The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-13
A WOMAN APPLE-BUYER.
City and Country Occupations Com.
pared.
Kansas City Star.

Kansas City Star.
The question is frequently asked of me
how l came TO take up the business Of APP
pie buying and packing. / could not give a
more direct answer than that took up the
work lying nearest my hands, which in my
case Glanced to be handling fruit. Find
ing that could successfully manage the
work, the question has been how to lay
the work down. We frequently hear OF
she possibilities in many branches of rural
life that are SO attractive to the toiier in
the city, and advice galore Is given to the
man whose daily round of toll has become
burdensome, and whose very soul Graves
the sights and sounds" of the country
But Tor the women, who form such large
proportion OF the city's toilers we offer
little inducement to take up a business that
mas advantages to offer on nearly every
size. Besides, my observation leads me TO
believe that ii is more often the wife than
the husband who grows dissatisfied with
the new venture that takes them from city
10 country, and. though health and pros
perlty are theirs they grow lonely and
long for the old "hand-to-mouth" existence
that surrounds them with the hustle of
city life. Generally this discomfort would
never be felt II these wives and daughters
mad business Of their own 10 claim their
time and abilities, and give them the salts
NED FEELING that comes when one sees the
results OF carefully-planned labors well
wrought out.
When, after about eighteen years of office
work we left the city for the country, NOV
ing on a farm, many friends tried TO dis
suade me; among the reasons offered was
always heard the lament that / would work
myself TO death on a farm. But really
what IS the work of an ordinary farm wife
who can take her children with her through
every hour OF the day, and lie down with
them at night, compared with the woman
VINO must give, say, ten hours TO confined
unremitting work in office or elsewhere:
add TO this one hour for going TO and from
work. the thousand things mother must do
at home and the half of night spent in
sewing, mending, etc.
N ho nh
ling peaches was a rare pleasure and when
that pleasure was fairly well paid for in
addition l Immediately adopted the business
or packing for market. From peaches 10
apples was small step. and as il Law near
est / tried that, and found that Careful
painstaking work is appreciated as much
In the orchard as In the office; that the
business ability and judgment needed in
clerical work were exactly the same ouaIi-
ties needed in buying and handling a large
apple crop, and as clerical positions ara
overcrowded and good apple packers are
scarce L made my choice at once
The work requires a good deal OF exer-
ton, much driving from orchard 10 orchard
and, in this country. walking through or
chards estimating crops, judgment in buy
Ing, training sorters and packers. and SUI
arh net !, PerSonhy every detail Of the
working woman and is profitable as we'll
Last fall L packed $40 barrels OF apples.
long years of office work | nearly always
grew very tired by time night came and
yet hours OF work often awaited me that
must be done.
Not only during packing season do we
md interest in our work; following that
we follow the fruit 10 cold storage with
our interest, watching the markets. noting
sales and condition of fruit we have packed.
trying each year TO gather new lessons
for the future. Before the fruit is finally
disposed OF we are examining the trees in
the orchards. noting conditions of bud.
blossom and growth. Early in the spring
We begin 10 study the crop around Us. and
all over the apple belt. ever widening our
experience. making many congenial ac-
quaintances In many States. and from one
year to another we can keep ourselves in
terested. contented and longing not for the
old city life. with its long hours OF clerical
toll.