, 1859-08-02
The B1aex berry Trade OF Kentucky
tCe.rrspopdcuc: o{tes Cincinnati Qaxctts1

Nn1os. II!nlb:s Co. Ky.- Julv q, 1862.
This (Trimble) county probably turns ont
more berries than any other place Of its size in
tue world. Until this year the farmers havs
.. the farmers pest" 50 little did they know
Of the ways Of Fruvideucc, who. in giyiug them
this unfai1ing crop, has put ready to hand, with
out the toll Of cultivatisn, a crop which this
year brings them in larger income than would
the same space Of groun1, planted in wheat ut
ninety cents per bu.hel. Walk from, this town
to Bedford, and even beyond that. branch out
to Palmyra on tie one ride, or 10 HILLS landing
TN the other, and 50 long as the frcestoue for
nation LASTS there, the briers are running with
berries, bearing them duwn in all sorts OF en~
taaglcmeuts.
On the ten mile line, between this and Bed
ford. there are ten buyers; in isedford there arc
Halls lsnding one. There are = few others who
visit 20 nts on the riycr. but these do no great
amount Of business. These buyers are the
agents of fruiterers in Cincinnati. who receive
two dollars each per day for rcceiving the bcr-
ries and shipping them Generally these men
are owners Of britr patches Of their own. They
arc authorized to pay at this time thirty cents
per bucket for ali berries taken in; but at the
commencement Of The season, when the ripe
berries were more scarce upon the bushes, as
hls', as sixty cents was paid, and two day later
forty cents.
Tie buyer whose business au going to ex-
plain owns several patches Of besriesonc ho
reserves fur the plckipg Of his own family, all
Of which, from tho mother, who is well nigh on
to fifty years OF aae. down TO the youngest child
arc out in that field. Besides thee, he has in
other patches, their own aud their ncighbors, !,
| fourteen pickers. These start out at break Of
| day, aud pick until about ten O'Clock, when the
| sun being very hot the berry does not stand 50
we'll os when picked during the cooler honEs.
Men, women aud children now shoulder their
buckets, carry them to the receiver. who
empties them into the stzuds, each drawer Of
which holds ono bushel and one peck. The
number Of buckets arr uom set down to the
ricker's credit At tie rate If thirty cents Ter
bucket, and occasionally when I bucket Of ex-
tra sized berries is brought in tn additional FIRE
| cents is added TO its cost
Wagons now como along and bring the stands
| to the riyer at this point, where each day. be-
tween one aud Eve O'Clock, there can be seeu
from hundred 10 one hundred aud dlsy stands
and half stands, equal TO about eight hundred
bushels Of berries, which are daily shipped.
In the evening some picking is again done
tue bearies being brought in the following morn
ing. On Friday evening aud Saturday 40 pick
lug is done, for tho reason that The packet doe.
not run on Saturday II your city.
Iwas present on Friday at the paying OF tht
upon inquiry, that the pickcrs collectively .
each earned about $es per day. This yield
from el.eo 10 g. 50 to each picker ~ the resu1
Of their days exertions. Ono family receives
for the weeks picking {s7 and over. Not ba,
wages for children to make.
Cp towards Bedford the farmers hare onl
this gear got into the business, the couscqncnc
Of winch Is That they are very liberal, and the
allow their pickers 10 pluck the fruit and max
no charge therefor; but down nearer this plact
where every ripcning berry is watched an
pluckcd as soon ~ it is black, the pickers pa.
ire cents per bucket to the owner Of the patel
10 that he las not only the profit made by th
picking Of bis own fuss,ily; but the addlsion'
; clear profit Of ahont fifteen cents per bushct 0
he berries, which, considering there has bec
no cost Of cultivation, and that there Is sufrt
| Of the crop, is not 50 bad. The season las
: / from four to si1 weeks
All 1.-THE buying here, or nearay al Of it, belu
for two ar three firms in Cincinnati, mare bes
enabled to come pretty nigh tho exact fsur'
Of the trade. There are in ait Is receivers, Mt
cost of t. per day; 81: pickers, averaging
rcccirc ts.lo per day; ! haulers, avetae'ng
!, receive sl.o per day; freight Of l5o stauds
drawers per day, n Il, making daily outl,
in cash, payable weekly. Of e709.5o, o. for Il
season Of its usual length, equal to &23,6s5,
Of which is expended within tho county. exec
about 81 900. Add to the total amount the
czsiopal expenditure for premium buckets. u
~o have total expenditure Of about e., 600.