The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-12-28
THE CRANBERRY HARVEST.
How the Toothsome Relish is Prepared for
MI the Market,


How the Toothsome Relish is Prepared for
6s the Market.
Did yon ever see a cranberry bog?
Imagine broad, level surface, wind
ing in and out among the low hills like
lake, but green as meadow. From
u swamp of huge cedars, such as had
once covered the site of the bog itself,
a little stream ran down through the
center of the plain. At intervals banks
of earth crossed the bog at right angles
to this stream, in which sluice-ways
were set, SO that the bitches that di-
vided each section, like chess board,
could be filed, or the whole bog turned
into lake. The vines must be care
fully defended from the FROST and this
system of flooding accomplishes the
purpose perfectly. When the berries
are ripening in the fall the Their
mometer is carefully watched by those
in charge of the fields Should the mer
curry fall to thirty-four degrees Fahren-
heit the water is at once let in so as to
partly cover the vines; should it fall
even degree lower the whole field is
at once completely submerged. The
vines are particularly subject to the
attacks Of insects, worms and grubs in
the spring, and when these pests APP
pear the meadows are flooded and the
creatures drowned. In the older por-
tions Of the bog the vines covered the
ground like a thick carpet several
inches deep, but some parts just set
out this summer showed that they
planted only one vine about every two
and half feet each way, and from these
all the others spread. A popularity
of the vine is that if you scatter
broadcast without any sort of care bits |
of the vine six or eight inches long the
cuttings will take root and grow just |
as if you had planted them. The vine
seems to love the water somehow,
though it will thrive in such arid soil.
In order that the crop shall be a sue
cess the whole meadow ought to lie
well under water from the beginning
to the close of the cold season.
Down among the vines the berries
lie, half hidden by their tiny ever
green leaves. After the dew had
evaporated little, the pickers started
to work. Each was given ''a row."
generally reaching in length from the
edge of the bog to the main ditch.
Each picker had a square box with an
iron bail, holding peck. The pickers
get down upon their knees, place the
box in front of them and scoop up the
berries with their hands. AS they
pick space, the box is moved along.
Overseers keep close watch that no
berries are left by the picker, as the
vines are gone over but once
When the box is filled, the picker
either calls an overseer or carries it
to a spot on the bank where
team can easily drive in, and where
large number of empty crates are piled.
Here his berries are empted into the
crate, and he is given a check, or peck
ticket" Four of these peck tickets are
exchanged for bushel ticket, and
these are cashed at fifty cents bushel.
when reliable name is on
them, these tickets pass current as
small change, and very large growers
have from five thousand dollars to
twenty thousand dollars out in these
promises to pay. Some of the pickers
will reach three or four bushels in a
lay, but two bushels is considered a ,
good days work, and the women often I
pick more than the men.--Demorest's ;
Magazine. ,