The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-06-01

JASPER COUNTY BERRY FIELDS.
The Worlds Greatest Strawberry Field
Thousands Engaged in pick.
ing-l0O Carloads Shipped

CARTILAGE, Mo, May ~, 1879,
EpIroR TONS: To the person who
can appreciate the true worth Of any
section Of country, Jasper county ap.
pcals with the most convincing iesii.
uuuy. Besides being the richest sec
ton IN the world for zinc IRE. il l. also
the worlds largest straw berry field, in
proportion o. is size Ihi, j. the
height NJ the season, and the whole
country is one working mas. Of people
gathering aud taking care Of the deli.
ripus red fruit There are many grow
rr, in the county that have e. high as
forty acres 10 thi, kind OF culture A..
most II the JeTric, gipcu at the same
tine, Il generally take, about 800
pickcrs to save field ui this size BE-
sides these large fields, there are num-
beers containing ten, iil,cCu, aud twenty
acfes. The grower, pay SO much
quar-, to have them picked, aud, as
there are not sufficient number. ia the
country 10 save the crop, thousands
come from other counties and the adj
joining States, eager to do the work
Every year there are, counting home
pickcrs. from 5000 to 20, 900 pick
cr- In the county. There is not a full
crop this year, but there are now In the
many fields 10000 busy humans lill.
ing their little boxes with berries all
the way from the size Of an ordinary
marble 10 that Of small hen egg
Others are coming IN from Kansas aud
Arkansas, aud 10 u few days the coun.
try will be oyerrun with berry pickcrs
Sarcoxie, a little town IN the south
eastern part Of the county, is the chief
berry field of the world. The tents of
pickers strung along The commons, and
reaching out into the country along the
lanes, remind one Of an army camp
Ia war times. The usual population of
this place Is about 600, but Il Is now
swclled 10 the enormous number Of
800. The visitor may see the doll
baby racks, shooting galleries, Punch
aud judy shows, tinhurn gamblers, aud
all such amuscmenis. The whole coan.
Try Is . perfect din Of idvolity, and, all
these mingled with the claittr Of black
birds, the rattle Of carts aHd wagons
taking the crates Of berries to the cars,
remind QUO OF modern Babylon
rather ian a Missouri town.
Old berry growers say that tn, hes,
fields this year will not average more
than 50 per cent Of tho Usual crop, but
the lowest estimates say that ihI out
put will be not lees than 800 carloads.
Al the present prices, they will be
worth 1000 per cat, OF $500, 600 for
The entire crop. Sarcoxie alone will
send out $50 carloads
The strawberry Of Southwest Mis-
souri, Is said to be the best favored
berry produced. The berries Of the
Arkansas fields were Skipped wet, aud,
rs this season here has been favorable,
The crop will DO saved in good shape,
aud will receive highest market prices
There Is a marked difference between
berries produced IN The Southeast, also
In other portions Of the State. In the
latter places the berries are Inclined to
nave waiery taste, but the Jasper
county berry Is firm, aud seems TO con
tain the utmost amount of rich favor.
ing, There are number Of varieties
grown, aud the fruit IA large and uui-
form.
To those unaccusomed 60 seeing
such a plen'y Of this raso luxury, il Is
a treat to spend day in the berry die.
tricts. The managers are big hearted,
ard the visitor finds himself soon salts.
He'd, aAd going away loaded with ber-
RIGS. W. ALFRLp kESxLpY.