GATHERING AXD SELLING THE STRAWBLRRY CROP. 



storajje chambers j;oes out. Hereto- 

 fore, that has not been any one's 

 business, and sometimes cars of 

 butter and cheese have been left on 

 the wharf or in the yards ; and the 

 contents have been damaged. If 

 notice is given to the inspector by the 

 shipper at the starting point, he will 



see that it is talcen care of ; and only 

 the actual outlay for cold storage will 

 be charged forward on the Bill of 

 Lading. It is not thought right that 

 the Government should do more than 

 this free ; no charge will be made for 

 the services of the inspector. 



GATHERING AND 



SELLING THE 

 CROP. 



STRAWBERRY 



HE subject assigned to me 

 I consider a very im- 

 portant one, although 

 the past four years we 

 have been bothered very 

 little in gathering and selling the straw- 

 berry 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 si.x-quart picking stand, 

 and two pick on a row, one on each side 

 of the row. The bo.xes 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 packing shed and 

 each picker receives a six-quart ticket, 

 provided the fruit has been properly 

 picked. Pick all beds four times a 

 week, picking everything clean on 

 Saturday. 



A person who will not pick fruit clean 

 from the vines and place in the box 

 without bruising and 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 socxi 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 

 2 267 



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. 



The fruit grower must be prepared to 

 handle his berries promptly, and know 

 just what to do with them as soon as 

 ripe. All boxes and cases should be 

 provided beforehand and pickers en- 

 gaged. Your boxes and cases should 

 be well made, clean and neat, without 

 stain or dirt. Never use old or second 

 hand boxes and cases, as the looks of a 

 package has a good deal to do with sell- 

 ing the fruit. Let your boxes be well 

 filled, and don't put poor fruit in the 

 bottom. Sort out all imperfect, soft or 

 green fruit and throw it away. You 

 cannot be too strict in the picking and 

 handling of the strawberry crop. Get 

 your berries on the market early in the 

 morning ; if sent by express, they should 

 go on the first train in the morning or 

 late the afternoon before and be ready 

 for the early morning trade. If a large 

 shipper, I would not send the whole 

 shipment to one house, but divide them 

 up between two or three good firms. 

 In that way they are all sold early in the 

 morning and bring the top price. Berries 

 for long shipment should be picked 

 before fully ripe, and not when wet with 



