Rate of Picking as Influenced by Size and Yield 



The size and yield of strawberries in general declines as the season ad- 

 vances, and so does the time and cost of picking. Peak size is reached before 

 peak yields, so picking time decreases for a few days and then increases for 

 the balance of the season. 



Some varieties drop faster than others in size and in percentage of 

 quarts which will grade large. This is quite important as it is a factor in 

 yield, picking cost, and prices received. (See Figure 6.) 



Picking Time as Related to Yield 



In picking Great Bay strawberries in 1949, the time per quart increased 

 from 5^/2 minutes to 22 minutes, while the yield per acre per picking dropped 

 from 1,900 to 330 quarts. Size is also involved for it drops as yields de- 

 crease, and both are important factors in picking time and costs. (See Fig- 

 ure 7.) 



Cost of Picking 



Costs of picking vary a great deal and are influenced by labor supply, 

 location of the patch, and the character of the picking. The picking in turn 

 is influenced by thickness of the vines, the. yield and size of berries, and 

 freedom of the patch from grass and weeds. The bulk of the strawberries 

 cost between 5 and 10 cents per quart to pick in 1950 and 1951. Based on 

 the picker handling test rows, costs for different varieties in 1950 ranged 

 from 6.7 to 9.2 cents per quart, if a wage of 60 cents per hour were used. 

 (See Tables 5 and 6.) 



Quarts 



Under 3 3-5.9 6-10.9 II-I5.9 16-31 



Yield in Quorts per lOO' row at each picking 



Figure 6. Time in picking strawberries as related to size and yield. 

 Data averaged for all varieties in 1949. 



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