Today in 1913, US Patent 1054551 A was issued, an invention of Emil Clemens Horst, for his “Method of Picking Hops.” There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “invention comprises a method of picking hops and [he has] disclosed in the accompanying drawings apparatus by which my method may be performed.”

To the attainment of the desirable results which will be hereinafter more particularly described, the method which I prefer to employ as comprehended in the scope of this application is as follows: First: Passing the hop vines over and in contact with suit able picker mechanism. Second: Depositing the hops by gravity into a suitable conveyer by means of which they’re carried to an inclined cylindrical separator. Third: Subjecting any clusters to a further separating action, then causing the hop stems and trash to be elevated and repassed through the separating cylinder just de scribed. Fourth: Finally conveying the hops to the dry house from the combined cleaning mechanism.