MARKETING CHERRIES 1155 



and sent by freight as long distances as plums or peaches. Like 

 other fniits, cherries will *' stand up " much longer when grown in 

 a dry season than in a wet one. In a rainy season, picking- 

 should begin three or four days earlier in the ripening process 

 than is safe to wait in dry weather. The period that may be 

 counted on for picking sweet cherries is about one week and for 

 sour ones, two weeks. In large commercial orchards the usunl 

 method is to begin picking as soon <as the fruit is ripe enough to 

 be all taken from the trees, making but one picking, although it 

 may be necessary to leave some in the center of the trees during 

 the first two or three days. This, however, increases the cost of 

 harvesting, as it is expensive to go over the trees a second time 

 moving ladders and baskets. 



FIG. 378. LOADING CHERRIES FOR CANNING FACTORY 



HELPERS FOR HARVESTING 



For the smaller orchards the help employed consists of women 

 and children from nearby towns, but where large numbers are re- 

 quired, Italians or other foreigners are brought from the cities 

 nnd housed in the orchards. The great advantage of this plan is 

 that it is not necessary to furnish teams to carry the helpers 

 daily to and from the orchard, and they are on hand to work 

 during that part of the day which has been broken into by rain, 

 even though it be only for an hour or two at the close of the day. 

 This precious time would be lost if day helpers were employed. 



