THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
February 4 
78 
A BASKET OF GRAPES. 
THE CROP AT RAKE KEUKA. 
The Whole Story Told. 
( Concluded .) 
Building the Basket. —The work of 
building 1 the basket is usually done by 
girls who, by constant practice, become 
very expert, making 600 or more in a 
day, and earning 25 cents per 100. A 
solid block of wood just the shape of the 
inside of the basket, is used as a form 
around which the basket is built, the 
sides being tacked to the bottom, and 
the top finished within and without with 
a narrow band, all being done much 
quicker than I can describe it. The 
handles are cut out, steamed, bent and 
tied in bundles of 500, but are never at¬ 
tached to the basket at the factory, that 
being left for the vineyardist. 
As the baskets are made, they are 
nested, or piLed one within another, like 
milk pans, in lots of 25, and are so stored 
at the factory and delivered to the user. 
The makers deliver the goods when 
enough are ordered to make a wagon¬ 
load, from 5,000 to 8,000. The little wire 
hooks with which the covers are f astened, 
constitute a separate industry ; they are 
the invention of a Penn Yan man, who 
manufactures them and nothing else. It 
takes 500 of them to weigh a pound, and 
as 10,000,000 baskets of grapes are sent 
from here each year, it can be readily 
seen that he has made billions of them 
The Marketing. —With the increase 
in acreage, has developed the present 
system of marketing. At first, each 
grower shipped independently, when, 
where, and to whom he pleased, usually 
consigning to some commission merchant. 
The country was overrun by solicitors of 
commission houses. Then the railroads 
put on a fruit train, running one or more 
cars each day to each of the principal 
eastern cities, and to some of the smaller 
cities two or three times a week, thus 
giving the shippers the benefit of car¬ 
load rates to almost any market. Still 
they were at the mercy of the commis¬ 
sion men. Next the growers formed a 
“Union” for marketing their grapes, 
which, for various reasons, failed to 
operate after two years. 
The matter has now settled into the 
hands of a few local dealers, who buy 90 
per cent of the crop, the grower getting 
a check for his load the next day after 
its delivery. He is thus relieved from 
all uncertainty concerning price, and 
tedious waiting for returns. The lead¬ 
ing buyers have every facility for hand¬ 
ling the fruit quickly and cheaply—an 
office with telegraph operator, stenog¬ 
rapher, several bookkeepers and ac¬ 
countants, a storehouse as long as a train 
of cars, with steamboat landing on one 
side, and a car track on the other. The 
floor of the storeroom is level with the 
car floors, and its doors are exactly op¬ 
posite the ear doors, so that several cars 
can be loaded at once. A hundred or 
more low, iron-wheeled trucks, which 
will hold 300 or more baskets each, are 
in constant use. These trucks are sent 
up the lake each day on the steamers, 
grapes are loaded at the numerous land¬ 
ings on to these trucks ; 10.000 or 20,000 
baskets can be drawn from the steamer 
to the storehouse in a few minutes, and 
here they stand until an order comes by 
telegraph to the office for a car-load of 
grapes. The order is telephoned to the 
storehouse, the trucks are then rolled 
into the car, where lively boys place the 
baskets in rows across the car; in an 
hour the car is loaded and ready for its 
destination. 
From 1,600 to 2.000 cars of 5,000 baskets 
each, are shipped annually from Lake 
Keuka. Until within a year or two, it 
has been difficult to market our grapes 
in any quantity west of Buffalo, there 
having been a discrimination in freight 
rates in favor of the Lake Erie and 
Chautauqua districts. But by continued 
effort, one dealer here has built up a 
trade, mostly in red grapes, which will, 
this season, reach 150 car-loads, They 
go in car lots to the large western cities, 
and are there distributed to smaller 
places, even reaching the mining dis¬ 
tricts of the Rocky Mountains, being 
carried up on the backs of mules. 
Woman’s Part in the Grape Business. 
—So much of the work in the growing 
and picking of the fruit, as well as the 
making of the basket, is comparatively 
light, requiring skill and speed rather 
than strength, that many women and 
girls find employment for a portion of 
the year, some basketmakers working 
the entire year. The tying of the vines 
in Spring and Summer is largely done 
by women, also some of the picking, and 
all of the sorting and packing. They 
usually earn 50 cents a day and board, 
or 75 cents a day without board. Girls 
prefer to “ work in grapes” rather than 
to “workout”, the latter expression 
meaning house-work. It is often impos¬ 
sible to hire a girl to help the mistress 
cook, wash, iron, etc. Many girls who 
would feel insulted if asked to work in 
the kitchen, will beg for a job packing 
grapes, or will work all Summer in a 
basket factory. Work in grapes is con¬ 
sidered on a par in respectability, with 
school teaching, dressmaking or clerk¬ 
ing in a store. e. c. gillett. 
At Easton, Md., the price of tomatoes for the 
season of 1899 has been advanced to $6.50 and $7 by 
the packers themselves. A few years ago, $5 a 
ton was all the packers were willing to contract 
for, and some of them tried to get discounts from 
that price; but the competition is so keen now 
that the prospects of the growers are much im¬ 
proved. 
Thb Black Peach aphis is reported as damaging 
Maryland peach orchards seriously during the 
past two seasons. Great injury is reported to 
young trees set out last Spring and Fall. Among 
remedial measures suggested and tried by the 
Maryland Experiment Station, spraying with 
kerosene emulsion was found to be most effect¬ 
ive. The formula used was as follows: Hard or 
soft soap, one-half pound; water, one gallon; 
common kerosene, two gallons. Put the water 
in a vessel holding four or five gallons; add the 
soap by shaving it into thin pieces; place on the 
stove and bring to the boiling point, and pour 
the kerosene directly into the water. 
J. W. Killen, of Delaware, tells us how he pro¬ 
duced 600 baskets of corn and 12 loads of straw 
on an acre. We have heard some big stories 
from Delaware, but perhaps this is the largest 
yet. Blow did he do it ? Why, he raised a crop of 
sweet potatoes, and took the money to buy the 
corn and the straw. This raising of crops by 
proxy is just as honorable as raising them 
directly out of the ground. Sometimes it is good 
business policy to raise the crop that does best 
in your locality, and then exchange it for some¬ 
thing that does better somewhere else. A fair 
exchange of this kind may mean less robbery of 
the soil, than where no exchange is attempted— 
but it’s hard on the other man sometimes. 
A Valuable Reference Book 
Is the Catalogue issued this year by the 
Chautauqua Nursery Co., of Geneva, N. 
Y. Their Nurseries comprise about 300 
acres, and their stock is of the Highest 
Grade, while prices are lower than ever. 
Send for their Catalogue; it’s Free. 
Every order carries with it a Certificate 
of Inspection.— Adv. 
Vegetable Plants. 
Make money by raising early vegetables. Our 
plants are guaranteed to be of good size, and to be 
grown from extra selected seeds. Tne largest estab¬ 
lishment in tne United States devoted exclusively 
to the raising of vegetable plants. The prices quoted 
below are for transplanted, well-hardened plants. 
Per 100. Per M. 
Cabbage plants ready March 15.$0.40 $3.00 
Tomato plants ready May 1.40 3.00 
Celery plants ready March 15.40 3 00 
Pepper plants ready May 1.40 3.00 
Eggplant plants ready May 1.50 4.00 
We raise all of the leading varieties. Stamp for 
catalogue. Cash must accompany all orders. 
J. E. HUTTON, Conyngham, Pa. 
Apple, Japan Plums, Cherries, and a full 
line of fruit trees at low prices. Write for who.e- 
sale list. C.F. MacNair & Co., Dansville, N. V. 
/^T T T™' A T'i in price but not in quality. 
I r“i 1“^ AA Trees, Plants and Vines. 
A A J—4 * v A W ite for Catalogue, free. 
ALLIANCE NURSERIES, Rochester, N. Y. 
NUT and 
FRU8T 
TREES 
300 ACRES—61 YEARS 
Superior stock of all desirable 
varieties of Chestnuts, Walnuts, 
Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums; 
shade and ornamental trees ;small 
fruit plants, etc. Catalogue free. 
PARRYS’ POMONA NURSERIES 
Parry, Now Jersey. 
Almost Given Away 
s 
E 
E 
D 
S 
To INTRODUCE THEM 
15 pkts. Vegetable Seeds, 25c. 
10 pkts. Flower Seeds, 10c. 
NEW PROLIFIC DENT CORN 
Cash Prize for Longest Ear 
Large pkt.,10c. 
Our Elegant Seed, Plant and Live 
Stock Annual Free 
THE SAMUEL WILSON CO 
MECHANICSVILLE, PA. 
s 
E 
E 
D 
S 
THE PAGE 
TWO CENT STAMPS 
WILL BRINC 3 PACKACES 
Sweet. Penn, or 8 packages Pansy Seed, 
ort package each of Aster, Mignonette, 
mid Sweet Pens, or 15 packages choice 
Vegetable Heeds. We do this TO ADVER¬ 
TISE OUR SEEDS and gain new customers. 
The stamps pav postage and packing, only, 
WE GIVE YOU THE SEEDS and ask you to show 
them to your friends. CATALOGUE FREE 
with every order, also free for the asking. 
SEED CO., Dept. E. Greene, Chenango Co. N.Y. 
Good News for all our Readers. 
By special arrangement A. T. Cook, the well-known 
seedsman of Hock City, N. V.,wlll send a valuable 
book on “The Window Garden.”—How to Make it a 
Success—free and postpaid to any reader who will 
send him two 2-cent stamps for his Mammoth 15-cent 
Collection of Choice Mixed Flower Seeds—over 300 
lovely varieties of beautiful, easy-growing flowers. 
His Illustrated Catalogue will accompany the seeds. 
Order AT ONCE, and name this paper, and he will 
add free a superb Litho. Painting, entitled “Morning 
Glories.” 
A FirstClass "Potato 
— ‘ —■‘YMiSJtEE" 
OLDS 
’ 1899 
NOVELTY. 
Originated by Marvin Bovee. 
Earlier than “The Bovee” 
Smoother than “The Bovee.” 
Better Ylelder than “Bovee.” 
Other leaders for 1899 are Vigorosa, Bovf.f.. Acmk, 
Early Michigan, Sir Walter Raleigh. Joseph, Living¬ 
ston, World’s Fair, Carman No. 3, <fcc. Choice Stock 
at Low Prices. Buy Seed Potatoes of a Potato Man. 
Outnloiriie FREE. T I AT T)C Pj»wer G, 
Seedn of nil kind*. L* IS. 
Whiton’s White Mammoth Potato. 
The wonder of the age. 
Write for circular and 
see wbat 8 . H. Todd, 
Alva Agee. C. G. Wil¬ 
liams, C. 8 . Clark, Ed. 
C- Fletcher, Cbas. Mc- 
Clave, Cortland L. Hill, 
of Ohio. B. J. Morgan, 
of Michigan; Jno. H. 
Bobrer, of Indiana; L. L. Olds, of Wisconsin, and Sol 
Hopkins, of Colorado, who have tested this potato 
forme, have to say about it. For sale exclusively by 
W. W. WHITON, Wakoman, Ohio. 
DATIITn CAD ||—For 15 day^ will mail you 
rU I A I U I AH III one pound of any potato 
you wish. Kemit 8 cents postage required. Potatoes 
and circular free. 75 kinds. 
S. J. SMITH, Manchester, N. Y. 
WE’LL BUY OR SELL SEEDS 
TIMOTHY, CLOVER, ALSIKE 
SEND SAMPLES FOR OUR BIDS. 
New methods of cleaning enable us to save all the good 
seeds and remove all the weed seeds. We can therefore 
pay fair prices for seeds—every quality—and can sell 
clean seeds at close prices. Booklet Seed Sens* free. 
*8E WHITNEY-NOYES SEED CO., BUFFALO, N. V. 
GRAFTED CHESTNUTS r $14 £ 
this season. Do you want some trees? I have them for sale. My Catalogue names prices and kinds. 
Full line nursery stock. ARTHUR .1. UOUIjIN.S, Moores town, Burlington Co,, N. J. 
Our’99 Catalogue The Best 
No fancy plate pictures or overdrawn de¬ 
scriptions, but our honest experience with 
all plants and trees. Our prices are right 
for A I stock, and no “ extras ’’ for packing. 
We hat it everything any fruit grower can need. 
T. J. DWYER & SON, Box 1, Cornwall, N. Y 
is always the cheapest, and especially so 
when the best cost no more than the othet 
kind. All the standard and new varieties 
of fruit trees, plants, vines, etc. No 
“ extras ” for packing. Catalogue free. 
T. J. DWYER & SON, Box 1, Cornwall, N. Y. 
&0RCI 
—a few Wholesale Prices below, for orders LARGE OR SMALL. Write for COMPLETE List, Stark Fruit Book, etc.—all Free 
We BUD nearly 2 Million apple trees a year (more, probably, than any 6 other nurseries), and 
whole root graft over ‘2 million. Othortrees, vines, etc., in proportion. A vast output and the ever in¬ 
creasing demand for Stark Trees enable us to give values impossible to nurseries with smaller output. 
One Unwavering Aim — to supply trees of high gualityand best sorts, at low cost. We do not 
try to compete with our friends who consider price only. Trees sold for almost nothing are generally 
worth just that much. We grow trees of the better class, in large lots, thereby making extremely 
low prices. We can send you safely, anywhere, prepaid as below, trees as good as can be grown. 
HIGH Quality—NOT High Price. 4th (Bargain) size 1-yr. wh. root grafted Apple, thrifty trees 
of the size, $22.50 per 1000, 300 for $6.75 (2 Yff. each!), with freight paid on $12 orders; 4th size ‘‘Battle 
Ax” pc. rt. at even a less price (and much less value, butasgooaas any “mail size”), 300 for $3.75, etc. 
EASY Terms: One-fourth before shipment, balance on arrival. Or, we’ll ship without one cent 
in advance, you to have blank form on Order Sheet (free on request), regularly filled out. 
GET UP CLUB among neighbors, save money for ail: Get free freight on $12 clubs, get 
lower rate, etc. For your trouble add to order, free of charge, trees to amount of 10% of Club Order; 
these extra trees should go to Club Maker, but of course may be divided pro rata, or as desired. 
DAV FQFIOfT to any freight station in the U.S., on orders of $12 and up, bought at 
TT v? I r\ I I l\l_lv7l!l 1,10 or 100 rate. We do not j>ay freight on stock Ixiught at 1000 rate 
(except as noted below), nor on stock shipped by Express. It is wasteful to express strong, dormant, 
well packed Trees, etc.—unless order is small, 15 or 20 lbs., when express is often as cheap as freight. 
We Box and Pack free. Paper line all boxes. Replace free (some, % price.) Give 10 trees at 100 rate, 300 
at 1000 rate. Guarantee Safe arrival, trees true to name, free from scale,—Guarantee SATISFACTION. 
FREIGHT oS'S&TS I-YR. APPLE bought at 1000 rate » aUeast $12 
THREE Sizes of all 2-Yr. trees (besides Bargain or 4th size) are made in our Packing Cellars: 
XX, Extra (5 to 7 ft.), includes also XXX size (£ to 1 inch diameter), the size sure to please. 
X Size (4 to 6 ft.), excels “1st class” of some. Even trees of 3d Size (3 to 4 ft.) are young, thrifty, 1st 
class of the size. Of course dwarfish-growing sorts are not so tall, nor are kinds of various habits 
of growth all alike. Peach are strictly 1-yr.—XX usually 5 to 6 ft.; X, 4 to 5 ft.; 3d size, 3 to 4 ft. 
A\rrr yp I nn L trees also go into 3 Sizes (besides Bargain or 4th size): XX, 3 to 5 ft.; X, 2J2 
l/lirz" I IV. njipic to3ft.; 3d Size, 2 to 2)4 ft.—even our 3d size excels “1st class” 1-yr. of some. 
Stark fruit Book is praised by ablest experts beyond any similar work;—FREE. 
Exact, up to date, boiled down information ... 74 pages .. . free from trashy novelties.—Rural New-Yorker 
A Masterpiece . .. splendid colored plates, and full of most valuable information. Deeply interesting 
to the learned .. . will instil a horticultural spirit into boys... Visited Stark Nursery and Offices; a 
more careful, exact system of doing business I never saw.. . The half has not been told I—Judge S. Miller 
Infringers WARNED .—The Names of the several new Trade Mark varieties, are our exclusive 
trade marks, and there is and can be legally, no public and commercial use of same, except by us. 
ETDg IIX TUFfC iJflT" 10 Trees of one sort at the 100 rate; 
I IVUI I 1 l\L.I_0 hence no “10 rate” printed. This applies to 
entire list except Grape Vines and Small Fruits 
APPLE—Usual sorts, Ben Davis, Baldwin, Bellflower, Benoni, Gano 
M. Blush, Mo. Pippin, N. Spy, Rambo, Rome Beauty, Wealthy, 
'Winesap, etc. (See wn. List), I-YR. whole root grafted (2-yr. roots).. 
Same sorts, I.YR. BUDDED whole root (3-yr. roots). 
\ m . “ strictly 2-yr. (3- and 4-yr. roots)..... 
** Senator (Trade Mark),Champion(Trade Mark),StaymanWinesap, 
Barry, Starr, etc., I-YR. wh. rt. gftd. (2-yr. roots). 
a APPLE of C0MMERCE(TradeMark),BLACK BEN DAVISffrade Mark), 
DELICIOUS (T. Mark), E’Y MELON, etc., 1-YR.,wh.rt.gftd.(Z-yr.roots) 
** Ben Davis (“Battle Ax”), piece-root, 2 to 3 ft. and 1 to 2 ft.CUT Rate 
PEAR, St’ d—Usual sorts, Kieffer, Bartlett, etc., 2-yr. (4-yr. roots) 
“ Garber, Koonce, I-YR., 3-5ft.,2J-3 ft.and 2-2J ft. I ri IT Di+a j - 
“ Kieffer, I-YR., 3to5ft.,2Jto3ft.and2to2Jft. ) UU I KdlC ) 
Pear, DW’F— Duchess, L.B. Jersey (bestdw’fs among old sorts). ...CUTRate 
PLUM, on Plum—Usual sorts, Blue Damson, Lombard, Prunes, etc... 
“ Red June, Wickson, 1-Yr„ 3 to 5 ft., 2£ to 3 ft., 2 to 2J ft. 
“ GOLD ($3,000 Am.-Jap. plum; sure, heavy bearer; GRAND). 
“ “ 1-Yr., 3 to 5 ft., 2J to 3 ft. and 2 to 2£ ft. 
PEACH —Usual sorts, ELBERTA, Crawfords, etc., 1-yr. (2-yr. roots). 
“ Elberta Seedlings, Crosby Sdlgs'...) pi i-r (.... 
“ Select Sdlgs. (from seed of finest sorts)... J vU I Kail ) .... 
XX, Extra 
y 
Size 
3d Size 
Each 
100 
1000 
Each 
100 
1000 
Each 
100 
1000 ’ 
J 
onv 
i of 
our 
pr 
’ces 
bel 
ow: 
9? 
$8 
$60 
7 9 
$6 
$45 
5? 
$4 
$30 
12? 
11 
80 
9? 
8 
60 
7? 
6 
40 
15 ? 
14 
90 
12? 
11 
70 
9? 
8 
60 
20? 
18 
120 
15? 
14 
90 
10? 
9 
60 
25? 
22 
150 
18? 
17 
110 
12? 
11 
70 
... 
... 
... 
4? 
3 
25 
3? 
2 
15 
30? 
25 
180 
22? 
19 
130 
15? 
14 
90 
25? 
22 
150 
20? 
18 
120 
15? 
14 
85> 
20 ? 
18 
120 
15? 
14 
90 
10? 
9 
60 
15? 
14 
90 
12? 
11 
70 
9? 
8 
50 
30? 
25 
170 
22? 
19 
125 
15? 
14 
85 
20/ 
18 
120 
15? 
14 
90 
10? 
9 
60 
80? 
75 
... 
60? 
55 
340 
40* 
35 
240 
40 ? 
35 
240 
30? 
25 
180 
20? 
18 
120 
15? 
14 
70 
12? 
11 
60 
9? 
8 
46 
12? 
11 
65 
10? 
9 
45 
8? 
7 
35. 
7? 
6 
40 
6? 
5 
35 
5? 
4 
30 
SMALL FRUITS and GRAPE VINES Ter !?25 ol as5Cuthb — f ^ 12 V:or_ss ny - 
--- ___ 25 01 one sort at 100 rate; 300 or 
more of one sort at 1000 rate (as 300 Cuthbert for $1.50; or 300 Loudon for $2.70, etc.) 
Blackb’y—Early Harvest, profitable. 
“ Snyder, prolific, hardy. 
Currant—Fay Prolific, 2-YR... Each, 
“ POMONA,2-yr.; FINE; FULL2dyr..l5? 
** Victoria, 2-yr.; best late red....7? 
Gooseb’y—Houghton,2-yr.,old reliable. .7? 
Raspb’y—Columbian, Eureka, Loudon 
“ Cuthbert, fine large late red. 
Kansas, Miller Red, Palmer, etc 
19 
$.25 
30 
70 
1.40 
.60 
.60 
.35 
.25 
.25 
100 
$1 
i£ 
3 
7 
3 
3 
li 
1 
n 
ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, 
Roses, Root Grafts Stocks, Pruning and Grafting 
Knives, Stark Tree Diggers, Hort’l Books, etc. 
GRAPE VINES 
Even one vine a* ten rate 
Campbell Early (with seals).. 
Concord,ranks below Worden.. 
Niagara, market white 
WORDEN, richest, FINEST bl’k 
One-Y 
10 
100 
6.00 
$... 
.50 
2 
.70 
3 
.80 
4 
16 
20 
25 
ROSES, 2-YR., own roots 
Mme. Plantier, white hardy, grand. 
Queen of Prairies, fine hardy climber; etc.. 
DK have a complete 
ry» 74. Year. Bnce List, 
74-Year fru tBo ok, 
Two-Yra. 
10 
100 
1009 
8.00 
$... 
$... 
.70 
3 
24 
.90 
4 
30 
1.00 
5 
35 
Each 
100 
1000 
20 ? 
15 
95 
25? 
20 
120 
Record, etc., free— 
LOUISIANA, HO. 
Stark, No. ' 
Rockport, III,. 
Dansville, N. f, 
