New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-03
IN THE QUAKER STRAWBERRY PATCHES.
ROCKY HIIISIDs on WHICH DEMURE MNDENs
GATHER TILE LUSCIOUS FRUIT.

ROCKY HILI1SIDs on WHICH DEMURE MNDENS
GATHER THE LUSCIOUS FRUIT.
Norwich, July 2.-Six or eight miles south OF this
city I'm the rocky little land Of Ledyard are the
scattered brown houses Of Quakertown. whose staid
nice old fashioned peOp. don't believe at all IN war
or mnch in paving taxes but are convinced that rails
ing strawberries Is abont the neaeSt and most
lucrative business N the world Ledyad Is one of
the stOniest patches Of country IN Connecticut ana
Ouakertown Is in the very st0niest part Of Ledyard
II IS land OF little farms. thin SOIL hard blne gravel
lodges steep hillside pastures huckleberr' and bay
berry bushes, tangled swnmrs anc thick dark woods
The people most OF whom old style ouakcrS,
dwell IN gray one-stcry fDrmhouscs along rambling
country roads and hav, had scratch the tough soil
indust nousy In order to make frugal living Abvnt
twenty-five years ago, however some one introduced
the business Of raising strawberries, and since then the
people there have made money hand over hst-they
admit II themselves. About every ono in Quaker
town raises strawberries and probably there IS no
other little town in New England IN which the in.
dustrv Is carried on enthusiastically and on vast
a scale.
In the little Quaker ncighborhooh there are alto
gether not less than fifteen twenty acres Of the
finest stawbernes grown, and 1t Is now the
height Of the among the growers. Most OF the
work Of growing. picking and marketing the berries
+, done bv the brown faced oualorcsses and
sec them trooping into Norwich NewIondon and other
market towns with their big twohOse wagons laden
with boxes and baskets OF fruit every week day nOn-
Ing long before sunrise. They quit their homes n
early rs O'Clock and are in town before the
sleepy grocery clerks have taken down the store
shutters.
Acknowledging, too, are tho Quaker maiden'.
raracd in clean calico dresses. with VIDE. spotlcss
coam and jaunty suntOnnc,s, coming into 'Own
after an eight mile drive after daylight. IL
takes them only few moments 10 trin.act their
bu.inces because all the merchants know them AID
q, ~,
long before lazy folks out Of bed. AZ or +.
O'Clock they are back In the strawberry beds again.
NJ chng berries rs fast their slim and pracilsed
fingers fly.
IL |, no fun 10 pick Strawberries II the picker IS
alone but with a dozen madens and young fellows
In hg strawberry bed, berry picking IS the next
best thing 10 a picnic In the height Of the season.
when all the strawberries In a town seem bent on
getting ripe ut once the growers import lads and
lassics from neighboring towns. sometimes from the
cities and then there is royal sport In the berry
patches. There merry making and hirting ana not
infreqnently when the first frcsts Of ur' ensuing
autumn beginning TO fall. wedding bells tnS
for the nuptals Of more than one couple who met
for the first time while stripping berries togcthe-
from the Quakcl1own strawberry plants As rule
the pickers are paid ccnto box basket for the
berries they gather, and smart ambitions picker
can harvest a bishel more Of berries day
The Ouakertown growers have difficulty in
marketing their harvest, because the berries by
for superior 10 those imported from other States.
For Instance, the recent gut Of Long Island berries,
which sent the price Of that fruit down to II II
nate, had no appreciable effect on tho sale of the
OuakertOwn frnit.
For years one Onakertown farmer raised from three
To 1--WE acres OF berries yearly, and was known In
all parts OF Connecticut ms the Quaker strawberry
King" IHs most successful competitor at The tim.
was Quaker marOn. All In all. the farms Of
Ledyard have scores Of acres used for strawberry
culture
Although the Qnakert0wn Quakers are scquestercc
In Wild. rude and ragged country. they are n
notably Intelligent and educated people, ana they
have produced number Of famous and daughters.