Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-27
Cane Cod Cranberries.

CapC COu CfanDcrrIeSs
Amy ono driving in the fall of tho
year, perhaps during the month OF o.
tober, over the sandy roads of the cape,
says Sandwich (Mass.) correspondent,
would be surprised to find almost every
spot of low and swampy land, without
regard to size or shape. covered with
the thickest cranberry vines, from which
great numbers of the people are pick
ing. The meadows, or bogs, as they
are usually called, vary greatly in size
and shape, but are generally laid out in
the form OF rectangles.
Nearly all of them are intersected or
surrounded by Streams Of water, which
serve the double purpose of drainage
and overflow; the latter for protection
from frosts of winter, and, in the sum-
me, from very destructive insects pc.
culiar to the vine. Where there is no
water the bog must be left to the mercy
of these destructive agencies. Stretched
across the bogs in time of harvest is
phalanx of industrious pickers, a few
feet apart, working hard to fill their
measures. Although the prices paid
for picking are small, hardly ever ex.
ceeding one and half cents per quart,
yet, even at this figure, the older pick.
ers can make from 50 to So per day,
while the younger ones can earn 81
easily.
know Of ladies leaving their homes
in cities, being fatigued by the noise
and excitement Of city life, and the
impure air incident thereto, who come
to some village on the "Cape," roll up
their sleeves, glove their hands, and at
once proceed to the picking Of these
berries, and, after inhaling the fresh
bog air, mingled with the air from the
salt water, which borders both sides of
them, they return to their homes
greatly improved in health and strength.
Since the first Utilization OF cram
berries on the Cape, some eighteen
years ago, this industry has grown to be
an enormous one. The cape berries are
considered the best, and, accordingly,
are in prompt demand. They are not
white and small, as you generally see
in stores, but are of a bright red, and
sometimes of 3 dark color, and are of
good and uniform size. These berries
are put up into neat, new barrels of a
regular size, holding one hundred
quarts each, and, if picked over and the
frozen and wormy ones removed, they
will command the highest price, while,
on the other hand, the frozen ones will
barely reach half price.
In about every village on tie capet
however small, may be seen in harves,
time teams driven by people Of alI
colors and nationalities, directing Their
way to the nearest shipping station
loaded with the rich.hued berry.
Stormy weather does not interfere with
them; all that concerns is the price he
berries will bring in the market, pro-
vided they reach their destination be-
fore the fuctuation. Some keep their
berries ior speculation, and often, in
the spring, they command an enormous
figure but keeping them in cellars
does not improve the quality, as more
or less them spoil.
Nearly all these berries are ship ed
dir ct to New York, where there are
established markets for them. 1t is
difficult to state how many barrels OF
these berries 60 out of the Cape towns
in season, and still harder to esti.
mate the hundreds of dollars that come
into them. A good yield is considered
from eighty to 100 barrels per acre. If
the soil is in good condition one can
reap $50 barrels. AS the prices are at
present 1917 per barely, this could be
called q profitable business. The crop
fell short OF its usual amount last year,
and consequently the prices are the
highest.