The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-30
NEW FORKS HUCKLEBERRY PATCH
Where. How, and when the Crop IL Gathered,
aud the Proat Thereffom.

and the Prone Therefrom.
KERHoNKsON, Ulster Co. n. Y. June 2s-
The work Of gathering the huckleberrv crop,
begun on the oath inst. opens one OF the largest
and most important branches Of industry Of
which Ulster county can boast 1t gives en-
ploymont TO ~ large class of persons who are
Obliged to depend upon it as a means to provide
for the wintcr season when OFT of work and by
II thousands Of dollars are circulated through
large section of country
The hucklcberry is a wild fruit. and will grow
only in mountainous regions. repeated attempts
having been made to cultivate IL. without sue
cess. II is found In different sections Of the
country, but Ulster produces II in the largest
quantities. BY this county alone the market ia
chiefly supplied. This Is due to the fact that
the Shawangunk Mountains. whore the hueklo-
berry is chiefly found have a combination Of
those features, not possessed 10y similar regions
which give them Especial adaptation to the pro-
duction of the berry. These features arc low
ness fairness. and a rocky. thinly wooded sur
face. which give the berry the direct rays of the
sun, and produce n peculiar stimulant In the
soil Indispensable to its production partiu-
larly in largo quantities. The Catskills in the
same county. In the absence Of tho features
mentioned. abundantly prove this. as this range
Of mountains never produces the hucklcberry
in paying quantities. and rarely produces it.
The hucklebcrry harvest begins usually about
tho 10th OF tho present month and lasts till the
latter part of August The business of buying
and shipping the berry is not always profit
able one. for 1t has its risks. like other specula-
tons. It often happens that the condition Of
the berry before reaching market. owing to its
having been bought wet. II such a. TO render II
unstable. aud frequently tho delay In getting II
to market during excessively hot weather in tho
latter part OF the season. when the berry is over
ripe and somewhat soft, Is sufficient likewise to
spoil It's sale.
The work Of gathering the crops Ia by no
means Hight one. requiring as 1t does hun
drcds OF pickers. besides numerous buyers who
gather at different points in the lower part Of
the mountains and receive the berries from the
pickers as they 20 home at night. paying. Of
course. for them such price as may yield
fair profit after the fruit is disposed Of The
buyers or Spectators mostly live in the small
hancts in the neighborhood OF the mountains.
and are shittoss class Of men. ever on the
alert Tor schcme OF speculation requiring
small capital and little or no labor. Anybody
with horse and wagon and 800 TO s75 capital
hns complete outfit To engage in the business
Those men take the fruit to Rondout a distance
market. Thousands Of bushels az are SHIPPED
dnrlnR season. bringing into Ulster county
reach us high as Il .JO0,OoO.
The season opens with auniform price among
per qunrf being governed by extensive COM
petition anu the uuantiiy Of berries picked. the
| price IL soon reduced 10 eight cents or less. ut
! which figure II remains until near the close Of
tho senson. when II falls 10 four cents.
The class II persons Who engage In picking
| we berries IL mixture ~ all grades Of society
t. he ;ound ia the rural districts. and lis inli-
| Nliual members vary IN size and ago from the
child OF ten 10 the adult of forty. aud bclong to
| both sexes. Many sons and daughters Of we'll
to-do farmers. having nothing els" TO do en-
gage in tho occupation simply to provide them
selves WIN AN extra allowance Of pocket money
| or To purchase some fancy article " wearing
apparel. which thoir father may think not within
me limits of his purse 10 afford the youngsters
In some eases whole families 20 into the
m"uninlns from day I" day 10 pick berries.
| The work is most laborious one. The pick
,is are Obliged Ia arise AZ AN early hour usual
mountains where the berries are to bn found in
taking IA hasly breakfast. and frouuontly no
breakfast at all this being eaten along tho way.
aud providing themselves with n lunch Tor dim
nor. the pickers. with two or more pals holding
altogether twelve 10 twenty quarts. start for
the woods" which they reach after a brisk
walk IF not loss than an hour and half.
scarce IN the lower parts of the mountains,
maklhK 1t necessary 10 go up higher to ilnd
| pirkers to do profitable days work. But the
labor Of pick ing the berries Is light compared
10 ia" task OF carrying the fruit To the foot Of the
mountains. often distance ~ four OF I've miles
Ainssther the plrkers ha' "A hard lot OF il. for
DANGER from beng hittcn by poisonous reptiles.
But being "A hardy, happy go-lucky class, the
pl'kef~ scarcely nilnd tho labor and are llul"
concerned about the danger from the source
| mentioned.
! The wages earned in the hucklehcrry fields
depends on the skill 81 the picker aud The price
pad him. In the early part of the season. when
the berries are scarce. his daily earnings are
| exceed ingly small and although tho price may
BE- high. only about four quarts can be picked
! 10y a Skiliul hand; hut in a week. notwithstand-
ing the price may have fallen considerably the
same person can pick a. many ~ twcnty-il
quarts per day. rs u general thing experts
earn. ON nm average, throughout tho season
about one dollar and a half u day, while urdi-
nary pickers average about half OF tvo-thirds
/ ~ that sum. Children oft"n pick more than
Older pcrsons being more nimhe-hnEercd. As
something Ike fifty days work may Dc gotten
out of the season. of little more than two months
handsome sum Is ncttcd.
la times past evil disiio persons have boon
| known Ia resort Ia highly Illegal and puniSh-
nhc course 10 Increase the crop OF berries-that
81 burning the mountains. Throughout tho
burnt territory the berry bushes grow UP In
great abundance and the next season their
yield l. very materially increased. But no such
r"prch"nsihle course has been escorted To- in
relation 10 the crop Of the present season.
though tins promises To be larger than for sew
cral years past.
An on Repeated Question Answered.
No bill granting arrearagcS Of pensions was
OFT Fam ga al fls