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circumstances would seem to afford a good opportunity of testing whether an excess of nitrate—despite there being an abundance of mineral food in the soil—had proved in any way injurious to the quality of the hops. Mr. Chapman was therefore asked to "place" the samples with special care, and his report is as follows, with the exception that the proper letters and descriptions of the plots are now substituted for the arbitrary marks which were placed on the samples themselves, in order that Mr. Chapman might again be entirely unbiassed by any information as to the origin of the samples. Mr. Chapman says:—
"In accordance with your request, I have made a general examination of these samples, with the object of placing them in the order of their value to the brewer, with the following results":—
| Plot. | Annual dressing per acre. |
| F | Phosphates, potash and 10 cwt. nitrate of soda. |
| S | 20 loads London dung, 6 cwt. superphosphate, and 6 cwt. nitrate of soda. |
| B | Phosphates, potash and 2 cwt. nitrate of soda. |
| D | „ „ 6 cwt. nitrate of soda. |
| E | „ „ 8 cwt. nitrate of soda. |
| X | 30 loads London dung. |
| C | Phosphates, potash and 4 cwt. nitrate of soda. |
| A | Phosphates and potash, without nitrate. |
| No. 9 | (another part of farm). 6 cwt. superphosphate, 2½ tons of wool-waste, and 5 cwt. guano, without nitrate. |
"I may say," continues Mr. Chapman, "that although there is a marked difference between the extreme members of the above series, the neighbouring samples resemble one another somewhat closely.
"No. 9 is distinctly inferior in every respect. Its resin percentage is rather low, its aroma is unsatisfactory, and it is very much discoloured.
"In placing these samples I have paid attention to the quantity of condition, the aroma, and general physical characters, as well as to the percentage of preservative resins and the absence of blight and other disease, and, in forming a judgment, have endeavoured to assign to each of these factors that amount of importance which I believe it should possess from the brewer's point of view.
"At present market values I consider 'F' to be worth 60s., and the following six samples would gradually fall to 50s. in the case of 'C.'
"I should not advise any brewer to purchase the last two samples in the present condition of the market."
