In the United States, the culture of hops was introduced as early as 1625 in New Nether lands, and 23 years later in Virginia, but al though encouraged by special legislation in 1657, never assumed its present important agricul tural role until 1800. During the first half• of the 19th century Vermont produced seven eighths of the entire United States crop; and Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine were the thief hop States, but as the quality of the New York hops was far superior, and the quantity three times as great, the former States soon abandoned hop culture.. The result was that during 1850-65 a small portion of New York, lying south of the New York Central Railroad between Rochester and Albany, monopolized the hop raising of the United States. Small patches were planted in Wisconsin and Michigan in 1860 and in 1866, when the New York crop was completely destroyed by vermin, Wisconsin hop-growers obtained exorbitant prices for their excellent product, which induced many to plant hops, expecting to realize a fortune in a few years, but the prices speedily declined ow ing to an overproduction. During 1870 and 1880 New York again was at the head. but at that time fresh competition began to develop on the Pacific Coast. The °Russian River" hops of California were a marvel; their texture was as silk"); their color (bright ; they were °clean picked" • their (content of lupulin" equal to the best German brands, so that hop culture there advanced quickly to 40,000 bales, the yield of 1902. The hop crop of the United
States in 1909 was 40,688,000 pounds, distributed as follows: Oregon, 21,770 acres, 16,583,000 pounds; California, 8,391 acres, 11,995,000 pounds; New York, 12,023 acres, 8,677,000 pounds; Washington, 2,433 acres, 3,433,000 pounds. The acre-yield in the States mentioned was California, 1,400 to 2,200 pounds; Wash ington, 1,200 to 2,000 pounds; Oregon, 1,000 to 1,600 pounds; New York, 600 to 1,500 pounds. The highest acre-yield recorded was for a locality in Sacramento County, Cal., on a piece of alluvial land four feet deep, where 4,000 pounds to the acre was harvested. The New York hops brought nearly double the price in the market that the Pacific Coast hops com manded, and the imported Bohemian hops brought double the price of the New York hops. New York hops are almost entirely con sumed in the United States, while the greater amount of the Pacific Coast hops (especially Oregon) is exported. The English production is scarcely ever sufficient for its needs, so that Great Britain must import some and mostly takes Oregon hops, because they are especially adapted to the English ale brewer's require ments.
Consult Myrick, H., 'The Hop: Its Culture and Cure, Marketing and Manufacture' (New York 1899) ; United States Agricultural Depart ment's Farmers' Bulletin 304; United States Plant Industry Bureau Bulletin 271 and cir cular 33.