THE STRAWBERRY* 1G7 



where the picker keeps his record card, and when fruit 

 has been picked the record is made by punching out the 

 proper number of boxes. At the end of each day or 

 week, as the case may be, the first card is taken up and 

 the total number is punched on another card, which 

 is kept by the picker until payment is made. In picking 

 the fruit, each berry should be picked by the stem, and 

 not be pulled off, and for a local market should be 

 allowed to become fully ripe before being picked. 



Sorting and PacHng — It will be found very diflBcult 

 to find pickers in many places who will sort the fruit 

 as 23icked so that it will be most satisfactory for a f anc}^ 

 market, and it is therefore the practice of most growers 

 of fancy fruit to have it sorted and packed in a shed or 

 house near the strawberry field. All that is done often, 

 where the pickers are reliable, is to sort over and pack 

 the top layer of berries, picking out any defective berries 

 and replacing them with sound ones, and turning the 

 top layer so as to present the best appearance. Others 

 turn out all of the berries in a box and sort and pack 

 all of the fruit. This must be done very carefully, or 

 the berries will be so crushed that they will not stand 

 up long after they reach the market. If, however, this 

 is properly done, the fruit will keep longer, for all of 

 the overripe berries having been removed, decay will be 

 less rapid, and much better prices be obtained. 



Many growers make two sorts, those that are perfect 

 in every way and of large size, and those of small size 

 and possibly with some other defect. The second grades 

 are sold for canning, making syrups, etc., and often will 

 sell at as good ])rices as the average run of berries not 

 sorted, while the fancy berries bring high prices and 

 sell the seconds. 



The common bushel crate or carrier is the most 

 used for shipping to near markets, but when shipped 

 long distances those holding forty-eight or sixty-four 



