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THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Business. 
BUSINESS IN BERRY PICKING. 
A friend in N. Y. State sends us the following questions. 
The replies will serve to start the discussion. Others 
will follow: 
1. How many steady pickers would be needed to keep 15 
acres of black raspberries properly picked, picking to be 
done every day ? 2. How much per quart is paid to the 
pickers with board and lodging ? 3. What is the best 
method of boarding and handling a large nnmber of 
pickers ? 4. How much is drying fruit for other growers 
worth per quart ? 
From Western New York. 
1 . Very much depends upon the condition and age of 
the bushes, and also upon tne character of the pickers. 
With a full crop aud experienced women, it would be 
safe, I think, to depend upon three to the acre to keep the 
canes clear. With older bushes a less number in propor¬ 
tion to the size of the crop would suffice. 2. One and one-half 
cent per quart has usually been paid where board is fur¬ 
nished, and two cents without board, although upon one 
of my fruit farms near a large town there is no difficulty 
in harvesting the crop at 1 $4 cent per quart without 
board. 3. On one of my fruit farms, several miles distant 
from any large place, I usually board my help, hiring an 
experienced woman for cook, with an assistant. I put up 
board barracks, with beds one above the other, in the up¬ 
per part of what was built for a wagon house, and furnish 
good straw mattresses with bedding. I have succeeded in 
giving my pickers satisfactory board for less than the 
half cent per quart. If a suitable building is not already 
at hand, the dining-room and kitchen can be very cheaply 
built of rough material more or less open, and furnished 
with matched board tables and seats. 4. About two-thirds 
of a cent is a fair price to pay for evaporating berries, and 
this charge will give a fair profit to the evaporators. The 
cost of evaporating, when the grower owns his own appar¬ 
atus for evaporating. I should judge to be something less 
than half the above figure. H. P. VAN DUSEN. 
Monroe County, N. Y. 
Jersey Tramps as Pickers. 
For a field of 15 acres of black raspberries there should be 
at least 100 pickers. In this section we pay two or three 
cents per quart—two cents at the hight of the picking, and 
three cents at the first and last of it. The pickers provide 
their own board and lodging. They are a roving, irrespon¬ 
sible class who could not be depended on to pick the ber¬ 
ries in poor picking unless at an advanced rate: hence we 
caunot pay a uniform price throughout the season. The 
growers fit tip a building with berths like those in steamer 
state-rooms,one above another, and in these they put straw 
for bedding. For these they make a charge of 15 to 25 
cents per week. In the neighborhood there are soup-houses 
or eating-houses where the pickers can get a bowl of soup 
or other food at very low prices. Others buy their own 
provisions from grocery stores and do their own cooking 
over a sort of camp fire. I have had no experience in dry¬ 
ing fruit. None is dried in this neighborhood. 
Parry, N. J. WM. PARRY. 
Any Number from 1 5 to 1 ,500. 
1 . So many conditions and “ ifs ” enter into the question 
that I might almost answer from 15 to 1,500. Probably the 
first number would be enough for some 15 acres which are 
but a little better than an excuse for berry fields, and again, 
on a 15-acre field of abundant fruit, during a rainy period, 
one might profitably employ 1,500. 2. About here two 
cents per quart without board and lodging. 3. Pickers 
here always board and lodge themselves. 4. No raspberries 
are dried here. J. 8. R. 
South Byron, N. Y. 
Depends upon Varieties, Pickers and Weather." 
The number of pickers required to keep 15 acres of black¬ 
caps properly gathered will depend upon several condi¬ 
tions. Women and girls of 15 years and upwards as a rule 
make more headway than any other class. The varieties 
planted will also make quite a difference. With one half 
of the patch in Palmer and half in Gregg, a much smaller 
number would be needed than if the whole patch ripened 
at once, especially if all were Ohios, as the berries of that 
variety must be picked slowly, as they are comparatively 
small but very abundant. If the field were planted to Pal¬ 
mer aud Gregg, the Palmer would be nearly or quite gone 
before the Gregg began to ripen. 
If the fruit is to be evaporated or even used at a nearby 
market it can be allowed to become quite ripe, and it will 
require fewer pickers to pick one-third of the 15 acres every 
three days than to pick the entire field every day as might 
be necessary in the hight of the season if the fruit were in¬ 
tended for shipment to a distant market. 
If “every day,” means seven times a week a few less 
would be needed than if it meant six times. 
A horticultural member of the Ohio Legislature agreed 
to introduce a bill prohibiting berries to ripen from Friday 
until Monday provided a sufficient number of petitions 
were sent to him to that effect; but, strauge to say, the 
petitions were not forthcoming. 
Fifteen acres in full bearing would probably require 
from 75 to 150 pickers, the exact number depending upon 
the above conditions. We are so situated that we are not 
obliged to board or lodge our pickers. We usually pay 
two cents per quart for red aud black together; but where 
black caps only are grown, the work cau be done for less, 
especially if Gregg enters largely into the crop. Our 
pickers always carry their owu berries to the packing 
sheds, which are built on runners and drawn from one 
patch to another when necessary. These are so located in 
the patch that the pickers do not have to travel far at any 
time to reach them ; lines are drawn across the field, 
dividing it into smaller patches and these are picked one 
at a time and the berries are packed in the nearest shed. 
One superintendent remains in the field continually to see 
that the picking is properly done. One or more men are 
at the packing shed to receive and pack the berries and 
pay out tickets. A portion of the pay is kept back until 
the close of the season, in order to protect us from dis¬ 
honest pickers who might otherwise leave as soon as the 
picking began to decline. This arrangement is plainly 
understood by the pickers at the beginning of the season. 
I find it much easier to get and keep a good class of 
pickers when we have a full succession of small fruits 
throughout the season, viz., strawberries, cherries, cur¬ 
rants, gooseberries, raspberries and blackberries. As a 
rule, most pickers are glad to quit work by four o’clock, 
and I like to have hands enough to enable them as a 
general thing to get done by that time. Then, in case of 
hindrance by storms or anything else, they can work a 
little later and catch up. w. w. Farnsworth. 
Secretary Ohio Horticultural Society. 
BUSINESS IN CALIFORNIA FRUITS. 
Mr. E. L. Goodsell, who has recently traveled exten¬ 
sively in California, tells us that the general yield of fruits 
there will be good. The yield of peaches, plums, pears 
and grapes will be large. Copious rains have counteracted 
the influence of the blight and materially changed the 
prospects. Last year the shipments of green fruits to the 
Eastern markets amounted to 2,231 car-loads of 20,000 
A Gopher Trap. Fig. 154. 
pounds each, and shipments this year are likely to be still 
larger. Besides this, 30,853,000 pounds of dried fruits were 
shipped out of the State. Not 33 per cent, of the orchards 
and vineyards are in bearing, to say nothing of the large 
areas that are being planted annually. With ever-increas¬ 
ing railroad facilities and more favorable freight rates, 
this fruit must soon become an important factor in the 
supply of Eastern markets. The failure of peaches and 
some other fruits over large districts in the East will tend 
not a little to increased demand for California fruits dur¬ 
ing the present season. Of course, the price is too 
high to admit of their use by the masses, but they 
supply a trade that demands a fancy article and is 
willing to pay for it, and fruit-growers all know 
that this trade is the most profitable one. As the 
climate of California favors the full development and per¬ 
fect ripening of all kinds of fruits, their high quality in¬ 
sures their popularity wherever they are known. The 
fruits reaching here during July comprise cherries, plums, 
prunes, apricots, peaches,nectarines, Bartlett pears and some 
early grapes. In August, in addition to these, some later 
varieties of peaches and pears and, in the latter part of the 
month, Tokay grapes are received. September snipments 
comprise Tokay grapes in perfection, Cornichon, Emperor 
A Chinese “Man-Power” Carriage. Fig. 155. 
and Muscat grapes, fancy varieties of plums and prunes 
and late varieties of peaches. October brings all the varie¬ 
ties of grapes with some plums and peaches, and a large 
variety of winter pears. One thing California growers 
have learned, which Eastern growers have not, is that 
they must grade their fruit perfectly and pack it in “ gift” 
packages of uniform size. These packages are as follows : 
Cherries come in boxes of 10 pounds, net, each. Apricots 
and nectarines are packed in “ half crates,” containing 
four baskets, holding five pounds, net, of fruit, each. 
Grapes are shipped in “half crates,” similar to the above, 
and in “ whole crates ” of 40 pounds, net, there being 
eight baskets of five pounds, instead of four. Plums, 
prunes, and peaches are packed in boxes of about 15 
pounds each net. Boxes of pears hold about 40 pounds net. 
But the question may be asked: Of what interest is all 
this to Eastern fruit growers ? Simply this : There is a 
large and ever-increasing demand for fine fruits uniformly 
graded and put up in uniform packages plainly branded, 
the packages to go with the fruit. California growers are 
meeting this demand, Eastern growers are not. California 
has the advantage in regard to climate, being able to grow 
many varieties of fruits which cannot be grown at the East, 
but California is 3,000 miles away, and it. is a tremendous 
undertaking to put its fruit in our markets in good condi¬ 
tion. But it is successfully done, and the fruit from this 
distant State is a regular source of supply. The dealer 
here wants neat packages of the same size to day, next, 
week, next month. California supplies them. He buys, 
perhaps, several hundred packages from a single sample 
box; he must know they are all uniform. He finds them 
so every time. When he buys fruit to sell to his customers, 
he wants packages that go with the fruit. California sup¬ 
plies these and good, serviceable packages, too. The East¬ 
ern grower does none of these things except that in some 
cases he furnishes gift packages. He must accede to the 
demands of the market or the demand for his fruit will 
diminish with the constantly increasing supply of California 
fruits. 
IMPLEMENT NOTES. 
Gopher Traps. —The little note about killing gophers 
printed in The R. N.-Y. a few weeks ago, has called out 
quite a little discussion from those who have fought this 
pest. Mr. F. L. Washburn, the Entomologist of the 
Oregon Experiment Station, writes us that the trap 
shown at Figure 154 has proved very successful in catching 
gophers in California. In the last bulletin issued from 
the Oregon Station a good deal is said about killing go¬ 
phers. The picture needs no explanation. The trap is set 
at the bottom of the gopher’s hole. It is doubtful if he 
knows “ what struck him ” after the trap springs. Another 
method is to sink five-gallon oil cans, about 100 feet apart, 
in a ditch a spade wide and about 16 inches deep, which is 
dug around the land to be protected. The ditch must, of 
course, be wider than tne cans. Gophers travel at night, 
and, on trying to come into the inclosure, tumble into the 
ditch and run along until they drop into the cans. A 
“ smoker” or “ sulphur gun” is sometimes used. This is 
a sort of rude pump made of two pieces of stove-pipe, for 
forcing the fumes of sulphur into the gopher’s hole. Bi¬ 
sulphide of carbon is also used. A piece of cotton half the 
size of one’s fist is saturated with the liquid, and thrust 
into the burrow as far as possible, the opening being care¬ 
fully stopped. This should be done when the ground is 
damp. We are also told of an ingenious trap for catching 
jack rabbits. A piece of ground about 15 feet square in a 
locality infested by rabbits, is surrounded by a board fence 
high enough to prevent their jumping over. On one side 
a plank runs from the ground, with an easy slope, to the 
top of the pen, and projects a foot over the inclosure. 
Above the projecting end, and just far enough in front of 
it to cause the animal to reach, lose his balance, and fall 
into the pen, is hung some tempting bait. A little bait is 
scattered around outside of the pen and along the plank to 
attract the rabbits. 
Man-Power Carriages.— Consul-General Leonard sends 
from Shanghai, China, a photograph of a vehicle quite ex¬ 
tensively used in that city. We show a picture of this 
Chinese “go-cart” at Figure 155. This cart is called jin- 
ric-sha, meaning, literally, man-power carriage, and was 
originally used in .Japan. It is used to carry passengers 
from place to place or to take the place of a private car¬ 
riage. Instead of saying: “Have a hack ?” no doubt the 
Chinesehackmen say: “Have a jin-ric-sha ?” This pic¬ 
ture is printed here for the purpose of preaching a little 
sermon to American manufacturers. Gentlemen, you can 
not sell American carriages in China because there are no 
suitable horses to pull them. You can sell jin-ric shas 
there, however, if you will make the kind that suits the 
two gentlemen we see in the picture—the rider and the 
“ power.” Make what people want—not what you think 
they ought to have! 
Stump Pullers. —In new countries, where stumps and 
roots abound, quite a profitable business is done by men 
who secure a stump puller and go about clearing land 
for their neighbors. In the Nortfi this work is mostly 
done during the fall and spring, with a little practice dur¬ 
ing the summer, while on the Pacific coast and at the 
South winter is the favorite time. The “ Hawkeye ” is a 
favorite machine. It gives a tremendous power, can be 
securely braced and can be used to grub out an entire field 
without moving. It can also be used to move houses or 
other heavy weights. 
SOMETHING ABOUT MOWING MACHINES. • 
FROM A BLACKSMITH’S STANDPOINT. 
The haying season is close at hand. Many person-* will 
be considering the advisability of buying a new mower or 
getting the old one repaired. Which shall it be ? This 
will depend much upon what kind of a mower it is. If it 
has solid cast-iron boxes for the shafts to turn in, and a wheel 
at each end of the cutter-bar it may as well be thrown aside. 
If in addition to these it has a hook-and-eye connec¬ 
tion at the knife-head, take it to some deep lake and sink 
it in the deepest place that can be found; for it will be 
money spent in vain to attempt to repair it. If on the other 
hand, the old machine has brass or, better still, Babbit 
metal boxes, it will pay to repair it, if you are near a good 
blacksmith, even if it has a hook-and-eye connection at 
the knife-head, with small wheels at each end of the cutter- 
bar, because these wheels can be taken off and steel shoes 
put in place of them, which will make the machine run 
more steadily and cut more smoothly. The eye in the 
knife-head can be filled up by welding in a piece of iron 
aud then drilling out the eye to the proper size ; but here 
will be found one trouble—most manufacturers now 
make a malleable knife-head, which wears out in an in¬ 
credibly short time, so that a new one will have to be 
bought ; but tbe hook ou the end of the pitman can be cut 
off and a new one welded on to fit the new eye. 
Take off the guards and grind the points sharp, grind 
the leger plates—the little plates on the linside of the 
guards which the knives cut against. These~should 
always be kept sharp. If they are allowed to get rounded 
on the edge, the machine will draw 100 per cent, harder, 
and the field will look rough after the hay is raked. 
