The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-09-14
Gathering the Hop Crop.

a quaint and gable rooted old farm
house, from the middle of August until
the first of September numerous prepa-
rations are made for the gathering of
the hop crop. The breezy atmosphere
and the absence of heavy fogs render
this locality particularly adapted to the
growing OF this crop. To the hop
grower 1T means season # anxiety
and hard work; to the picker a sort of
holiday combined, with the satisfactory
prospects of making a little money.
The good wife certainly has her hands
full at this time. Every available space
is utilized for sleeping accommodations;
b. DIS are spread in the parlor, hall or
tic, and the male part of the help o.
ten sleep in the hop houses. II
The latest lambs, the choicest chick
ems, are all sacrificed to appease the
hungry pickers. There seems to be
rivalry among the farmers as to who
will set the "best table," Perhaps it is
for their interest to do this, as often
times there is a scarcity of pickers, and
the farmer who has the reputation for
good living seldom has trouble in secur-
ing help. When they are in the cond;-
ton for picking, the hops must be
gathered at once, as a delay of few
farmer. In certain places near villages
the pickers often board themselves,
bringing their dinners and returning to
their homes at night, but the most of
the growers board their hands. AL
most every one in this region goes chop
picking" the rich and poor, the Young
and Old, oftentimes whole families, in
which latter case the earnings are cor
siderable.
1t is pleasant, some bright Septem-
Der morning, seated on moss-covered
rock on the hill side, with the sun lust
rising from behind the Berkshire Hills,
which are plainly visible, to watch the
pickers going to their daily task. A
motley group, indeed; many gentle
manipulating people, matrons, pretty
girls, and young children, all looking
fresh and cheerful, with their lunch
baskets on their arms, all chatting and
laughing, and appearing unconcerned
as to the task before them. Yonder
comes a lumber wagon loaded with
farmers entire family. Among them
is one woman, perhaps seventy years
cid, bringing her easy chair to sit in
while picking, The mother has the
baby on her arms, who will soon q
sleeping beneath the clusters of hops.
Here comes young woman dressed as
if for an evening party; beside her
comes little maiden with lain calico
dress and white sunbonnet. Then
} come young men, some snobbish and
full of airs, from the village, and
stout, red-cheeked lads from surround
ing farms. Boys and girls make up
the throng, and together they wind
their way to their places in the hop
; fields.
The hops as they are picked are put
into boxea. The main box is divided
into four compartme nts or boxes, each
holding eight busht ls. There are four
pickers to main box, each picker bav-
ing his own box holding eight bushels.
The number of boxes picked by per-
son in day depends upon the abur d.
} ance of hops, their size, and the ability
OF the picker. The general average is
perhaps from two to four boxes per
day. The wages paid range from fifty
cents to seventy-dve cents day when
the picker is boarded, or from 81 to
81 25 when he boards himself.
Every main box has "box tender,n
whose business it is to pull the poles,
strip the vines from them, and keep
the pickers supplied with hops. 1t is
quite re- ponsible place, as it is also
the tenders duty to see that the poles
are picked clear ly, and that the hops in
the boxes are kept free from leaves
and stems, and that no hops are wasted
on the ground. AS soon as box is
e led it is sacked by the box tender,
the picker holding the sack while the
box tender puts in the hops, carefully
picking out every large stem and leaf,
and frequently admonishing the pick
ers to pick their hops L" a little cleaner"
A "setting" comprises six rows Of
poles from each end of the box and
three from each side. When these are
all picked the box is moved forward to
another setting.
. A busy, merry throng they are, with
their nimble fingers working swiftly
over the vines. Noon soon comes, the
gala event of the day, but none too
! soon, for the bracing air of the noun
tains, the pleasant exercise, and the
good spirits of the company are all COL
ducive to ppetites-appetites that are
a stranger to those working in stores
and factories in large towns and cities.
They generally select some shady spot,
beneath some grand old tree, or in
some grove beside spring of sparkling
water. Here they spread their table on
the green grass. Such variety of
good thingsl Almost every conceiva.
BILE dainty that woman can invent.
AS for variety, they would vie with any
hotel. Cold turkey, chicken, geese,
meats of all kinds, sandwiches and il
mineral lie pies, cakes and puddings;
jugs of Geld coffee, tea, milk, and lem
onade, but seldom any malt or spurious
liquors. The women gossip as they
cat, and in the pure air, with the cool
breeze from the mountains tanning
their sunburnt faces, their loquacity
seems to be so increased that it would
leave any traditional tea party far be-
hind in the race of tongues.
If anything will bring good sound
and wholesome sleep, it is work among
the hops, and when one places his
head TO rest the faint and soothing
odor still fingers. Invalids who for
L., 4 II