DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE.
ALTON.]—HOP INTELLIGENCE.—The improvement in the hops continues. In gardens where a month ago not a hop was expected, the growers have the satisfaction of knowing that they will pack two or three cwt. per acre of good hops; while in many of the best gardens there are from seven to ten cwt. per acre. Everywhere the stringed hops look well, and show that, with some contrivance to afford more space for development, the method would be worth substituting for the old system. Those who desire to see the stringed hops in perfection may have their desire gratified by a visit to Hillfield, the property of Mr. F. Crowley, above Ash Dell, on the south side of the town. In this piece there is very little bine; the fruit is large, clean, and of a bright yellow colour, and the clusters hang in graceful festoons from the strings. It is seldom that artificial training is mixed up with so much of natural beauty. In the adjoining field, "Fowl Sloe," belonging to Mr. Dyer, is to be seen probably the finest crop of hops in Alton parish on the old system; and it will be interesting to know in which of the two fields the largest quantity per acre has been grown. The advocates of the old system maintain that Mr. Dyer's poled hops will grow two cwt. per acre more than Mr. Crowley's stringed ones. It is to be hoped that the quantities may be accurately taken, so that a fair estimate may be made. Alton parish and the parts immediately adjacent will yield from five to six cwt. per acre. There is a portion of the Alton district which is certainly, as regards hops, the favoured spot. On the main lands, under the range of hills running from near Petersfield to Worldham, including parts of the parishes of Steep, Sheet, Empshott, Greatham, Selbourne, Hartley, West Worldham, and East Worldham, are to be seen the finest hops produced in the district since the famous crop of 1859. While the hops throughout the country have been eaten up by blight, most of these have entirely escaped. At the present time they present a beautiful appearance. There is not much bine generally, but it is clean and fresh; the fruit is very large, and free from discoloration of any kind. The produce varies from ten to 20 cwt. per acre. One of the best crops in that highly favoured locality is that of Mr. John Turvill, of Hartley, who is well known as an intelligent and successful agriculturist. Mr. Turvill's hop crop will average 15 cwt. per acre, certainly not less. Three of his fields, lying around the Candovers homestead, are worth going fifty miles to look at. The yield in these fields will be a ton per acre. Many of the hills will yield two bushels of hops each; while, with the exception of one acre, the whole extent of land under cultivation is quite free from blight of any kind, and the fruit is particularly large and bright. Certainly, Messrs. J. Turvill, D. Turvill, H. Matthews W. Butler, Daddy, Bromwich, Seward, &c., whose lands constitute this Goshen of the hop crop of 1867, must be congratulated on their special good fortune.