeker
et out half an acre. He dried the hops
In an attlo and obtained 18 pounds
which he readily sold at 85o per pound.
Later yards were planted at Butte
. Ttlle In Marlon county, and from this
- email beginning has emanated the vast
acreage that now covers the Willamette
valley easily reaching 11,000 acres.
Many Bnte Field.-
The early history of the culture of
hops In Oregon tell only of sucoess In
the business and up to - quite recant
years an average of IS cents per pound
was obtained aa an average price gross
to the producer. As a eonuequenoe of
: these high prices many were Induced to
- go Into the business, party to diversify
their farming work. . ,
It was a steady phenomenal growth
until 1885. when a crop equaling 100,000
bales was produced in Oregon, as well
aa a like proportion In other hop-growing
countries and the grower was facing an
. Immense surplus and was only able to ob
tain I cent to 8 cent offers for all grad
This caused many to go out of business
with a loss and many acres were plowed
upland thousands-of acres were allowed
to go uncared for and the total yield
- In lr Wa almost' ha -of the year
previous. .' - , , ,
During this tfane there? hat been some
phenomenal Jrlc "yearsy especially - It
. jbsj, wnen prices went sxy nign ana it
la related that Hon. Ralph Oeer had
8,000 pounds for which he refused 11. IS
per pound, holding out for 11.81 per
pound.. He finally sold the crop for It
. -cents per pound and the mortgage on
blm line farm was never paid. ..
The same year a 80-bale lot was sold
In California for 11.07 H per .pound.
These are' the highest offers and prices
ever paid on this coast for hops, and it
la doubtful If it will ever be repeated.
' Outranks Other States. ,
Bo much for the ancient history of
this crop that means so much for the
prosperity of one state and employs
- such a vast array of workers and dis
tributes wealth to the rich and poor
alike. Oregon outranks both Washing
ton and California in' acreage, yield and
quality, with the single exception, of
Sonoma county, California, which leads
the world in quality. It is history that
Wisconsin at one time produced 800,000
balsa. None worth speaking of . is
grown there now.
New York, once a large produoer, bow
' grows less each year. Washington Is
decreasing her yield right along. Ore
- gon is forging ahead and while Madison
tcounty, New York, was once the largest
. hop-producing county in the worM, now
'Marlon county, Oregon, holds that title.
Oregon produces annually one-half the
hope grown 1n the United States and
there Is no telling the limits one state
will obtain.
The facts have been demonstrated
Ithat Oregon can grow hops at less cost.
'in the bale, than any other known sec
tion. In Europe, even with cheap labor,
;lt. costs It cents per pound to raise
hops and put them in the bale. In
.New JorX state. It costs about 18 cents
per pound to accomplish the aame re
sult. -Here in. Oregon Jops can ne pre
tduced for I cents. In some Instances
even- a trifle less. Why Is this possible?
'In the first place, Europe and New York
are obliged to fertilise extensively eacn
year as well as to fight vermin and
-weather conditions. Thle Is not ths
situation in Oregon and Weshlngton.
Our soil is deep, rich and. virgin; It hae
rot yet had to be brought up to tilth
by artificial methods.
While this Is so; yei it does seem
jfoily for our planters to vie with each
lother to see how cheaply they can pro
Iduce this crop. , To an onlooker, this
eemes to be the situation when growers
' enter into, pernicious contracts -at figures
hovering about 10 cents per, pound,
which, Is nothing more than an .average
jrioe. ' " ' "'V '
' " Uplands ant lowlaad. -'
In this state there is two hop-growing
sections and they are denominated up
lands and lowlands.. The lowlands pro
duce heavily and carry much foliage
liable to pests and ripen a trifle lata
' The uplands do not have near .the yield,
knor the foliage, nor so liable to vermin
nd ripen earlier. v
The average yield per acer, when the
oreage Is considered, amounts to about
00 pounds per acre. It ! -certain that
Oregon haa 26,000 acres and an average
yield under favorable clrcumstanoes
would be 100.000 to 110,000 bales of
hops, estimating each bale at 100
pounds. All of this will not be choice,
but range down quite a few. degrees.
The quality terms in vogue by deal
ers are: . Strictly choice, choice, choice
prime, prime,' common prime, medium,
nd each one means J net what its name
Implies. . .
- , . Sandy stiver Bottoms.
: The soil best adapted to the growth
of ths hop vine Is the low sandy rlrer
.bottoms, dry rolling sandy uplands, oak
grub lands and our black prairie lands.
The season being favorable to an eaay
harvest of the crop then the bottom
lands are beat.
When vaflable ellmatlo conditions pre
vail, then the rich upland are beet. The
liability to mold causes this distinction.
An early harvest of the crop Is very
fteslrable, and this la not so possible in
the bottom lands owing to heavy foliage
and rank growth. -
Every section produoe a slightly dlf
ferent grade of hops, differing only in
color. This, Is not due to drying, al
though sulphertng may bring the color
nearly the aame', but mother earth alone
la responsible.' . --;
V Susceptible to Oare.
No crop la so susceptible to oare and
cultivation as la the hop. When properly
carea xor the soli will produce enorm
ously, and as It cornea from the root
annually, does not have to be annually
planted, only cared xor ana produces ao-
ooraingiy. , ,. ',-- .
Kg Mm tow IHcklng.
Pickers will be better, paid this year
than formerly. It would mot be surpris
ing to see here a sate of (4c per box ef
nine bushels prevailing.-. Why? , Simply
because times are prosperous and those
who engage, In this work don't-have to
pick .hope unless price are remunerat
Iva Then, again, hops will sell higher
tnan usual, especially slnoe there are so
few contracts compared with former
years against the crop. r
This season growers may not Ilka the
4 ldea-of paying from 4 So to iOo per box.
yet it muatte paid, else the crop wUl.go
unpicxeo.
Hop picking Is an enjoyable outing in
addition to the financial aspect of the
ease. We find whole families that make
enough in a few weeks from hop picking
to keep them in good shape during- the
winter, i
Aa a; rule the hop farmer does much
toward making the picker feel "at home"
while on his premises, and it la not ln-
rrequenuy the caae that potatoes and
like vegetables are supplied freely to
pickers, and many of them maintain
neat and comfortable living quart era
. Pickers are already being enaaa-ed
and it la possible that there will be all
tne help necessary to harveet the crop.
A ywer ttatlatloa.
Oregon baa 2S.000 acres In cultivation
te hope. An everase yield car acre.
based on actual results, divided by ac
tual acreage, la loo pounds or there-
aoouia per acre.
It cost 11,260,00 to gather and cure
tne crop or Oregon hone In 1108.
. - The crop of hops In Oregon in ; 1801
netted the producers . 88.600.000.
At 26 cents per pound, an sore will
proauce. ixua. ana already this season's
crop, on the poles, has been sold at 2100
per acre.- . . . r
From' 24,000 to 26,000 people are em
ployed to garner the Oregon hop crop
each year. .
It takes IS days to harvest the Ore
gon hop crop and 1.000.000 pounds' are
cured daily on an average. . -
The hop crop is the uncrowned king
oi me wiuametie valley.
In this article the writer lia
deavored to treat the subject in a gen
eral manner that will Interest, and all
attempt to explain details are purposely
omitted.,'- Aa to- cultivation, cost of
planting put s yard, ooat of rarnerlnr.
best way to manage and cure the crop,
iM ior iuiure articiea
Should 2ffot Appear.
Statistics as to the' status of- the
crop since I860 are obtainable, and while
of Interest, should not appear In aa ar
ticle or una character.
.While passing throuah ths asxteu
tural building at . St. ' Louts. Mo., re
cently, the writer was attracted by the
uispiay or a large orewery concern and
a sample of hops which, upon Inquiry,
we were informed were Bavarian nana
Rubbing a sample between our hands
and taxing the professional whiff, we
were tola -that they were the very best
and Imported for use of this especial
orewery.-
The Individual In charge even went
so rar aa to say that they were an ex-
ceptlonat kind that was raised : from
vines especially planted each year, and
that they had to be replanted every
year. i
As the hop vine comes annually and
our . informant was apparently not
posted on hop growing, we passed on
to near otner hot-air stories.
Many breweries in the United State
Import continental hoes and brew choice
Deer ior favored and rich customers.
A certain brewer in Portland. It la re
lated, was once ahowlng an up-country
dealer through hla -establishment, and
the dealer was a hopgrower. Mr.
Breweryroan took him into his store
room to ahow him a few bales of "lm
ported hops," Just received. The head
brewerman was then taking out some
bops from one of these "imported bales'
and while so doing came across i
printed card, which, upon examination,
bore the 'aforeeald dealer - grower's
name, and the wealthy brewer found
out that that "imported" bale of hops
had left Oregon- and had been rebaled
and rebranded and returned aa the
genuine impgrim Kino.
It la- also related that dealer nowa
day insist on havtng "no cards" in
bales purchased. It was formerly a
practice among growers to have cards
printed bearing their name and address.
This was before "dealers were so
sctlve end growers had to seek the
buyer. .Now all this Is changed, and the
dealer seek the grower, 'and seeks him
often and earnestly.
' All Walks of life. . '
Hop picking brings together an un
usual' lot of people and they come from
all walks of life, not altogether for the
money they can obtain; but on account
of the healthfulness and the experience
to be had.
During the picking season fun and
pleasure rule supreme. There Is. the
hop-house dance to which no formality
Inure. Then there la visiting among
neighboring campers and hopyarda.
Candy pulling and all other olassee of
amusement, to say nothing of visiting
the villages and towns on one pretext -or
another. It' a Jolly, good-natured
orowd from start td finish and the best
of feeling and humor prevails, and ac
cident are turned Into mirth, and during
the long winter months form the topio
for entertaining ears around tne, home
hearthstone.
Other state may have their cotton
gathering, the corn husking bees, and
their winter sports, yet we in Oregon
long to live from one hop picking eeason
to another and write In our diary "H.
P., A. D. 1604."
Nor is the children overlooked: the
are in evidence and are decidedly In the
majority.
Thar is no easier, pieaaenter or more
healthy occupation to be found than that
of hop picking arid the outing Incident
thereto.
Schedule of Steamer T. J. Potter.
The seaside steamer T. J.. Potter will
leave Portland,- Ash street dock, for
Astoria, and Ilwaco a follow: .
August 6. Baturday, 1 p. m. '
Oet transportation and berth tickets
at O. R. at N. ticket office. Third and
Washington streets, .. , ' .
i :- I I I iv frn s-l . ; V Lor v a n VaVJl V - A M U II Vr U r
. H J, M X-I VYayV MM If I I W saaaaaw JW ST 1 " v " 1 .....
mmm
Mil :
and
-.'
IS NOT PROBABLE
at rmsszsTT Tarzms zs iroi sttt-
navLwr xakkostt akovov oo
z.urBiA mxTzm x.oo sn to tm
svma Tn svoczss or avt ob-
OAaTTSATIOaT.
At present the conditions do not ap
pear favorable for the formation of a
Columbia river Logger' association,
and there is a variety of conflicting
opinions among those Interested. '. Some
of the loggers complain bitterly about
the scaling; others . say that there Is
no une of curtailing the output as long
as the-Weyerhausers continue to put in
million of feet dally, while still others
oontend that they do not wsnt to be
used as figureheads In the move to effect
an organisation. Several of the loggers
have expressed themselves a satisfied
With present conditions.
One lugger says tnst tne rortiana
mlllmen have become familiar with the
loss from vsrlous localities along the
Columbia river and know Just what each
will produce In tne matter of clear.
A number of the smaller camp are
still closed driwn waiting for the log
market to look better, and some of the
large one have reduced' their output.
The Benson Logging . A Lumbering
company hag started up J is ClaUkanle
mam
iB
WM. Illl
EVERY 1IITLE GIRL
Who brought In a list of answers to the Puzzle. Pictures in our Furnishing Guessing
Contest. In fact, we gaye every little girl a card wnlch was a ticket for our Grand Trolley
Party. And we want all those little girls to be our guests' tomorrow afternoon.
We have engaged twenty cars, so there we will be room for all.' Don't stay away
on account of the crowd.- There will be anlce bag of candy, a pretty badge and a fine horn,
for each little girl. X! brass" band will furnish music for you and you will have ajflneride.
As a favor to us, we'll
good while, to get started, so
entrance as soon as you arrive
pass out to the cars by the front door. Bring your
' ntr- iT i in cti
BE AT 01R STORE TOMORROW AT 1:30 P. M.
gggggggggggggggggl
camp, after closing down for a few
weeks, but its Bunker hill camp on the
Washington side has been running con
tinually. . -
It L. Colvln of Marshland,' the larg
est individual logger in that section,, and
county commissioner of Columbia
county. Is at the St. Charles hotel., Mr.
Colvln stated that he was running his
camp and found ths demand for logs
good. He owns several thousand acres
of the beat grade of yellow fir, and
there Is a constant demand for this
timber as 4t produces a large percentage
of clears.
Air. Colvln said: "There Is no difficulty
In selling a high grade of logs at any
time. I receive 87 per thousand for my
logs, which Is likely all the market can
stand at the present selling prices of
lumber." In response to an Inqury, he
eald: "The scaling by the mill le sat
isfactory, and I hsve no complaint to
make on that score. . The present con
ditions ars hard on men who are cutting
a, poor quality of logs, and I do not
know what will become ' of some . of
them." (
L. Saldren of the Deep RlverJLogg1ng
company la taking things easy at his
home in this city. He has been in the
logging business on the Columbia river
for 80 yeers,-andsald that during that
period there hsd been Ave different
time when loge dropped to bottom
price. He as id:
"For aome time past t havs been
selling .to the Tongue Point Lumber
company, near Astoria. However. I am
again sending rafts to the Portland
mills, and find a good demand at the
present - prices, as the lumbermen are
anxious td get good logs. Although I
hsve Six donkey engines, the moat of
them are now lying Idle. I am working
a fore of only la men on aoooaos. of
ask you to be on hand at
come early. ; Please come
at oujtprejiyeryjitt!
BRING Y01R CARDS WITH
the prevailing low prices pf logs. The
loggers should curtail the output"
O. E. Elliott, a popular Marshland
logger, has gone Into bankruptry, his
liabilities amounting to about $25,000.
Unfortunate sawmill speculations Is
given aa the cause of hla financial diffi
culty, -John West, bookkeeper for the Ben
son Logging Lumbering company, has
returned from several weeks' stay at
the Oreen river hot springs In Wash
ington. James Muckle and family are' now
camped on the Coweeman In Washing
ton. -
8. Benson and family are camping on
the Clatskanle, above the terminus of
the logging railway.
TWO BBOW1T X CIOVDBTBST.
. (Journal pedal Service.)
" Boulder. Col., Aug. 8. A sudden rush
of water caused by a cloudburst over
whelmed a camping party In Bummer
gulch, near here, late yesterday after
noon, resulting In two deaths. Mrs.
Llna Chambers, of York, Neb., and the
It-year-old daughter of Charles Renkes
were swept away. Their bodies, badly
bruised, were recovered late last nlaht.
CASTOR I A
tot Infantt and Children. '
fha Kind You Hata Always Bought
Bears tb.6
BignAturt of
Al
For the little girls who handed
In answers to our Quesslng .
Contest last month.
TOMORROW AFTERNOON
AT 2 O'CLOCK
IS OIWITEB
1:30 P. Al., sharp. It will
Immediately to our Second
cards with you.
YOU
RECEPTION FOR
LOCAIi MiaXTS TXUVtVAB, WXU
. BBTTZJtTAIST DZLXOATIOaTS 1ASS-
nro txbouox na citt ex
BOUTS TO OOBOXATB KTTSBTTBO
X.ODOB wrxx. bb xzma obb sat.
The lth triennial conclave of the
Knights Templar will be held in Ban
Francisco, September to 10. Portland
Knlghta are making elaborate prepara
tions to attend the conclave, and will
leave September 8. The Portland dele
gation will consist of between 80 and 80
Sir Knights and their ladles. There will
be 80 ladles In the party.
Other parts of Oregon will be largely
represented at the conclave. There will
be two cars of knight from eastern
Oregon, one from Salem, and one from
southern Oregon. '
The conclave will be one of the larg
est that has ever been held. A number
of Canadian officials will be present and
an official representative will be sent
from Knglsnd, besides lsrge delegations
from all over the t'nlted eta tea.
The Pittsburg lodge, conneded to. be
one of the richest end laraest In the
United Btates. has chartered a special
train In which tn make the trip across
the continent. It will consist of Six
large Pullman sleepers, a 80-foot bag.
Sage car, a 6-foot dining car and tout I
take a
- street
..1
ft
-
compartment cars. The dining car was
built to order for the tourists. Ths
party will go by the northern route, ar
riving In Portland at 4:11 on the morn
ing of August 81. They will remain in
Portland until 4 o'clock in the after'
noon.N during which time they will be
entertained by . local knights. In ths
afternoon they will be tendered, a trol
ley party in special car a Ths party
will breakfast and lunohcat the Portland
hotel. In San Francisco they will be en
tertained at the Palace hotel. 60 rooms
having been engaged for the party.
trorroBS bcbbt at kaookb.
(Joersal Special gerrira)'
Macomb. 111.. Aug. I. The Military
Tract Press association, .' one of the
oldest state editorial organisations In
the country, held It annual summer -meeting
here today, rspers on topics
of interest to the editor snd th news
paper worker were presented by Will
Curtis of Kewanee, O. L Campbell of
Knoxvllle. Miss R. Louise Fitch of
Oalva. E. A. Bnlveley of Springfield
and a number of others.
1L J
Your Grocer is glad to
moneyback Schilling's Best;
it costs him nothing end trir 3
him good-will end ccr.
. ,