New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-06-14
INTERESTING TO FARMERS.
TlEE FRUIT HILLS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS.
From Our Special Correspondent.
nnurntA Ir,ion Garnty I'LL.


On an almost endless succession Of hills, from
one to three hundred feet high are located the fruit
farms Of many Northern man. We are in the latitude
Of Norfolk Va the ilrthes point south OF what USED
to be- tho Free States Our best peaches are little
larger than butternut, and eready are getting red'
Those earliest will rlpen about the 10th OF July.
1t is now tho END Of the strawberry season. Inc
train which carries them North leaves Cairo at III
a. m. Tho first shipments OF this ruit are 'aAo" ~
Villa Ridge. twelve miles from Cairo. where are three
acres next Unin twenty miles. twelve seres Doneoia'
twenty.seyen miles, five acres; Jonesboro' tmr'y'sA
mile. for,v acres; South Pass fortytwo miles. sixty
ocr.s Makanda fo-tyeight miles, twelve acres; ana
Carboudae fifty five miles, ten acres. Total 9s2acres.
Further M and all the way to Chicago, at similar dis
tancas are other patches ipenng one after the Other
They commence picking as soon as the dew Is on and
oon,inne till only time remains to reach the station;
acme being near by while others are three or four miles
distant Spring wagons are necessary for the ROADS
arr rough and billy. The berries are sent In various
kinds of packages The first are put In round quart
boxes OF shaving hoops Gu. for the purpose win tnh
white wood bottom, all made by machinery Inns year
come have a square box wholly made OF this shaving.
The great bulk Of the shipments are in STANDS OF foor
drawers, 81 half bushel each, and Others OF TWO
drivers Of bushel each. few have stands OF iouf
Of these bushe drawers but they are too heavy Iha
may give you particular information OF the crops
hayo visited several points by going along on the tram
and stopping over.
II was On the sixth day Of shipments. Coming 70
station. found myself among crowd OF fruit growers
who az once asked me what the news was Itoid theh
that the last heard the taking OF Jeh. DAVIS
Yes. yes, but what were strawberries bringing ID
Chicago. They had only heard from the first lots. 40
other word came from the commission merchants ~
seems TO me that there few more dsagreeabe thngs
than waiting and waiting. day after day Tor letters
which are to decide the result OF long sbors ana many
homes The first lots were sent from Ullin and oouth
Pas ON the 10TH Of Ave six quarts each oope nao
little assistance from glass; aud brought Sc W aqnar
They were said not 10 have been quite ripe sent h'e
Quarts on the l2th and Stanley wrote me tha' TIC s'
O. ouart and that they the only ones really rpe
Others sending the same day got only 81 o.
turns after all are insignificant, ana are h'e''"'N
a,fv curiosity Itis not likely that the average WIN
No more tnan % cents quart and expenses are to come
out, which will lot leave much.
visited field of fifteen acres A cheap building is
in the center hitler the pickers for orders ana
here the fruit packed and LOADED One OF the prop
tors acts as clerk and keeps count The price usuay
paid for picking three cents quart During the Tour
bonrs work good hand will bring in about twenty
ouars--usually the average 10 fifteen quarts "rs VI
eighteen sre very good hands For the first few days
they wear shoes. notice this year they do not wear
hoops for think the remark has been made this ID
lot level country. They can stand the sun. In 'nc
alser noon they hos cotton. Boys OF hteen or nAcen
il active and willing are desirable for they IKE 10
cose to the ground and they can twist themselves h'c
any shape Some married women pick well have
known such 10 pick oil before them, keep their mouths
toll and talk all the time though not plain have
tried refugees many times but they are good for moth
ing and will no, have one about This Is the general
| experience.
There are many visitors around; they get cold looks
and short words However. does not refuse visits
nom particular friends in towns, who are hrstfa'e
fka but tho women not used TO the sum- VI course
they want few quarts to take home and as they know
that straw berries when picked are cash article
they will pick for themselves. and FOR shipment, TOO
They 20 out with their parasols. and. broodinS Gown
while their hoops lees than half an acre they pch
away Soon they get enough OF it. and one hears nov
very hot il is and how her head aches st upon being
INQUIRED Of one learns 1t is very delightful there
such fresh air. and things are so green They are not
bit tired When they 90 in, the woman OF the house
should follow them. providing she is not cooking and
/
will, pei sps il viii stop the headache. have known
some not to re, over their trip all Summer Clerks IN
stores take hold and pick qute lively but the other day
it WAS reported ~ now one OF them talked 10 huse
crying out. Ny back my back. oh my back
The owner does not like 20 have his pickers talk bu'
tho girls viii tell about the young men, However. be
tween i2 and O'Clock there is more attention The
wagon comes the stands already filed are put on board
the word goes that 1t Is required TO fill one or two
drawers more, and they must hurry. Then al hl 10
work ard not word is spoken. II tho fruit Is picked
without stems all one hears is snap snap. The last
minutes are approaching; the last boxes nearly are
filed; every hand every foot moves quicker; presently
there i. cry Time is up" All start on the spring or
the rum rap rap goes the hammers two men bear forth
the last stand the moment il touches the wagon tho
whip touches tho horses and crowd suddenly become
idle gaze after H. while the sweat drops from their
taces and the hot sun shines ercely on their heads
Often there is barely time TO reach tho train; hence
every day bushels OF strawberries are AT rest scarcely
moment from the tme they picked I'LL they are set
on breakfast tables in Chicago Such an establishment
! would call Strawberry Factory.
| The Weld from this flteeuacrc lot was about tea
bushels day. and as the lasts twenty days the
whole crop Is 300 bushels about twelve bushels al
acre II was intended make this an extra patch. but
unfortunately the plants re not all the truo Wilson
and the frost killed large portion. hear Of no pieces
which the frost iij not damage and estimate the os'
a, three ouIihs Of the whole crop
The cost OF picking Is 81 bushel. for packages
which must be reckoned for some never are returned
and the expense OF team will be 80 cents bushe Ex
o. css charges 81 10 busbe, and commission an ave
ago Of 50 cents a busucl, total. - G2. When we adj
tho expense Of raising the crop, which this year Is nun
III :. .lo E-ut &. a hlsLnl