The Republican journal., 1912-10-10
7aE BURBERRY CROP.
, Washington County Barrens
Fodua Quarter of a Million.

lHN .o heen worth nearly a quarter
curt. , o1,' dollars to that county during
d l1', 'nsrry season just passed. re-
tb' 0'p' g P. Sweetser of Cumberland,
GafAS' State horticulturist, who had
'''''''. ,,,ted an extended trip through
a'. ''. ., .ar the purpose of investigat-
bs ,oll o.re0srry and the canning indus
's , 4. goes with it.
IT, 9 T great areas once covered with
,ak forest have been cleared for
rlas 4'- he continued, "and, not
ns'. rojtted TO become reforested,
beng we'd to be natural BURBERRY
tt ia-'e n soil for the greater part Is
a'l ary loam and on the barrens
Bg5, s go for miles with little to obstruct
i.rs'tn,' Odd settlers told me that the
i5- VI. ,rallv covered with oak is the
era 81 l, Jerry land, although the pine
bel v-rl good. 1t has lately been
srs'' a. mat some of the billy country
j:s2' japted to the berries, so that
Is ss soor. must be nearly $50, 900 acres
tsy2.,S1 at the barrens is owned by the
s- ,uprate the canneries, although
cs' n4iyiiuals own large tracts. The
e,as ,G51gh easily and inexpensively
S1.. IS valued at from $45 to $50
9''1 The ease with which the crop
q al',,,-a IS remarkable, for the most
Fp,a,-4 methods as yet consist of SIM
y ,acq over the area once in three
p | Nv Of the more particular
ys's .arra bushes. The burn is made
Gu, ~ .rrrg and is an interesting oper-
4 ' The person in charge selects the
'"' ,a lru and in the morning after
~, ,..t-ra 1a the ground is dry enough
w 't '.- ably, he arms himself with a
.'' .or.. instructed of a pipe filled
p., ard sort Of wick attached to
g'D sa AS TO regulate the flow of oil.
" .s.r,a- aa the side from which the
p.s blowing he travels along, light
WV. ". ~slg Tres as he walks. The wind
". r. .s.s fire onward across the plains
'' q.r1- ls. The damp evening air
!. ..~a v sufficient to check the fire 50
%5,,rvl Je out before morning. In
a .'' "a. man can burn over large
,ss IF ag.e day.
,7Tr e., is done in May, usually,
,,ia. aaatse there is some danger, in a
...:sss... y. .osiug control of the fire,
n, Ills .ges n0- occur often in territory
,,r.r, rs for, because the burn is
rsls .ace I'd three years and in that
sa1 hardly enough material to makea
I,ssroas IRE collects.
Too heavy burns destroy so many of
as roots that the crop is materially
Elected SO little burning is attempted
rysrv lry periods. Of course there is
nr0o to harvest the year of the b rn,
gtth4 following two years yield enough
rore q, 1aT. sometimes three crops
ne mike before the burn is repeated.
ne Ian. 1wa rs usually divide their ter
6tory l three portions so that two
n-,s II he Yielding a crop and the
ttr burned and ready to produce
he hTug year. The soil is virgin
mi that IT seems to require for ferti- /
5g ts ashes from the cover of vines
ISL pushes
'.rI4r SIMMER when the berries are
aa 44 TO pick, the land is leased to
t.e Nf9 Usually go over their terri
M bat o0ae This year the season was
a - about five weeks. The ear y
r1ss wsre rushed to market in crates
co. readily for from 10 to II cents a
quar- More than 1000 bushels were
a,De from one station this season. 1t
estimated that this early crop was
Erir thing over SIS, 900 to the coun-
rHs sa.
81 caruery the land owner re-
"a su mach per quart stumpage, i.
!, ia. 0erries are listed at the can
Er show on which tract they
E5 roR This year the owners re-
Ar= u Is to 2 cents per quart.
G- #rs- yield is estimated to be
lA. bushels per acre, although a
FL @ 4 a favorable season will F.
DAG mount very materially.
Ga. ..e picking season is on, the
Far - the appearance Of a vast
'r 1t is the custom for the
ase their entire families into
n s a live in tents or small
Fa@ #' fne crop is harvested. All
it the smallest children. The |
s'la gathered with rake with a
ls a.-4cted. As fast as the pals are
III f. :les are put through Win
0g }.-ae and are then carried /
51at..gs. ~ boxes and shipped to the
-.0ss. Some Of which are 80 or 40 /
lT H-5 'ne point where the berries
hcars- Working for wager have
ri 4'a8n 70 rake II bushels of berries
seEt lay, but the average daily
alg rom two and half to three
gae8 The total crop for this year is
s.ls'el al ~, 900 bushels, so that there
wy nave been from 1000 to 1880 peo-
% The 0arrens during the picking
.,@ ., OF five weeks. The pickers We're
%.oo ce'is per bushel this year, though
y! seasons they have been paid as
as ST. This year something like
J, ~'Q must have been paid to the pick
M, a. ,h7 factory the berries are Win
n.y. again and then inspected and all
't- substances removed. Next they
r through steam cookers similar to
nv, 1'g4 corn canning establish
-'' Inc hot mixture is ladled into
%' winch are carried on to the seal
a.. .a-2iats. They are cooled with
N. ''3 h0aily labelled and packed in
y '5aiy for shipment. Two and ten
a's are used and about SO two
ga. are used to care for bush
rage wage at the canneries
4y Tor the men and $1.25 per
Ss,.. e women and, boys. 1t is es-
bal 0at the canneries gave employ
., 10 7'oU' 300 hands this season. AS
!, ~F /. Is about evenly divided between
aer z and women and boys at $1.25
.. BY, ''f SIX weeks the wages paid in
Id "a. les must have amounted to at
j. tn "7-o NE total amount return
|, k.t county, exclusive of what was
supplies, boxes, teaming. load
'r was 1924, u.s."