A B C OF STRAWBERRY CULTURE. 209 



REDUCING THE EXPENSE OF PICKING. 



Friend Williams gave a valuable suggestion right here. 

 Both he and Mr. Barber had their berries picked at the rate of 

 5 cts. for a four-quart basket. Now, it costs more than this to 

 get our berries picked ; but we pick them every other day. 

 Friend W., by using Crescents and Cumberlands, can wait three 

 or even four days, as the berries are firm enough to stand han- 

 dling, even if some of them are a little overripe. You see, the 

 pickers can work cheaper where the berries are very plentiful. 

 Heavy mulching, with his peculiar soil, perhaps helps to raise 

 berries that will stand this length of time between the pickings. 



Before I was half through looking at and sampling the 

 Haverlands, Cumberlands, Jessies, etc., the sun was setting, 

 and I was ten miles from home Saturday night. Oh what a 

 nice thing is a wheel ! We were back in the fields about half a 

 mile from the road, and the half-mile was up a long steep hill. 

 I suggested that I could cross the fields and strike the road in 

 the valley, as that route would be much less hilly for me for 

 my trip home. Now comes in the advantage of a light wheel. 

 I could hang it over my shoulder, climb fences, or get through 

 bushes, without much hindrance. It made me puff some until 

 I struck the highway, and then what a delight it was to spin 

 along a road almost level ! To really enjoy wheeling to its full- 

 est extent you should walk occasionally until you are tired of 

 walking ; then the wheel comes in and gives you that delicious 

 rest. A boy in his teens came down from a pretty house by the 

 way, and mounted his wheel. He did not see me ; but I thought 

 I would, just for the fun of it, run past him and show him 

 what an 18 Ib. Rambler could do. But I did not show him the 

 Rambler at all. Do you know why ? Why, he kept ahead of 

 me in spite of any thing I could do, and in a little time he was 

 away off in the distance, clear out of sight, even if his wheel 

 did weigh more than twice as much as mine did. Never mind. 

 I always feel glad when somebody gets ahead of me, even if I 

 had planned otherwise at least, I hope I do ; and I am cer- 

 tainly happy in seeing the boys and giris put distance to naught, 

 even outdistancing myself in it. There seems to be something 

 especially fascinating about wheeling during twilight ; and aft- 

 er visiting California and Florida, and experiencing almost sud- 

 den darkness as the sun goes down, I enjoy our Ohio twilights 

 more than I ever did before. 



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