SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 173 



1 larvcstiiig- and ])uttino- up produce ready for market is 

 a part of the work which needs to be nicely done. I'roduce 

 must be put up right to command good prices. It must be 

 clean, even in quality and well filled packages ; in fact, it must 

 be O. K. in every respect to demand the top price. 



Two or three men who are expert at harvesting and jnit- 

 ting up stuff will make a great impression on the looks of 

 the stuiY offered for sale. They are cjuick to see any wav in 

 which the looks of stuff' may be improved. Such men com- 

 mand good wages and are welcome to them. 



The dexterity of an expert or experienced man seems 

 something marvellous to a green hand. His eye is trained to 

 see, and he knows at a glance just what is fit to harvest and 

 makes no fuss or false motions about it. In cutting lettuce, 

 cabbage, cauliflower or in picking corn or melons he show.-- 

 his value. 



Workmen usually put in half time on holidays and re- 

 ceive full pay. l)ut on some farms they who wish, work, and 

 get pay, while those absent get none. 



Strikes of workmen are seldom, if ever, known where 

 large gangs are employed — twenty-five to seventy-five hands— 

 about one-half the number is made up of boys or Italian wo- 

 men, and if they stay away for any reason, the farmer sees 

 the rapidity with which the old hands will get uj) a load foi 

 market and leaves no doubt in his mind as to the difference in 

 value between experienced and green hands. 



The kind of a strike which the farmer likes best is one 

 in which he has the stuff when the market is short and de- 

 mand good. That is his chance to make money. The profits 

 of the business are variable from year to year, some years 

 being very good and some very poor. 



The tendency of the market gardener is to use the profits 

 of the business in adding to the equipment for doing business 

 until he is well fitted out, and then he tries to find some new 

 line in which to work in more capital. 



On the large places where hands are employed there is 

 found a blacksmith, engineer, painter, glazier, harness maker. 



