208 JLessons in Fruit Groviing. 



Section 2. — The Employment and Management of Labor 



324. The object to be attained by labor on tlie fruit plan- 

 tation is the performance of the various necessary opera- 

 tions in the proper manner, at the proper time, and at the 

 minimum cost. While few of .the operations connected 

 with fruit growing require special skill, there is a best 

 way, and a best time to perform every one. Sufficient 

 labor must be employed to accomplish these ends, and the 

 supervision of this labor must be such as to insure their 

 accomplishment at a minimum cost. The foreman of labor 

 on the fruit plantation has therefore a most responsible 

 position. 



325. Qualifications of the foreman. The foreman should 

 not only know the best time and the best method for per- 

 forming every necessary operation on the fruit plantation, 

 but he should have the tact to induce every assistant to 

 perform the work assigned liim according to the highest 

 standard, and at a reasouabh^ rapid rate. The price re- 

 ceived for strawberries will depend considerably upon the 

 stage of ripeness at which they are picked, and the man- 

 ner in which they are handled and placed in the package. 

 The quality of the peach or plum crop will depend much 

 upon the care exercised in thinning the fruit. The fore- 

 man's supervision must be continuous and must extend to 

 the smallest details. A persistent process of selection must 

 be exercised with the assistants, retaining, so far as prac- 

 ticable, only the fittest. The wages paid must, of course, 

 be sufficient to retain the best. 



326. Organization of labor On large plantations, work 

 will often necessarily be going on at more than one place 

 at the same time. In such cases, a sub-foreman will be 



