292 Bush-Fruits 



They are then run through a fanning mill to drive 

 out the leaves. This method is most satisfactory in com- 

 mercial work. It will not answer for ripe fruit, which is too 

 easily crushed. Pickers are paid about 1J/2 cents a quart, 

 and will average from sixty to one hundred quarts a day. 



Some growers cut away the older stalks, which should 

 come out the following spring, picking the fruit after re- 

 moving them from the plant. Some fruit is usually pulled 

 off in doing this and not much is gained by it except 

 that the work may be conducted in a more comfortable 

 place. It may help the busy housewife who has fruit to 

 pick from her own garden, on a hot day, or suggest a 

 way whereby the gardener himself may help. 



At the present time the market calls for green goose- 

 berries only. In this stage the fruit will carry almost 

 any distance in first-class condition. Ten-pound grape 

 baskets are excellent for shipping and general market 

 purposes, though the quart berry baskets are still much 

 used. It is a pleasure to pack this fruit for shipment. 

 It is so clean and solid, and there is a feeling of security 

 that it will remain so until it reaches the consumer. 



The gooseberry, even more than the currant, seems to 

 have fallen into general disrepute. This may be partly 

 due to the fact that the housewife often thinks that she 

 must snip off the stem and dried blossom of every fruit 

 before it goes into the cooking dish. This is a tiresome task, 

 and she may well be pardoned for not wanting to care 

 for many of them. To try to convince her that this opera- 

 tion might be omitted is probably useless. 



A few quarts may be sold to a family here and there, 

 but even the larger towns and cities seem to demand but 



