GATHERING AND SELLING THE STRAWBERRY CROP. 235 



the fact that I leave the pigs in there until I want my apples, 

 and any apples that fall to the ground the pigs get them, and 

 they do not stop to pick the worms out either, and in that way 

 we get rid of many insects and worms; and just as soon as we 

 get our apples picked they pick up all the refuse, and I have 

 never been bothered with but very few wormy apples. I put 

 rings in the noses of the large hogs, but the little fellows only 

 go a couple of inches into the ground and they cultivate, and 

 I let them cultivate all they want to. That is my method, and 

 it has been a very successful one. 



Mr. Philips. (Wisconsin): How did that orchard that you 

 cultivated in that thorough manner in the fall compare with 

 other portions of the ground that you did not cultivate ? 



Pres. Underwood: That orchard did not fruit this season; 

 there was very little fruit in that orchard, and I did not expect 

 the cultivation would have very much to do with fruiting. It 

 bore heavily the year before — the one nearest the house. I 

 will say it was much more pleasant to look at than it was when 

 you were there, and the trees made a fine growth. 



Mr. Philips: It made me think of home a little. 



GATHERING AND SELLING THE STRAWBERRY CROP. 



C. W. Sampson, Eureka. 



The subject asaigaed to me I consider a verj^ important one, al- 

 though the past four years we have been bothered very little in 

 gatherings and selling the strawberry crop. The manner of picking, 

 packing and marketing is an important factor in growing berries, 

 and it often determines the success or failure of the business. In 

 picking we employ mostly women and girls and have no small 

 children at any price. Each picker is supplied with a six quart 

 picking stand, and two pick on a row, one on each side of the row. 

 The boxes are well rounded up, and no over-ripe or soft berries are 

 allowed in the box. When the stand is full, it is taken to the pack- 

 ing shed and each picker receives a six-quart ticket, provided the 

 fruit has been properly picked. Pick all beds four times a week, 

 picking everj'thing clean on Saturday. 



A person who will not pick fruit clean from the vines and place 

 in the box without bruisingand stain or dirt, in or out of the box, 

 should be discharged at once. If fruit growers, in the start, will 

 insist on thorough systematic work, our pickers will soon learn to 

 do their work well, and many dollars thus be saved. Uniform 

 prices, so far as possible, should be paid to pickers, and one thing 

 bear in mind, large fruit can be picked at one cent per box easier 

 than inferior fruit at one and one-half or two cents. Therefore, 

 good varieties in good soil, well cultivated, will save you money in 

 picking. 



