FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 6j 



The cones are found on the uppermost lateral branches, and usually at the 

 tips, within six to ten feet of the crown. The greatest number are on the tip 

 top, with the largest and best cones on the ends of the lateral branches or twigs. 



Cratfyering tl)e Cones. 



After a trip through the Adirondack forests to find a favorable location for 

 carrying on the work, a place was selected in the vicinity of Fulton Chain, where 

 the trees were bearing well. There were six large lumber camps within a few 

 miles, and the trees that were felled by the axemen gave us easy access to the 

 cones, which were clinging thickly to the tops. 



Progress at first was very slow. It was difficult to obtain laborers for this 

 peculiar work. The men around the logging camps could not understand why 

 any one wanted "Spruce buds," as they commonly call the cones. They hesitated, 

 and were afraid to pick by the bushel. No amount of assurance that they could 

 pick a certain number of bushels per day would get them started. Then again 

 the "loose men" about a place are usually not very reliable, and one hesitates in 

 hiring them by the day, especially if they are to be left to work by themselves. 

 But the State requires only eight hours' labor for a day's wage, while the men in 

 the lumber camps had to work ten hours or more, and so I succeeded finally in 

 hiring enough help. 



The cones were picked from the fallen tops on the lumber jobs; but as the 

 location of each job was three or four miles from Fulton Chain, it became neces- 

 sary for the men to board in the logging camps. These camps were crowded 

 with their own men, but through the courtesy of Messrs. McMulkin, Wakely and 

 Harwood I secured accommodations for the cone-pickers. It was a pleasure to 

 note the interest taken by the lumbermen in this work, and I desire to acknowl- 

 edge here the substantial assistance afforded by them whenever an opportunity 

 occurred. 



The prevailing high rate of wages — thirty-five dollars to forty dollars per 

 month, with board — rendered the task of securing good men more difficult, 

 especially as our job was a short one. But I finally obtained the few men I 

 needed, industrious fellows, who did good work. The first man began September 

 tenth at two dollars per day, and the second man on the twelfth. On the morn- 

 ing of the fifteenth four men went to work at seventy-five cents per bushel, and 

 on the sixteenth a third man by the day. 



Each man provided himself with a small axe, pail and a bottle of kerosene oil. 

 He worked alone, following up a pair of sawyers, picking the cones from the 



