37 



per cent of the crop marketed. Probably fully one-half of the 

 fruit in Barnstable and Plymouth counties is of the Early Black 

 variety, a very heavy cropper, ripening about September first and 

 usually a fair keeper for a berry harvested so early in the season. 

 The Early Red is also a standard early berry. Later varieties in- 

 clude the Howe, Belle, Bugle, Matthews, Batchelder, McFarland 

 and Centennial. The Howe is a standard fruit and probably more 

 largely grown than any other late variety. 



The so-called late kinds are usually in condition to harvest by 

 September 20, and are generally all gathered by October 10. As 

 the market is then quite well supplied with the early fruit, many 

 of the late berries are gathered a little green and placed in the 

 storage-houses to color and ripen. 



The harvesting was formerly all done by hand, the fruit being 

 gathered by the fingers, then when ready to be packed it was placed 

 in long racks or screens, from which the defective berries and dirt 

 were all taken. This large amount of hand labor made the har- 

 vesting very expensive, usually from $3.50 to $4.50 per barrel. 



The section of bog to be harvested is divided by lines placed 

 from six to eight feet apart, two workmen usually occupying the 

 same row. There are now several patterns of scoops or picking 

 machines used, the most common being a wooden box, with round, 

 wooden teeth, twelve inches long and a half inch in diameter, pro- 

 jecting from the lower edge. A handle is attached to each side 

 of the larger scoops, and the implement which is used in both 

 hands, will hold from ten to twenty quarts. The smaller ones 

 have one handle on the top, the same being held in the right hand, 

 and this will hold from six to twelve quarts. The teeth are placed 

 just far enough apart to allow the vines to pass between them, 

 while the fruit is drawn into the scoop. In use these scoops are 

 plunged into the vines just below the fruit, then tipped upward 

 and forward, this motion clearing the teeth from the vines and 

 leaving the fruit within. 



Another machine which is largely used is known as the " Lam- 

 bert patent." This is smaller than the first described, holding 

 about two quarts. It has wire teeth, about six inches long, for 

 the lower side of the box, the top and sides being hinged, with a 

 movable front, which is held in place by a spring worked by the 

 thumb, while the handle is held in the fingers. The teeth are 

 shoved into the vines, the front is sprung to them, which pulls the 

 berries into the scoop as it is withdrawn from the vines. This 

 machine does not break off as many vines as the larger wooden 

 scoop, and thus leaves the fruit in a cleaner condition. 



In using these tools the pickers carry along a six or twelve quart 



