CHAPTER XIII 

 MARKETING THE CROPS AND VINEYARD RETURNS 



VITICULTURE, as all divisions of agriculture, is made up of 

 two quite distinct phases of activity: growing the crop and 

 marketing the crop. The subjects to be treated in this and 

 the next chapter belong rather more to marketing than to 

 cultural activities. Treated in detail, these operations con- 

 stitute matter sufficient for a separate treatise, and only an 

 outline of present practices is in place in a text such as this 

 devoted to the culture of the fruit. The several operations 

 to be discussed are picking, packing, storing, shipping and 

 marketing. 



HARVESTING IN THE EAST AND NORTH 



As the consummation of the care of the vine, the in-gathering 

 of the crop is celebrated in all European countries with re- 

 joicings in song, dance and mirth. In America the vintage is 

 less of an event than in Europe, but it is more picturesque and 

 diverting than the harvest of most other crops. It is work in 

 which youth and old age, as well as those in the prime of life 

 in both sexes, can take part and is reputed as a most healthful 

 occupation. For these reasons, the grape harvest in America, 

 as in Europe, has somewhat the air of a holiday, so that workers 

 are usually readily found for the several operations of harvest- 

 ing. Laborers come as grapes begin to ripen from near-by 

 cities and towns and neighboring country-sides in such numbers 

 that the care of the crop is speedily accomplished. 



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