Puyallup Growers Face a New Threat
Hop lice and a mysterious 'snapping beetle' have been sighted in Puyallup yards, causing concern among local growers already strained by a lack of funds.
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The hop lice have made their appearance in the yards contiguous to Puyallup, having been seen last Friday and Saturday for the first time. A small wave of excitement was caused by the circulation of a report of another enemy of the hop vine putting in an appearance in the shape of a beetle. Some claim it to be the common snapping beetle. It was said these nipped the extreme end of the growing vine and retarded its growth in an alarming degree, but Fred S. Meeker said they very seldom took the end of the vine, but simply extracted the juice and left a wound. Growers are not preparing extensively for spraying, on account of lack of funds, and some will lose their crop unless they are able to buy the necessary material.
“Growers are not preparing extensively for spraying, on account of lack of funds, and some will lose their crop unless they are able to buy the necessary material.”
This report highlights the precarious nature of agriculture in the Pacific Northwest, where small-scale farmers were often one infestation away from financial ruin—an issue that persists in modern Washington farming.
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