Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-30
ALAND OF BLACKBERRIEs.
Twenty-Five Thousand Buckets Picked
Within q Stretch OF 35 Miles.


Correspondence Of Pitts6ur0 Dispatch.
On THE STEAMER BERLIN, July e.
Piles, rows and pyramids of buckets Of
blsckberries. Not the cultivated, in
slpid article, but the lustrous wild
blackberries, indigenous to the soil, are
what the Dispatch correspondent saw
from the hurricane roof Of the steamer
Ben Hur, at dozen Of points between st.
Marys, w. Va. and Darlington, o., on
the Ohio river day or two ago. How
many people know anything of the I'M
portance and extent Of the blackberry
season-how the fruit Is gathered, or
how shipped to market.
The thoughtful housewife, with her
prospective view of long, comfortable
rows OF jars and cans of jam or air
tights, or bottles Of wine and cordial,
goes to the market or store nearby, and
purchases buckets of the luscious fruit
with dim idea that blackberries grow
on bushes In the gardens about the city,
where they are cultivated like many
other fruits. She has no idea that the
great portion Of the berries are wild,
that thousands OF buckets are daily ar
irving in the cities, gathered among the
hills and glens, the valleys and neg
lected fields for miles along the Ohio
river, or that to hundreds Of people,
and even to steamboats, and railroads,
the blackberry season is an important
factor in their trade. Yet such is the
fact.
The blackberry season begins about
Jply15and ends about the 30th. During
that short period the principal carrying
business Of numbers of boats is confined
to the blackberry trade. The fruit grows
all along the upper Ohio valleys. 1t is
found among the hills and valleys; In
the glens and open spaces, wherever
the rays Of the sun can penetrate, but
the greatest number are found in old
deserted fields and along the fences.
Some of the best territory is found
along the Ohio river between st. Mary
w. Va, and Darlington, O., from be-
tween which points there has been
shipped already this season not less
than 25, 900 buckets into the markets OF
Bellaire, Wheeling and Pittsburg. The
steamer Ben Hur alone has carried over
10. 600 buckets, while other daily pack
cts and the railroads have done an
equally large business.
Among the pickerS, are men, women
and children, many OF them going out
of the cities during the season to COM
bine pleasure with proft--camping out
with prospect of being on the right
side Of their bank accounts at the close
of the season. The greater number,
however, are country people, who went
over the ground before the season
opened, and selected the best territory.
These people freQu ntly camp out, also,
living In temporary cabins or shake
downs constructed of poles and cover
ed with thick layers of brush. Here
they cook, eat and sleep-men, women
ana children.
The pickers ere up betimes and
before the sun is high to render the
work uncomfortable they have gather
ed all Of the ripest and most market
able berries within certain radl-
ia. The buckets are then carried
TO the river bank, where they are load
ed on the up-gOIng steamer for the mar
ket. On its down trip the steamer
brings back the buckets taken up the
Jay DtlOIt, bOSCbiAOA WIN ohNl SAONOAASo
or provisions as have been ordered by
the shippers.
The berries this season, which is be-
lieved to have been the best for many
years, have brought prices ranging
from 25 cents to GO cents bucket. At
these prices the pickers make pretty
fair wages, some Of them frequently
gathering as many as four or FIVE buck
cts a day. The best Of the pickers are
said to be boys and girls Of IA years of
age or upward. Their size and agility
enable them to force their way easily
into the frequently matted pushed, while
their nlmble fingers outstrip those Of
older persons.
1t is q unique and interesting sight
to see big Ohio river steamer cover
ed with rows of buckets from deck to
roof, going up stream like a floating
mountain of buckets.