Evening journal., 1906-11-27


The sand Is carried In wheeibarrows over
temporary movable plank tracks from ad-
Joining sand banks 10 tho surface OF the
bog. The bogs ia most cases are too low
and soft to allow the use OF horses.
IKE other cconomic. fruits. the Gran
berry is not often propagnted BY seeds,
but propagntes itself naturally by Offsets.
Commercial propagation Is carried on By
the use OF cuttings or layers Tho cut
tlngs with which new cmnberry meadows
are established are usually 10 or 10 inches
long Printing OF new meadows ls done
ns early IN the spring AZ cuttings can be
Secured, usually about the fret OF June.
Once planted cmnberres take care OF
themselves IA so far ~ cultivation Ia
concerned. About the only thing neces-
safy for the grower ~ DO Ia 70 keep down
grass and weedy growths OF ali kinds.
10 the enrly Days Of cranberry culture
harvesting was necessarily done entirely
by hand, and this method is still IN vogue
ip many localities, particularly IN dis
tricts where the mehdowa are OF small
size. However, as the Industry expanded
the Increased demand for pickers made
Il necessary that, In order 70 hold the
cost Of production withiu reasonable
bounds, some device be found which
wonid lessen the cost Of harvesting BY
increasing the quantity an individual 10
able TO pick. This demand has been met
by two forms Of cranberry rake. One Is
operated by being forced through the
brdnches. thus pulfng 'o6 the fruit
while the other la hrst forced into the
vines. the guard pressed down. and then.
By Withdrawing the implement. the Der.
ries are stripped on, the shoots upon
which the berries are borue, belng drawn
between tho iron fingers Of tns picker.
Either Of these Ingenious aids 10 cram
berry harvesting enables a great saving
OF time and expense. ns one person can
gather 10 or 80 measures OF SIX quarts
each IN an ordinary workipg day. while
O hand picker cannot gather more than
half that quantity. For a time thaEo was
a prejudice among many groweFu aEuannt
the use Of these harvesting devices be-
cause OF 20 much lima einary injury to the
bogs, but within the past few yearu this
prejudice has largely disappeared.
Cranberry harvesting is usually paid
for by the measure. Bach person is fur
nished with rake and with pals OF
boxes In which 70 place the berries aa
picked. The meadow Is then laid Oh n
sections or strips and each picker b as
signed TO a division. By this arrange
ment each worker gets his share q both
heavily and sparsely fruited plants. and
the grower Is certain OF gettlnr the prod-
uet from all parts Of the meadow, Aries
the fruit is picked Il Is carried - Ueoses
houses, where II Il allowed 10 remain
until assorted IN the trays II which u
was placed at picking time. Most Of
these trays have capacity q ebout 16
quarts each.
As the crnnberries come from the neId
there are 10 be found among them many
broken branches. leaves ana defective
fruits. To remove eneh leaves and
branches there is employed sny one Of q
variety OF cleaning devices similar 70 the
tanning milla used for ciaanina grain.
After having been wtnnowed In this
fashion the fruit u spread upon asserting
racks. Opentop seated upon either side
Of this apparatus look over the berries
IN much the same manner that beans are
looked over IN hand picking. From the
asserting table the berries 20 Into bar
rels. only a comparatively small portion
being Grated.
The grower who cnitivntes cranbcrries
on a large scale almost invariably pro
vides storage buildings on his own land.
II is the prevailing practice to hold the
fruit IN the stornge-houses at the bogi
until the market Is ready, which Is from
six TO weeks 70 three months after the
conclusion OF the harvest. No artnlcial
cold Is Necessary IN tho Etorago-hCueess
about the only precaution necessary boina
20 prevent the fruit from freeztng. II
the early days It was thought necessary
10 pack the berries IN caaka and eorel
them with water In order 70 proBarse
them for any length of time, but this
idea has been abandoned and the fruit h
for the most part stored In small open
boxes.
The fruit as cleaned. assorted and bar.
relied. usually In ventilated barrels, lt
placed on the market The housewife
who visits the retail stores Is. perhaps.
more accustomed TO seeing cranberries IN
bushel crates than In barrels. but this
Grating OF the fruit Is done BY the mid.
diemen, who act as distributing agents
rather than BY the producers. The price
OF cranberries has varied tremendously
during the past quarter Of a century. In
some years the fruit has sold as low az
$3.50 10 81 per barrel, even IN Novem-
Der. when the demand Is keenest, and
then again the price has been above Si6.
The usual price, however, has been from
81 10 $40 per barrel
Common supposltion IS that delicacies
for the table comprise the sum total OF
the housewives purchases az Thanksgiv-
Ing time and A might surprise many Of
our readers 70 learn how large a proper.
tlon OF the whole holiday outlay goes for
flowers. The major portion OF this latter
appropriation Is. OF course, expended for
the thanksgiving nower the shaggy
chrysanthemum. VI Is al. this season Of
the year that the popular NUNS" are
az their best. and IN the larger cities the
florists are seldom able 20 SECURE enough
OF The white aud yellow blooms to supply
the demand. Prices 20 soprlpg much
nfter The fashion ot tho 1tsbtnfions for
liies at Fastcr. and Instead, OF ihe usual
prices OF So io Sl2 rer dotcti the hon~e>
holder who desires cluster "a The nnlr,,-
pirate posleS for hls dinner tsiblF, Is likely
io.i ie held np e. the tnre q frnin SIP to
SIS per siczrn Tor ehel~~ sf-~iin@ns
NAl-DoN IA sVCETT.