Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-05-01
The Labor Question as Applied TO thu
Fruit Grower.

ers and send to Tennessee for colored
laborers. Perhaps some of our fruit
growers can take lesson from Mr.
s. A. Clarke, who has a fruit farm
near town and has had a dozen
years experience in finding laborers
to carry it on. He found labor
scarcer some years ago than it isl
at this time; and when he only
needed two bands he found it easy
to hire man with family to live
on the place. Since the orchard is
in bearing and has been extended
from $500 to 12,000 trees this ques-
ton of labor becomes more impera-
tive than ever, and at times he has
employed gangs of Chinese to clear
land and gather and assist In curing
fruit. Some Of these have proved
useful and intelligent, but often they
would "put up job' TO raise their
wages when they thought they were
indispensable. Chinese labor is not
satisfactory in all respects, for few
Cinnamon are able to understand
and carry out instructions properly,
occasionally they make mistakes and
do things entirely out of the way.
But the Chinaman has his teapot
and his rice kettle, and can board
himself, and becomes available on
that account, when the employer IL
unable to board his men. For this
reasoR Chinese have hitherto been
found available.
Kansas and Nebraska and the
Dakotas have been liberal in furnish
ing emigration to Oregon of late
years, and the labor question is more
easily adjusted. AT the present
time Mr.. Clarke has six families on
his quarter section of land, aggre-
eating In the total over twenty peo-
pie that should be enumerated in
the census of 1890. About half of
these are workers, so that the Clarke
fruit ranch consists Of quite little
settlement, that too of very intelli-
gent and capable sort. In the fruit
season the force Will consist of thirty
to forty men, women and boys, re-
cruited from South Salem and vi.
entity. Sometimes, in August and
September, these irregulars camp
near by and make such "a picnic of
1t as the hop gatherers are sup
posed to.
One house on the ranch is board
ing house for hands, and now the
celestial Is not so important factor
In the business. AS the orchard
shall come more and more into bear
ing, labor will become more and
more necessary, and organization
more important. As yet, his various
orchards are not half producing
what they are capable of. When
that time comes the prunes produced
alone will average, one year with
another, 100000 pounds, and prunes
are scarce more than oue-third the
crop. While now his curing works
seem extensive, and can turn Off
$500 pounds of prunes day, In five
years time. they must be doubled.
Mr.. Clarke finds 1t his best plan to
secure good men with families and
find them occupation the year round
and have the benefit of their oXpe-
rienee. With good men to take
charge of the work he can fill up
the ranks IN busy times. Several
men were with him last year, and
some the year before that. Having
learned how to do the work, 10
prune the trees and run the drains,
they acquire value aud are able to
relieve him of much care and re-
sponslblllty.
Good white labor Is the best of all
and whoever attempts fruit growing
will discern that II pays best to em-
ploy good men and make 1t an OBJ
ject for them 10 remain.
Fruit growing, on any extensive
scale, Is very trying to the nerves. il
requires deep study of the nature
and requirements of the different
varieties of fruit trees, and of the
pests that annoy the proprietor and
destroy his orchard. He learns the
value Of the old saying, "Hold on
and growl,n and healthy growl is
a great relief at times.
IL Is not expensive to build as
many small houses as one needs
hands aud then offer man with a
family the house, with garden
spot, down tlmber for fuel and the
use of team To haul same, and
with pasturage for u COW the living
Il half furnished, A family with u
few chickens and these perquisitee,
can do better 20 work for $50
month ON the farm than to work in
town, and pay for all these, at two
dollars day. Besides, the ques-
ton Of health comes in as another
factor In the case. To have home
furnished on these terms, and work 4
all the year round, Is more reliable