88 CRANBERRY CULTrRE. 



The old ]>lan was to ])ick in baskets, and then ]»our tlie 

 berries into basfs, only takiiiix them ui) at noon or nisfht 

 to be measured ))y tlie boss; tlie number of pecks or 

 busliels picke<l by Till Willifts or TTannali Hutler, beinc^ 

 then credited to them in liis book. Tlie objections to thi«^ 

 system were serious: the l)erries Avere unnecessarily han- 

 dled ; the trouble of measuring a large lot of fruit, wliilo 

 the pickers were standing around, impatient to get home, 

 was very great ; and the accounts, kept under such circum- 

 stances, were not always to be depended upon. Hannah 

 would keep lier own account; and if, in the settlement, 

 yours did not correspond with it, Avhat could you do but 

 allow hers ? 



These inconveniences induced growers to look about 

 for something better, which they found in the jieck boxes 

 or baskets^ now used. The barrels are taken into tlie 

 meadow, and deposited in some spot convenient to the 

 pickers. When a ])eck box is filled, it is brought up and 

 emptied by the picker, who in turn receives a ticket, 

 somewhat like this. 



ONE PECK. 



(G7Vive?'\<! Name.) 



Other tickets, of different colors, and larger denomina- 

 tions — for instance, one bushel, and five bushels — are 

 convenient to exchange for these. The object in having 

 them of different colors is, that they may be distinguished 

 at a glance, without reading. 



This does away with all measuiing, all book accounts, 

 and all mistakes. The tickets represent so mucli money, 

 and are frequently used as such at the neighboring stores. 



Another method is to liave each peck box numbered, in 

 large figures, and keep the accounts in a book ; the picker's 

 number being used instead of her name. The advantage 



