The morning call., 1891-06-23
LETTER FROM NILES.
A Chance for Those Who Wish
TO Pick Fruit-SOcial Notes.

| labor is one that periodically claims the at
| tentiOn of the orchardist. Instead of grow
| ing better year after year, the question Is
| farther from being solved than ever. The
| owner of ten or even twenty acre orchard
can easily do all the work Of the year out
side of the picking, but when the fruit
| ripens it must be handled Immediately. The
! weather has very much indeed to do with
the pick. For instance, couple Of hot days
the first of this week perhaps doubled the
number Of cherry pickers for the balance Of
| the week, and where, with sometimes less
than twelve hours notice. is the orchardist
to get the help? Fruit-pcking does not re-
| qdirc skilled labor, but certain amount Of
| practice is necessary to enable the worker
TO do a reasonable days work. and when
| fruit is to be packed either for the San
| Francisco markets or for the East it is only
the adept who can make good wages amy
thing over 81 day at cents ten-pound
| box for cherries.
In the hop counties whole families go,
either from the large towns or cities,
or from back counties, and camp in
| the fields until the pick is over; that
would be one scheme for the orchardst.
In tie hill sections, or large grain-growing
| valleys, the work is usually about done by
the time fruit is in. These farmers could
| combine business and pleasure, or families
could come from the city and camp, being
| sure of a fair living for from two 10 four
months. Such q supply OF labor proved
| most admirable in several Eastern Sta les
| before the machine age" as people out OF
| work, or mechanics, or factory people,
| harvested the immense grain crops which
were raised; the same people planning their
| winter work, so that each season found them
| al the harvesting again. just here, in this
| neighDOrhOOd, with such fine canyon tn
| camp in, wood aud water free, and table
supplies so cheap, the experiment could not
| cost much.
There is still another feasible plan to put
| laborers into orchards, that the railroad,
| which runs for the first forty miles or so
| out of Oakland through hundreds of or
| ehardS, should run an early and late train
| during the season at the lowest possible
| rates. The grower would find somebody
| would be readytO supply. each day, so many
| men to one town, so many TO another. The
| matter needs bur to be given trial TO sue
coed, much TO the advantage OF the farmer
| ana the railroad
The number of boys and girls in any town
| near here does net begin 10 be enough to
! make even an Impression on the orchards,
| aud the farmers, main dependence is upon
| the ChiueSe, but the adept workers among
| them are few nowadays; they are raising
| their prices and are harder each year to get.
| trui'-plcking began some two weeks or
| more ago in large quantities, and will con-
| tinue with hardly pause uuti the middle
| OF October.
The immense Eastern shipments of green
| fruit Is something to make the fruit-Grower
| content; some days ago 1t was automatically
| reported that from ten to fifteen cars day
| CT green fruit passes over the Oakland mole
alone on its Eastern journey. Nearly every
| pound Of cherries in this district has been
| or is being shipped East; good portion be-
| ing sent by Ellsworth IL Co. The prospect
/ for shipping other fruits green, particularly
| peaches, looks equally well. So the busy
| Iruit-gr0wer has forgotten the work and
| worry, the prGning and the spraying, puts
| the thought Of scale aud other pests far be-
| hind him, and wears cheerful smile IN an
| ticipation of the many American eagles
| which he hopes soon TO possess.
Two direct mails each way every day to
| San Francisco, aud a direct mail to San
Jose and return each day, is quite step in
advance for Niles.
The cantata, THE Coronation of the
| Rose, given by the young people last Sat
| urday night, assisted Oy Mrs. Thane, was
| a complete success Not single one OF the
| young lady sOlOistS nor the Refuse had ever
| sung in public before, still the acting and
| the singing were far above the average Of
amateurs, ana the townspeOpie were as
| tonished and delighted at the several good
| voices. The stage had been beautifully
decorated by Mrs. c. B. Overacker with
| shrubs and trees, and the throne, a mass of
roses, was beau ifu indeed. The dresses
| were all OF white, trimmed with quantities
| OF natural flowers. The flower characters
| were as follows: The Rose, Mrs. j. L.
| Tnane; Holyhock, Mrs. w. Ii, Ford; Sun
| flower, Mrs. +. Ii. Maar; CrocuS, Miss Flor
| ence Mortimer; Jap0nica, Miss Kate Bald
| win; Lily and Dania, Miss Grace CHS
! hom HeOtropc, Miss Susie Ellsworth;
| Tulip and Mign0nette, Miss Laura Thane
| Violet Miss Edyth Turnor; Nightingale
] 01ute), w. ii. PaYSon; Recluse, Ohver Els
| worth Miss Lena Miller gave fine piano
solo, Mrs. l.. Barb couple Of choice vocal
| solos and Mr. and Mrs. w. Ii. PaySOn of
| Berkeley piano and flute duet. The whole
affair was under the management of Mrs.
| Chisholm and Mrs. Thane. who feel par
| ticularly pleased at the result
Mr.. and Mrs Edward Clarke gave pro-
| gressve euchre last Wednesday evening"
| The moon was at It's full and the drive to and
| from the party was delightful. Eight tables
| o. players contended for the prizes, which
| were won by Miss CTothers and II. Tyson
| ana Mrs. CuShman aud Mr.. Crothers.
| The Farmers Alliance met last Monday
| evening at J. c. Shinu'S. The discussion
was upon fruit and iaoor. and next meeting
! Will be upon boxes, nails, etc. The county
! meeting Will be held the 1St of July in the
Town Hall A large representation is ex-
| pected from all over the county and basket
| lunch is to be served,
The Farmers Institute held their quar-
terly meeting last week in the parOrs of the
| Arlington. No business Of public interest
| was transacted.
A half dozen parties dances, lunches.
etc, are on the tapis in each of the neigh
| boring towns, which keeps the young folks
| busy 10 attend
Saturday evening William Farwell. a
member Of the 5. NJ. c., entertained the cir
Gle at the Town Hall. A feature Of the
evening was the pantomime of young
| LocblDyar, gwen IN such spirited manner
| that IL brought al Wn the louSe
The weather the past month has been
extremely variable, showers, winds, cold
and heat following in quick succession.
The showers have been so very slight that
no damage to cherries has resulted. A heavy
| rainfall would result 10 thousands of dol
lars worth Of loss, as the largest and best
| priced crop OF cherries Tor many years past is
still, much Ut 1t, on the trees. Four and Il half
cents has been paid in the orchards for
black cherries aud s cents for white.
The Thermometer last Tuesday ranged all
| the way from 80 to go in the different parts
of town, an extremely hot day for Nils
Peaches will be ripe In two weeks. Green
apples are plentiful, and few ripe ones
| are found
petition for district high school was
| circulated some five or six weeks ago in sew
| eTal school districts, member of the Niles
School Board having the matter in charge.
| AS the time Tor the election of new Trustees
! was so near at hand it was considered advis-
able to wait until after they should take
Office July lsO before continuing the mat
| ter. Several other parties, with more haste
than discretion, and an AK or so to grind,
rushed through another petition leaving
three or four districts, Niles included, out in
| the cold. The whole thing was done and
| election notices we're out within a week. This
| hasty work must now be undOne in some man
ner, so that all districts desiring may have
| time TO consider the matter, and come in if
they wish. The twelve or fourteen districts
| lying in the township could easily support
irSt-claSs school, but to divide them up
would be more expense and poorer sch ools.
| The date Of election is set for June 29th,
and if the date cannot be arranged allowing
| other districts to come in, then, in all proba-
| hilitu thu neonia Wi Uuta in a nun, nd ha