670 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



The driver, wliose duty it is to keep the pickers supplied with empty 

 baskets, keeps the tally of the baskets he hauls to the field, and 

 also sees that the pickers' count of picked grapes agrees with his 

 when he hauls to the storage house. Both the pickers' and his own 

 count are given each day to the owner or manager of the vineyard, 

 and by him credited. 



The grapes remain in the storage house from 24 to 48 hours, 

 when they are covered and hauled to the station, are loaded into 

 refrigerator cars, after being inspected and pronounced satisfac- 

 tory, and if the weather is warm, are iced with about four tons of 

 ice."^ A car is loaded with baskets, 10 to 12 high, and contains 3,000 

 to 3,300 baskets. In inspecting a load of grapes, the inspector en- 

 deavors to examine some baskets of each picker's packing, and if 

 her work is slighted or improperly done, her number leads to detec- 

 tion, and she has to correct the fault in the future or she is dis- 

 charged. 



The bulk of the grapes is sold by the growers themselves, who are 

 organized into an association, with a manager, secretary and board 

 of directors, who retain one-half cent on a basket and fl.OO per ton 

 on bulk grapes as an expense fund for loading and marketing. If 

 this is more than sufficient for the purpose, the balance is re- 

 turned to the grower. The sales of grapes are pooled in periods of 

 three days, each grower receiving the same price that have shipped 

 in that time. All the large associations keep a representative or 

 agent in the principal distributing centers, like Chicago, Pittsburg 

 and New York. If from any cause, the market becomes bad, the 

 agent notifies the home office and shipments cease for a time to 

 that point. If the markets generally become disorganized, word is 

 passed to the growers and picking and loading is suspended until 

 the markets rally. 



The manufacture of grapes into jellies, unfermented juice, etc., 

 is becoming quite a factor. We are building such a factory at my 

 home town of North East. The plant has a capital of half a million 

 dollars, and is expected to be one of the largest in the United States. 

 This will materially afl:ect the shipment of grapes from our station, 

 and give us a home market for much of the products of our vine- 

 yards. 



The trimming of vineyards is mostly done in winter. The brush 

 is removed from the wires and hauled out then or in early spring 

 with a horse hitched by a chain six feet long to a pole 15 feet in 

 length. This does the work very well and better than would seem 

 possible. The brush is burnt, broken stakes replaced, wires tight- 

 ened in the spring, and the tying is done by women, who are paid 

 from 12^ to 15 cents per hour for their labor. 



Women help board themselves in the boarding houses which the 

 growers have built for that purpose and furnished with stoves, 

 tables, chairs, bedsteads and mattresses. The pickers provide their 

 own sheets, quilts and provisions. Butchers, bakers and grocery 

 wagons visit those away from the towns and keep them supplied 

 throughout the season. 



We have found it necessary to insist upon certain rules among 

 our help. A fixed rule for retiring is among the most important. 

 There are always some among the girls who will keep late hours, 



