The Washington times., 1914-09-09
SUGGESTS AN IDEA.

song. the chorus of which is taken
UP by many voices. A concert Of
melodies. old and new, follows, Then
to bed with the tent flaps thrown
wide to the deep blue heavens and
the night winds bringing sound sleep.
to get up to new day of work and
play.
The work in the sheds IL mostly
done by women and girls. as they
make the best packers They work
BY the piece-that Is. they are paid
by the crates: cents for cherries
and apricots, and for plums. for
pears. and only 3 for peaches, the
rienced packer can make from 81. st to
$3.50 a day. working from $50 a m.
to D. m.
The work requires good Judgment.
as the fruit must be without spots
or blemisncs and ot a certain degree
or f1rmness. Each crate must aver
age "a certain weight. must he Of
uniform sizs. and the tops Of the
crates must present an even and
regular appearance. Every move
ment counts. and the girl who puts
up her eighty crates Of peaches. each
one wrapped and two tiers to the
box. must make no unnecessary
gestures. For each unrequired move
means ono peach less.
Fruit Is Graded.
The fruit is graded as It comes
from the orchard to the shed. The
finest always goes to New York, the
seconds to cheaper or lesser markets.
and the poorest, as well as all fruit
discarded by the packers. Is Gent to
the cutting tables. where other
workers spread It or trays for dry
ing. This is the work that requires
only speed and mechanical skill. and
In this also only girls and women
excel. This. too. Is piece work."
and women average well over Sl.I0 a
day and some as nigh as s.
Now. Just stop and consider. Tho
lowest rate. $3.50. gives S390a 3
month. counting twcnty-six working
8. counting twenty-six working lays
to the month, gives $7S q month.
With board and room 1t does seem
as II a girl could save quite a tidy
sum. Reueml.er. the work becins In
April and lasts until November.
Nothing Is wasted: even the wind
falls are carefully picked up and
pits dried and sold for various pur-
poses. The thoroughly decayed fruit
goes to the pigs. There's a place for
everything on the fruit ranch,
The field workers the rancher re-
cruits from the knights OF the bIan-
ket. the Irregular Workers Of tho
World and the newly arrived Span
ish. italian, and Portuguese immi-
grants.
Then there is tho hobo. Hs Is Of
two classes-the down-and- -outer. who
still has an ambition or two left. a
dream Of something better. some
thing to live and hope for.
who is on the road through
hard luck or accident or-most com
monly-because he has come to hand
grips with John Barleycorn and lost
out. He is good man gone
wrong" and knows It. and wants
another chance. When we get hold
OF him we sigh with relief: we know
we have got hold OF a helper who
will stay out the season. works well.
gives no trouble. and IS almost pa
thetically grateful for a few friendly
words or the loan Of a magazine or
a newspaper.
The Down and Outer.
Then. there is the down and outer
who Is down for keeps-who has
taken the count and doesn't care.
All he wants Is a few regular ''eats.''
a couple OF dollars in his pocket,
and he is off. The call of the road
and John Barleycorn-is too strong
When we get his sort we know what
to expect and keep our eyes open for
some one else to take his place when
the wanderlust gets him.
Yes. it's a big business. this ship
ping of California fruit. much bigger
than those at the consumers end of
the line realize. II is a business,
trade. a Observation-Disclosures you
willard provides a livelihood for
hundreds OF people. They are jolly
folks. too. and even the down and
outer haven't forgotten how to
laugh.
There's many good joke goes into
the crates. much laughter. as we'll as
fresh air and Gods blessed sunshine.
Eat of our fruits. friends in tn.
East: they are sweet and healthful.
and they bear no germs Of disease or
of oppression or taint of the sweat
shop or factory. They are clean
and good.