from 3% to four pounds each, and well shaped. We 
do not care for fancy points, such as low tails and 
perfectly serrated combs, but we select hens which 
have good red combs—with white lobes and legs 
and with a wide span between the pelvic bones and 
the end of the keel bone. 
If you select birds which carry this conforma¬ 
tion well 'into October and kill off those which .show 
the reverse during August and September or Oc¬ 
tober, if you still have any left, you will .save a lot 
of high-priced feed this Winter without sacrilicing 
many high-priced eggs. c. s. gkekxk. 
Fern Picking in Vermont 
UNIQUE INDIISTHY.—In tlie sparsely populat¬ 
ed hack towns of Windham and Bennington 
counties in Vermont a unique and profitable industry 
is carried on during the months of .September 
and Octobei'. Each year from ii section scarcely 
10 miles s(iuare is shipped, nu^^t of this country s 
supply of fancy and dagger or Christmas fern.s. 
I’he towns of .‘Somerset, Kearsburg, Woodford 
jind Glastonbury have a combined population 
of about five hundred, but during the fern- 
])icking sea.son this number is greatly aug¬ 
mented by new-comei's who live in abandomsl lum¬ 
bermen’s shanties and tents. While the season is on 
nearly everyone in the 'towns mentiotu'd works from 
sunri.'^e till dark ]iicking the fm-ns that fiml their 
way to nearly every city in the United States. Some 
idea of the importance of this industiy may be 
gained from the fact that from Bennington, Wil¬ 
mington and a few minor points are shiiiped annual¬ 
ly two hundred million fancy fern.s, which represent 
a retail value of over five hundred thousand dollar.s. 
A NATUK.M. MONOPOLY.—No monopoly is more 
comidete than the fern-picking industry. ’J'hree men 
control DO per cent of the output. They supply the 
pickers with ba.skets and crate.s, buy the ferns, store 
them and sell them through the whole year, 'fhe^ 
country where the fancy ferns are picked is one of 
the most beautiful .sections of New England. From 
the highways in Woodforel, three thou.saud feet above 
sea level, looking as far as the eye can reach, one 
sees only fore.st-clad hills and valleys, typical siiruce 
and hardwood of Vermont, ami underneath this for- 
(‘st mantle are billions upon billions of fancy fern.s 
which are never pi<'ked. .‘>ome id(‘a of the (countless 
number.s growing in this sections may be had from the 
fact that Earl and Barry BLshop, picking twenty 
thousand daily, work practically the whole season 
within one-half mile of their home. 
VARIETIES AND ITIICES.—The fancy fern is 
the one picked most, and must be in good condition 
.and 15 inches long to be accopted by the buyer. 
Dagger ferns anust be from 3U to 12 inches long, 
q'hey are picked and tied in bunches of 2.5, for which 
the picker receives one cent. This setoned to }ne to 
be incredibly small imy, but I found that the aver¬ 
age picker earns (.about four dollars per day. One 
picker I met said that his best day’s Avork had been 
GN'O bunches. His average, however, Avas 4 <m). A 
little rapid mental calcul.ation showed me that ])ick- 
ing (580 bunches meant 17,000 ferns picke<l and lied 
2.5 in a bunch, all between sunrise and sumset. 
THE BICKER AND IBS WORK.—It is interest¬ 
ing to Avatch the experienced picker tie the bunches. 
A ball of twine is carried in a cloth sack at the side 
and as the 2-5 ferns are gathered the picker catches 
the end of the twine and rapidly Avinds it three or 
four times around the stems, then bringing it up 
between them a couple of times and breaking it. 
No knot is tied, and the Avhole operation takes only a 
few seconds. Each picker carries a basket, similar 
to a common clothes basket, but a little deeper, and 
with straighter sides. As they are tied, the l)unches 
.are placed in this and covered Avith spruce or hem¬ 
lock branches to keei) them moist and cool. When 
it is full a stout cord is passed through the h.amiles 
of the ba.sket and over the top to hold them securely. 
One basket holds about 400 Imnches, or a day’s 
picking. 
KHIPPING.—Driving along the State highway be¬ 
tween Wilmington and Bennington, one sees the ever- 
]>resent pile of fern boxes in front of each house, 
tent and .shanty. These are .storage boxes, .and hold 
240 bunches, or f5,000 ferns. Each day’s picking is 
packed in these boxes at night, sphagnum moss being 
used in packing. That night or the next morning the 
boxes aiv collected by team or motor truck and 
taken to the nearest shipping station. Fifty boxe.s, 
containing 300,0(X) fern.s, is considered a loa<l for a 
double teiim. 
STORING THE FERNS.—In order to avoid un¬ 
necessary loss the ferns are laished to cold storage 
as soon as po.ssible after picking. From Bennington 
.a carload is shipped by express each day. During 
the busiest part of the .season E. S. ShaAA', one of 
■Ghe RURAL NE’W-YORKER 
the three “fern barons,” sends a motor tnick load 
each night from Wilmington to the storage plant at 
Springfield, Mas.s., a distance of DO miles. He also 
makes large exiiress shipments. Most of the ferns 
are .sold from storage, but some are sent directly 
from the picking regions. The day I Ausited ^Mr. 
ShaAV he m.ade .shipments to such Avidely di.stant 
points as New Orlean.s, DeiiA'cr, Detroit .and I’itts- 
burg. Before the Avar shipments Avere made to Eu¬ 
ropean countries, but these are uoaa' cut off. 
RET.VIL .8ALES.— I’ractically all cities demand 
the fancy ferns. Only a few, the most notable of 
Avhich is Boston, a.sk for the dagger.s. The fern.s are 
Fancy Fern at Right Dagc^er or Christmas Fern at Left. Fig. 578 
not sbi]»|)ed from storage in the Avo()den boxe.s, but 
ilia' i‘(‘pa< ked in ]i.asteboard boxes holding ;5,0(X) each. 
These are i)urchased by AA'holesale florists and dis- 
triluited by them to the retail florists, Avho use them 
Avith cut flowers and for decorations. IVlum .asked 
if tlu're is any loss in cobl storage, ]Mr, SIuiaa' said 
they are kept .at a temperature of 28 degrees, and 
that allowance is made for a loss of 20 ])er cent. 
IMore ferns are sold for Easter than any other day, 
Avith IMemorial Day second. I Avas surpri.sed to learn 
that. A’ery few are sold at Christmas. They come 
into competition Avith other decor.itions at that 
time, and many retail Hori,sts haA'e a fre.shly-gath- 
Returning Fern Pickers. Basket Holds 400 Bunches. Fig. 579 
ered local sui)])ly .sutlicient for the Christmas tnide. 
In the early part of the Hummer (he storage supply 
usually gives out, and the trade has to de]>eud on 
freshly gathered ferns for a feAV Aveeks, 
Windham Co.. 5't oko. n. aixen. 
“Hard” Cider is Now Liquor 
Many New York farmers IniA’e Avritten us aboAit 
the cider .and Adnegar la\A’s, Home of them have 
heard that a uoav law compels a farmer to take out 
a license before he can sell SAA'eet cider. There is 
no hiAV against the sale of sweet cider or ])ure ap¬ 
ple juice. Vinegar may also be sold, but it must be 
Wooden Storage Boxes—6,000 Ferns to the Box. Fig. 580 
inspected and come up to the legal standard. As 
for “hard” cider, Avhen it reaches a certain point in 
fermentation it becomes “intoxictiting liquor,” and 
in this condition now comes under the liquor tux 
law. The coumsel for the New York Excise Depart¬ 
ment (piotes the Iuav as folloAvs: 
“It is not necessary for a manufacturer of liquor 
to take out a liquor tax certificate, unless he sells 
the same in quantities of le.ss than live Avine gal- 
lon.s. If he does make such sales, it is necessary for 
liim to fake out a liquor tax c*ertificate under the 
provisions of subdivision 7 of .section 8 of the liquor 
Tax'LuAA', Aviucii^feaSs'a.s foilowsi ' 
1257 
“Upon the busines-s of trafficking in liquors in quan- 
titie.s of le.ss than five wine gallon.s, but not less than 
two wine gallons, in any town, by a grower of fruit 
therein, or a maimfacturer of any liquor produced solely 
therefrom in such town, which liqiior can la* sold only 
between the hours of .seven o’clock in the morn'ng and 
seven o’clock in the evening on any day, except Sunday, 
no part of which shall be drunk on the premises where 
.sold, or in any outbuilding, yard, booth or garden ap¬ 
pertaining thereto or connected therewith, and no part 
of which liquors shall be sold to or for any resident of 
said town, except the holder of a liquor tax certificate 
under subdivision three of this .section, in case traffic in 
liquors therein to be drunk on the premises where sold 
is prohibited as the result of a A'ote on local option pur¬ 
suant to section thirteen of this chapter, there is as- 
.sessed an exci.se tax to be paid by every pei-son engaged 
in such tratfic, and for each such place where .such 
traffic is carried on, the sum of one hundred dollars for 
each excise year or any part thereof, during which such 
traffic is carried on. and no liquor tax certificate issued 
under this subdivision shall be transferred or as.signed, 
and no rebate shall be allowed or paid upon the surren¬ 
der or cancellation thereof.” 
Expense of Wintering Farm Machinery 
M any farmers consider the cost of Avintering 
farm .animals, and some can gh'e exact figures. 
Egav', howeA’er, think much apparently of tiie cost of 
Aviuitering machinery. .Tudging by their practices, 
quite a number consider it cheaper to alloAv tools of 
all kinds to stand in the Aveather than to proA'ide 
shelter. It is certainly .safe to .sua" that not many 
farm implements are Avorn ont by actual service. 
I’lows lie in the field and nist, or maA'be stick in 
the ground AA’berc last used. Harrows are hidden bj' 
the groAving crops. Wagons staml in the barny.ard. 
and the boxes .saa'oII in the rain and crack in the sun. 
Tlie hot sunsliine Avarps and cracks the Avooden parts 
of other tools. Even buggies stand until the tires 
bunst on the Avheels. Huch expensiA'e tools as binders 
and manure .spreaders do not alwaj's fare better. 
It is not a sui-prise that the expense of oper.iting a 
farm is great .sometimes, and that the oAvner, at -the 
end of the season, finds only a small bank account 
or none at all. 
Goarse lumber for a Hhed is m\ich ch(?.aper than 
the more delicate and carefully-fashioned parts of 
machineiy. Due tool-hou.se Avell i)lanuod aa'UI oasilj' 
last during one man’s life, and the machiner.A' kept 
in it Avill b(' good several years after that in the 
barnyard lias gone to the junk heap. A farmer 
should never bo comi^dh'd to buy but one sot of tools, 
unless lie vvislies to exchange for more modern im- 
])lemeiit.s. Nearlj' aii.v farm tool kept ahvays in re¬ 
pair and under shelter Avlien not in actual use, Avill 
last as long as the owner. A little iia'int may need 
to be added and a few parts may have to be re- 
idaced, but the same old machine Avill do good work 
and the cost Avill lie the minimum. 
Everj' farmer Avho lias not already' done so, should 
take the first opportune day for a general collection, 
iuid bring in every tool not in use, to store it under 
cover. Many small tools cuu be .stoi’cd in attics and 
corners, or suspended from beams and i*afters, and 
the spai'C they occupy Avill not be mis.sed. Larger 
tools, for Avant of a bettor place, may be driven into 
the drivoAvuy of tlie barn. A little searching will 
reveal many places for storage even Avlieii no special 
jirovision is made. If not now, then the first rainj' 
day that conies, OA-ery metal part Avliich can rust 
should receive a coating of cheap oil. All cycle-bans 
should be remoA-ed from the mowers and reapers 
and a general aiiplieation of oil giA'en. With an old 
rag the job can be done in a few minutes. All ploAvs 
and mold-boards had best receiA'o a coating of axle 
grease. The little care not only prcseiwes the tools, 
but the ease and expedition Avitli AA'bich they may be 
operated in the Spring is an important consideration. 
A ])low that has wintered in the field Avill not scour 
ill a day, and at the end of the effort both man and 
team are completely exhausted. Or liarvest time 
comes on, and the Avheat is riiie today; tomorroAv a 
storm may lay it flat so that it cannot be .saved. 
With tlie binder in perfect repair Ave may begin at 
once and save the crop before any damage is done. 
Repairing can be done wdion Avork is slack and time 
a .small item. During the busy .season a single day 
may be Avorth several dollars becuuse it is the only 
right time for the task at luuid. A farmer droA'e 
into his field with tlie grain binder. The first day 
lie broke the tongue. The next day the canvas for 
elevating the grain Ava-s completely riddled, all be¬ 
cause of the rust and decay during the Winter 
weather. The tliird day he finished his small patch, 
hut the expense and delay had taken aAvaj' much 
of the profit. 
To stock ail ordinary farm Avitli a reasonable 
equipment of implements Avill require possibly a 
thou.saud dollars. Half of -that amount should pro¬ 
vide a very satisfactory .shelter for them and wdll 
not nee<i to lie rebuilt iii years. Hurely, five hundred 
dollars iiiA’ested in a protection ‘is more economlciil 
than twice that amount every half doxeu j'ear.s or 
jiossibly oftener, to renew the equipment. 
Iowa. R. K. .STEPHENSON. 
