1892 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER 
353 
Keeping  Tally  with  Berry  Pickers. 
FREE  CRATES;  WHEN  TO  PICK. 
In  keeping'  tally  with  berry  pickers  each  receives  a 
card  with  his  name  on  it.  When  he  brings  in  his  ber¬ 
ries  he  presents  his  card  to  the  foreman  who  punches 
a  hole  in  it  for  each  basket  brought  in.  A  similar 
record  is  kept  by  the  foreman.  A  common  conductor’s 
punch  is  used.  I  believe  in  free  crates  where  berries 
are  shipped  far,  but  not  for  the  home  market.  In 
picking,  my  berries  are  carefully  assorted,  and  the 
small  ones  sold  at  home  for  a  small  price,  to  be  used 
for  jam.  The  first  and  second  sizes  are  put  into  sep¬ 
arate  baskets.  I  use  the  Disbrow  crates  and  baskets, 
and  discard  all  that  are  soiled.  Fine  fruit,  clean 
baskets  well  filled,  with  the  contents  uniform  from 
top  to  bottom,  enable  me  to  sell  promptly  and  at  fair 
prices.  m.  Crawford. 
Picker’s  Cards  and  Checks. 
I  have  used  several  methods  for  keeping  tally  with 
my  berry  pickers,  and  none  of  them  has  proved  quite 
satisfactory.  The  best  is  a  card  numbered  to  represent 
100  quarts  for  each  picker,  the  collector  punches  out 
one  number  for  each  quart  as  received  from  the  picker. 
LA  CRESCENT  FRUIT  FARM, 
January  10,  1802. 
PETER  PLUNGER,  Berry  Picker. 
0|  1  1  1  1  1  | 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ;  i  1 1 1 1 
O 
o  I  1  I  1  I  1  1 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
ounui 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1  i  1 1 1 1 
0  1  1  1  1  1  1  | 
1 1 1 |i 1 1 1  i  j  l  j 1 1 1 1 1 1  i  1 1 1  i  1 1 1 1 j i  1 1 
uiii 
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1  fi  1 1 1 1 1  i  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
A  blank  shipping  tag  answers  very  well  for  the  pur¬ 
pose,  and  on  small  plantations  it  can  be  prepared  by 
hand  as  shown  above. 
M.  A.  Thayer,  of  the  Thayer  fruit  farms,  Sparta, 
Wis.,  is  using  a  system  which  I  think  better,  and  I  ex¬ 
pect  to  adopt  it  the  coming  season.  He  uses  small 
paper  checks  with  the  numbers  1,  2  to  0,  printed  on 
boxes,  and  the  different  numbers  on  different  colors. 
These  checks  are  numbered  consecutively,  and  used 
only  once.  By  this  method,  no  two  tickets  being  num¬ 
bered  in  the  same  way,  it  is  easy  to  tell  at  any  time 
the  number  of  boxes  picked,  and  this  is  a  protection 
against  fraud. 
Each  picker  is  furnished  with  a  carrying  case  capable 
of  containing  six  boxes.  These  are  numbered  to  cor¬ 
respond  with  the  pickers’  number  as  registered  on  a 
ledger  (each  picker  is  known  by  his  number),  and 
there  is  one  extra  box  for  each  when  they  go  to  the 
field.  When  a  picker  has  filled  the  carrying  case, 
he  calls  out  his  number,  and  a  berry  gatherer  removes 
the  six  boxes  to  a  shipping  crate,  and  leaves  six 
“  empties”  and  a  check  for  the  six  filled  boxes.  In  the 
meantime  the  picker  is  filling  the  extra  box.  The 
smaller  numbered  checks  are  used  on  quantities  less 
than  six  boxes.  These  checks  are  bound  for  conveni¬ 
ence  in  the  same  way  as  the  bank  checks,  and  cost 
about  10  cents  per  1,000. 
I  believe  in  free  boxes  for  all  markets  and  free  crates 
for  all  but  home  markets.  The  boxes  should  always 
be  clean  and  neat,  without  dirt  or  stain.  Returned 
boxes  and  crates  are  seldom  in  that  condition,  except 
in  the  home  market,  where  the  grower  may  peddle 
out  the  fruit  and  take  the  crates  home  with  him. 
I  use  only  the  square  Hallock  quart  boxes,  and  fill 
them  nicely  rounded  up  with  fruit,  and,  if  fancy,  I 
mark  on  the  crate  “  Extra  ”  or  “  Double  Extra.”  I  do 
not  think  the  fruit  would  pay  any  better  or  that  I 
could  sell  it  more  readily  in  fancy  boxes  or  cases. 
I  find  that  berries  picked  in  the  morning  after  the  dew 
is  off  and  after  4  p.  m.  keep  and  ship  better  than  those 
picked  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  j.  s.  karris. 
Organization  Among  Fruit  Growers. 
THE  RACINE,  WISCONSIN,  ASSOCIATION. 
The  tendency  in  these  progressive  days,  in  all  de¬ 
partments  of  trade,  is  towards  centralization,  either 
by  a  concentration  of  numerous  small  businesses  into 
one  large  one,  or  by  cooperation  among  small  busi¬ 
ness  men,  which  removes  that  ruinous  competition 
which  has  been  so  damaging.  Farmers  and  fruit 
growers  have  suffered  because  of  this  centralization  in 
all  lines  but  their  own.  To-day  they  are  learning  the 
lesson  taught  them  by  their  fellow  citizens  and  are 
organizing  in  a  business  way,  for  their  own  protection. 
The  milk  producers  supplying  many  of  the  larger 
cities  of  the  country  are  notable  examples.  The  peach 
growers  of  Delaware  are  another  and  the  most  recent 
is  a  very  promising  organization  of  farmers  and  fruit 
growers,  known  as  the  Racine  Fruit  Growers’  Associa¬ 
tion,  of  Racine,  Wisconsin.  The  officers  of  the  associa¬ 
tion  are  Frank  Kasper,  .Tr.,  President;  W.  J.  Handle, 
Vice-President;  A.  .1.  Fidler,  Secretary;  B.  B.  North- 
nip,  Treasurer  ;  Henry  Ratcliff,  Agent  and  Manager, 
the  latter’s  address  being  (>38  Washington  Avenue, 
Racine,  Wis.  The  organization  is  chartered  by  the 
State,  without  capital  stock  and  with  150  members  at 
the  start.  In  addition  to  the  officers  named,  it  has  a 
full  board  of  directors.  The  objects  of  the  association 
are  dual — it  will  serve  as  an  agricultural  society  in  one 
function.  At  its  meetings  the  members  will  discuss 
all  questions  pertaining  to  their  business,  such  as 
varieties  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  methods  of  cultiva¬ 
tion,  fertilizers,  etc.  The  association’s  second  func¬ 
tion  will  be  to  secure  better  prices  for  the  products  of 
its  members  as  well  as  better  shipping  facilities  and 
better  rates.  In  a  general  way,  it  hopes  to  reverse  the 
old  order  of  business,  which  has  been  for  the  individu¬ 
als  to  consign  their  fruit  to  commission  merchants  in 
the  various  markets  with  which  they  have  dealt.  In 
place  of  this,  the  organization  proposes  to  bring  the 
buyers  to  it.  The  manager  will  receive  all  the  products 
of  the  members  and  arrange  for  their  sale — as  far  as 
possible  in  car-load  lots.  Racine  ships  annually  from 
75,000  to  00,000  crates  of  strawberries  and  it  is  easily 
seen  that  with  such  a  trade  cooperation  among  pro¬ 
ducers  must  be  of  great  practical  benefit.  The  associa¬ 
tion  has  already  established  a  branch  receiving  station 
at  Berryville,  Kenosha  County,  and  expects  to  have 
another  at  Tabor.  The  former  is  four  miles  south  of 
Racine,  the  latter  4%  miles  north.  The  agent  will 
mass  the  fruits  in  car-load  lots  and,  as  far  as  possible, 
sell  them  to  buyers  at  Racine.  When  this  is  not 
practicable,  he  will  consign  them,  selecting  the  most 
convenient  markets  and  keeping  himself  informed  as 
to  the  situation  by  the  ordinary  trade  machinery. 
Cleveland,  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati,  Minneapolis,  St. 
Raul,  Omaha,  Kansas  City,  Denver  and  St.  Louis  are 
among  the  markets  which  are  available.  Questions  of 
grading  will  be  settled  as  fast  as  they  arise  and  are 
practicable.  As  a  rule,  a  car-load  lot  will  be  of  uni¬ 
form  quality.  Sliarpless  and  .Jessie  of  extra  size  and 
quality  will  be  billed  separately.  The  berries  of  this 
section  have  an  enviable  reputation  in  the  markets — 
they  are  firm,  generally  choice  varieties  and  bear  long¬ 
distance  shipping  very  well.  Every  crate  of  berries 
and  package  of  fruit  shipped  will  bear  the  brand  of 
the  association  and  the  name  of  the  grower. 
A  circular  sent  out  to  the  trade  by  this  association 
announces  that  it  is  in  the  field  for  business  and  solicits 
orders.  It  announces  that  the  shipping  season  for  as¬ 
paragus  opens  May  1,  and  for  strawberries  June  20. 
The  late  vegetables  will  be  kept  in  cold  storage  or 
otherwise  as  may  be  best  adapted  for  them,  and  the 
association  will  be  ready  to  furnish  1,000  car-loads  of 
cabbage,  potatoes,  parsnips,  etc. 
Naturally  enough,  the  commission  merchants  in  the 
large  cities  do  not  look  with  favor  on  this  move.  A 
Racine  paper  notes  that  the  Chicago  commission 
houses  have  combined  to  send  a  representative  down 
to  Racine,  who  will  endeavor  to  convince  the  farmers 
and  fruit  growers  that  the  new  movement  cannot  suc¬ 
ceed.  He  will  have  his  labor  for  his  pains.  The  pro¬ 
ducers  are  in  this  movement  to  stay.  It  is  entirely  prac¬ 
ticable.  Two  things  only  are  needed— patience  and  fa  itli. 
The  organization  must  expect  to  make  some  mistakes 
and  must  not  expect  to  accomplish  everything  in  a 
single  season.  Let  the  members  stand  solidly  and 
firmly  by  it  and  they  are  absolutely  sure  of  success  in 
the  end.  They  are  moving  on  sound  business  lines 
and  The  Rural  New-Yorker  wishes  for  them  and  be¬ 
lieves  they  will  achieve  a  substantial  victory  over  the 
parasites  who  have  so  long  sucked  the  substance 
from  them. 
Farm  Tools. 
WHAT  ARE  INDISPENSABLE? 
In  The  It.  N.-Y.  of  March  20  is  a  picture  of  the  tools 
used  by  Mr.  Terry  in  growing  clover,  potatoes  and 
wheat.  The  collection,  while  interesting,  is  well-nigh 
appalling,  at  least  to  a  man  of  limited  purse  who  is  on 
only  ordinary  terms  with  the  manufacturers.  This 
rotation  of  clover,  potatoes  and  wheat  is  an  admirable 
one  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  question  of  tools  will 
not  hinder  any  one  from  following  it  if  his  soil  and 
situation  seem  to  favor  it.  It  does  require  a  good  many 
tools  to  be  sure.  The  question  I  have  asked  and 
endeavored  to  answer  for  myself  is  what  must  I  have 
to  do  good  work,  here  in  Trumbull  County,  Ohio. 
In  preparing  a  clover  sod  for  potatoes  one  wants  a 
plow,  a  disc  or  Cutaway  harrow,  a  smoothing  harrow 
and  a  “smoother” — sometimes  called  a  lump  smasher 
or  scantling  harrow.  The  last  two  can  be  made  at 
home  at  little  expense.  I  make  the  “smoother”  of 
4x4  scantlings,  taking  four  pieces  0%  feet  long,  and 
spiking  2x4  strips  across  the  ends,  and  two  strips  across 
the  top,  to  which  I  fasten  the  clevises.  I  put  the 
scantlings  together  so  that  they  will  move  edgewise 
rather  than  on  the  flat  side.  This  is  a  good  thing  to 
pulverize  and  level  the  surface. 
I  have  found  it  satisfactory  to  join  with  two  or  three 
neighbors  in  purchasing  some  high-priced  tools,  such 
as  a  grain  drill,  potato  planter  and  twine  binder — 
tilings  not  used  more  than  from  one  to  three  days  in  a 
year.  This  greatly  reduces  the  capital  necessary  to 
start  in  this  business,  and  has  worked  well  so  far  in 
my  case.  I  hesitate,  however,  to  recommend  it  to 
others  ;  but  the  right  persons  will  flail  it  a  help. 
For  the  cultivation  of  the  potato  crop,  a  Planet  Jr., 
or  perhaps  two,  and  a  Breed’s  weeder  will  be  needed. 
In  preparing  potato  ground  for  wheat  no  other  tools 
are  required  except  a  roller.  Let  us  see,  then,  what 
we  have  invested  : 
Plow .  $10.00 
Cutaway  harrow .  28.00 
Smoothing  harrow .  o.OO 
Smoother .  1,50 
Potato  planter  (one-third  interest) .  22.50 
Breed's  weeder .  si.oO 
Planet  Jr,  (two) .  12.00 
Potato  digger  (one-third  Interest) .  35.00 
Grain  drill  (one-third  interest) .  23.00 
Fanning  mill  (one-third  interest) .  8.00 
Binder  (one-third  interest) .  40.00 
Roller .  25.00 
Mowing  machine .  10.00 
Horse  rake  (revolver) .  4.00 
Wagon  and  rack .  00.00 
Total .  $884.00 
This  is  about  as  low  as  I  have  been  able  to  fig'ure  it. 
I  have  omitted  some  tools  shown  in  The  R.  N.-Y.  pic¬ 
ture,  which  may  be  desirable,  yet  one  can  get  along 
without  them  and  do  excellent  work.  c.  G.  williams. 
Non-Returnable  Fruit  Packages. — In  an  article 
written  for  the  Vineland  Independent,  Col.  A.  W. 
Pearson  says: 
Judging  by  the  teachings  of  the  experiences  related, 
nice,  clean  fruit  packages,  or  nice  fruit,  are  matter's  of 
indifference  to  the  farmer,  and  only  of  interest  to  the 
retailer  of  berries.  The  chief  interest  to  fruit  growers 
in  a  general  adoption  of  non-returnable  fruit  packages 
will  be  found  in  the  increased  facility  g'iven  for  ex¬ 
tended  distribution  of  products,  lessening-  the  liability 
to  “  gluts  in  our  markets.”  This  surely  will  be  an 
important  and  beneficent  result  of  this  reform. 
Imagine  what  would  be  the  consequence  to  prices  of 
the  crop  of  sweet  potatoes  in  Southern  New  Jersey  if 
the  barrels  in  which  they  are  shipped  were  conditioned 
returnable  to  the  shipper!  Or,  how  would  it  be  with 
the  grape  crop  of  our  country  if  grape  packages  were 
“returnable?”  Plainly  these  products  could  not  be 
handled  and  profitably  sold  under  these  conditions. 
The  chief  objection  urged  by  berry  growers  to  “gift 
crates  ’  is  that  they  don't  like  to  lose  the  value  of  the 
old  crates  they  own  They  seem  not  to  look,  beyond 
the  trifling  loss  they  may  suffer  by  this  sacrifice,  to  the 
gain  which  may  come  to  them  through  the  use  of  non- 
returnable  packages.  There  is  a  queer  sentiment  con¬ 
nected  with  the  rural  valuation  of  the  berry  crate.  It 
is  private  property.  It  is  painted  according  to  the 
owner’s  taste  and  distinguished  by  the  owner’s  mark. 
He  cannot  bear  to  part  with  this  veteran  relic  of  the 
past,  which,  when  not  carrying  berries,  may  do  duty  as 
a  hen  coop.  He  will  wince  at  the  thought  of  sending 
away  “  gratis”  a  dirty  old  berry  crate,  which  may  be 
worth  to  him,  perhaps,  25  cents,  in  order  to  sell  with 
it  a  bi;shel  of  berries  which  may  return  him  $3.25  ; 
while  he  will  freely  buy  a  non-returnable  potato  bar¬ 
rel  costing  30  cents  to  ship  in  it  three  bushels  of  pota¬ 
toes  which  may  return  him  $1.75;  or  he  will  buy  a  gift 
grape  package  costing  30  cents  to  ship  in  it  40  pounds 
of  grapes  which  may  bring  him  in  market  $1.50.  This 
is  “  rural  financiering.” 
Business  Bits. 
The  steamer  Majestic  recently  took  from  this  city  to  England  147 
crates  of  strawberries,  13  cases  of  tomatoes  and  20  barrels  of  pine¬ 
apples.  They  arrived  In  good  condition  and  were  sold  at  auction  In 
Liverpool,  bringing  good  prices.  It  was  a  successful  experiment 
which  we  hope  will  be  repeated. 
Paint,  axle  grease  and  stove  polish  are  three  things  that  make 
farm  life  neater  and  easier.  One  gives  the  barn  and  house  a  neat 
look,  and  another  makes  a  sweet  cook.  The  axle  grease  saves  lots  of 
labor  and  the  paint  stirs  up  a  shiftless  neighbor!  That  Is,  all  these  de¬ 
sirable  things  happen  when  you  get  a  good  article.  The  "Graphite 
Productions  ”  of  the  Jos.  Dixon  Crucible  Co.,  Jersey  City,  N.  J.,  are 
first-rate.  Every  store-keeper  and  every  farmer  should  read  the  Il¬ 
lustrated  circular  sent  by  this  firm.  It  Is  new  and  sound. 
The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  Spokane,  Washington,  is  making  a 
determined  effort  to  advertise  the  good  things  about  that  locality. 
Those  who  communicate  with  the  Chamber  will  receive  some  very  In¬ 
teresting  facts  about  the  new  State  of  Washington. 
The  Leffel  Water  Wheel  and  Engine  Co.,  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  has 
found  its  name  too  long  and  has  therefore  changed  it  to  W.  C.  Leffel 
Co.  Anybody  can  write  that  name  on  a  postal  card  asking  for  Informa¬ 
tion  about  water  wheels. 
Bone  Meal  for  Cows.— About  15  years  since,  while  in  the  dairy 
business,  in  Queens  County,  N.  Y.,  I  had  an  experience  similar  to  that 
of  E.  D.  H.,  related  In  The  R.  N.-Y.  of  May  5.  On  passing  the  pasture 
one  day  I  discovered  nine  cows  of  a  herd  of  25  chewing  old  bones.  I 
procured  some  finely  ground  raw  bone  flour,  and  gave  each  cow  a 
small  handful  in  the  feed  for  several  days,  and  in  very  short  time  the 
propensity  for  chewing  bones  seemed  to  have  left  them.  If  a  little 
bone  flour  is  given  occasionally  afterward,  the  difficulty  never  returns. 
I  think  The  Rural’s  deduction  as  to  the  cause  correct- a  lack  of 
phosphate  in  the  food."  w.  e.  b. 
More  Wide  Tires.— If  H.  8.  L..  P.  P.  W.,  and  S.  M.  J.  If.,  and  a 
majority  of  the  voters  of  any  State  wish  to  compel  themselves  and  the 
minority  to  use  wide-tired  wheels,  they  can  do  so.  There's  nothing  new 
about  such  tires.  If  farmers  are  required  to  use  them,  why  not  com¬ 
pel  ail  others  to  do  so  7  For  50  years  I  have  tried  to  understand  all 
things  in  my  business,  and  herein  Greene  County,  N.  Y.,  wide  tires 
have  been  condemned.  Nearly  every  writer  in  The  R.  N.-Y.  on  this 
subject  fails  to  exhibit  any  technical  knowledge  in  regard  to  mechanics, 
and  so  they  are  only  empiricists.  G.  e.  mott. 
“Spraying  Crops:  When,  Why  and  How,  by  Clarence  M.  Weed. 
Illustrated.  New  York.  1892.”  A  book  with  a  purpose,  and  that  pur¬ 
pose  excellently  carried  out  with  skill  and  judgment.  There  is  none 
too  much  of  it.  and  none  too  little  for  its  purpose.  The  explanations 
and  directions  are  clear  and  precise.  Every  person  who  cares  for  a 
garden  needs  it,  if  only  as  a  reminder  of  what  spraying  can  do,  and 
how  effectively  and  readily  it  can  be  done.  It  is  good,  good,  good  1  It 
can  be  most  especially  and  confidently  recommended  as  a  handbook 
for  the  village  fruit  grower  who  has  not  as  yet  realized  the  importance 
of  large  and  more  pretentious  crops,  as  well  as  to  the  fruit  farmer. 
