The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-08-23
Aarirnltural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
A Large Blackberry Patch.


We visited, about the middle Of last
month, approaching but not quite at the
height Of the picking, the large blackber-
ry patch Of our friend John s. Collins,
near Merchantvlle, New Jersey, about
four miles from Camden. 1t comprises
Is acres, all planted in blackberries, and
now bearing profusely, but far yet from
being up to its maximum Of production.
They were planted mostly 3 and A years
ago.
The day Of our visit 1000 quarts had
been picked; $4,000 quarts were fully
expected the day following, which would
be a full days work for the hands en-
ployed, who, when we saw them, were
quietly resting or lounging about under
the shade of trees, and recruiting for the
morrow-7,00O quarts being about half
days work. A visitor to this patch
would at once be satisfied, that there is
many homely adage less truthful than
the very trite one, "as plenty as black
berries" Here were IS acres occupied
with nothing else than blackberry plants
thousands Of the bushes bending nearly
to the ground under the weight Of fruit.
The rows were 81 feet apart, and the
plants to A in the rows. The tllage
had been excellent, no weeds at all to be
seen, for the simple reason, we presumed,
without asking the question, that the Der.
ries brought better price in the market
than weeds, and the proprietor being es-
sentia!y practical man, had given the
strength of the soil and the labor of cul-
tivation to the crop which brought in the
most money. Peoples mental organiza.
tons differ widely, as also their reasoning
processes and conclusions. This was in.
dicated by a field adjoining the blackber-
ries, where the owner had evidently con-
Guided, that the crop for him to raise was
mullens. We have seen no mullen crop
equal to them this season, and think we
never saw better one anywhere. They
had grown six feet high, without any ex.
pense Of cultivation. The inference we
drew was, that mullen soil was also IA
vorable for blackberries.
By far the largest portion of the black.
berries were the variety known as Will
sons Early. This Seeding, of few
years since, ranks in Importance with the
Philadelphia raspberry. 1t is the best
blackberry out, has been tested thorough.
ly, differs from the Lawton in being ripe
when black, is Of good size, melting and
juicy which with its earliness, being the
first in the market and treading closely
on the heels of the raspberry crop, al.
ways secures the best price.
j. S. Collins was receiving 90 cents per
quart, wholesale price, at the time of our
visit, which, with $4,000 quarts, makes
the round little sum of $4,000 for one
days picking, Can the mullen grower
show as large record?
One Of the most interesting features of |
the business, to us, was the quiet, tho {
rough and systematic manner in which
everything was done. Each row had a :
marked stake at the end Hand A UNI |
dertakes to pick rows IS and 56,-was
so marked by the clerk in his book-and {
they were required to pick them clean,
and to go back if they were not SO. The ,
price paid for picking was II cents per I
quart, and a constant supervision being I
exercised over the work, the hands soon $
discovered it was easier to pick row {
thoroughly than to have to go back 6
Very few cases occur where they are so
continually careless as to require to be 5
discharged. The average is 100 to $50 |
quarts per day to each hand, but they
sometimes run up to two hundred quarts ,
per day. I
While harvest was being evidently {
reached by the intelligent and far seeing :
protector of this blackberry patch, it was G
also no less blackberry festival for the !
hands employed. On enquiry where I
they were from, we were surprised to find t
them to have come mostly from that aris- t
tocratic (?) portion of Philadelphia, Bed. |
ford street. Here were one to two hun. {
dred hands employed, of what is known $
as the very scum of creation, men with t
their wives and children, gathered about /
in clumps; and in passing among them, i
we did not hear a profane or improper '
word, all quiet and orderly. The change !
from damp and crowded cellars and filthy r
dens and alleys, to the green grass and 0
pure air and beautiful trees of the coun.
try, where all nature was pleasant, and f
the birds sang merrily. most evidently '
impressed, and reached the latent spark I
Of these depraved specimens of humanity. o
AS they stay over the Sabbath, what a '
place, and an opportunity for those right. :
ly qualified to Five religious labor for
operating on such class
AS the filled boxes are brought up to
the clerk, Get. or larger denomination r
OF tickets are given out, which are al.
ways good for the money, whenever ask. 0
ed for The ticket system undoubtedly u
induces them to save till towards the end n
Of the season.
A large open shed is erected, with II
rough tables and benches, which may be
called the restaurant, where plain meals ,
are cooked, and provisions sold, Of course =
with the entire absence of intoxicating
liquors The barn as well as shanties b
erected about, are used to lodge in; and q
there can be no doubt the hands return,
when the season is over, improved in u
mind, body and estate. We think those
who have charge of large pauper popula. G
ton of great cities, might derive valu. j.,
able hint from what may be seen at such L
place as Collins blackberry pickings, n
and Of how a refuse population can be
utilized.-Practical Farmer. c
The Shelby (Ky.) Sentinel says one Fl
man bought 2lo hogs and corn to feed
the same, for $3263, fed and sold them, a
averaging 1923 pounds, for the handsome o
sum of $6640, and refused the offer of
1854 for Ill shoats that he raised from b
them. Another man and his sons fed b
and sold 792 hogs averaging 3O5 pounds,