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The canning of blueberries on a commercial scale was begun in 

 Maine as early as 1866 when A. L. Stewart of Cherryfield 

 packed some of the fruit procured from the neighboring wild 

 lands for the Portland Packing Company. J. W. Jones, a 

 pioneer in the corn packing industry, was engaged in the can- 

 ning of blueberries in 1870, as were also William Underwood 

 and Company, Jonesport, Maine. 



BLUEBERRY RAKE. 



Before canning the fruit was deemed practicable, "the plains" 

 were considered common property and people came for fifty and 

 even one hundred miles for a week's outing and to gather blue- 

 berries for their own use, and to sell to the merchants of neigh- 

 boring cities and villages. The timber on the plains was fast 

 being destroyed by fires which were set by the blueberry pickers 

 and, in 1870, Mr. Freeman, who owned some forty thousand 

 acres of the wild land, decided to charge a small royalty for the 

 fruit picked on his lands. Most of the packers paid the small 

 amount demanded without question, but the Underwood Com- 

 pany refused and after repeated attempts to get them to recog- 

 nize his right of property, a suit for trespass was instituted 

 by the owner. The trespass continuing, other suits were 

 brought and the case was finally carried to the supreme court 

 before it was decided. The final decision was a complete victory 

 for Mr. Freeman a judgment of $1,700 being granted and the 



