The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-07-02

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9 The following valuable arti- 9
9 Gle on selecting and handling {.
9 loganberries, is contributed o
@ specially for Farm and Home 9
Q Magazine Section by c. |. Lewis, .
9 horticulturist at Oregon Agri 9
9 cultural College. 9
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9 9 o . . . 3 9 . . 3 Q o . 9 Q
An INVESTIGATION will show that
many of the inferior dried and
evaporated loganberries are due to
one or all of three causes: poor selec
tion of the fruit and careless harvest
ing methods; rough handling in remov-
ing the fruit from the field to the
evaporator and unskillful methods EN-
ployed in evaporation. Too much stress
cannot be placed on the question of
harvesting Early in our investigations
we soon determined that harvesting
alone was responsible for many of the
poor berries that were being evap-
grated. 1t is only by very careful
handling and correct knowledge of the
proper berries to pick that one can
deliver to the evaporator product that
is desirable for evaporating. In addi-
tion to careless handling in the field
many berries are ruined in being trans
ported from the field to the evaporator.
The best berries to select for evapor
ating purposes are firm ripe berries.
Care should be taken, however, not to
pick these berries too soon. If they
are light colored or very bright col
ored and hard, they do not make very
satisfactory product 1t is true very
pretty product can be manufactured,
one which is very attractive, but the
fruit is too tart and it also loses too
much weight when in this condition.
During the early part of the season
growers need to be unusually cautious
not to pick the berries too green. The
berries are apt to ripen slowly and a
grower has tendency to become more
anxious to remove the fruit and to
start the evaporator The presence of
large amounts of this unripe fruit is
probably partially responsible for the
greater loss in weight through the
evaporation process during the early
part of the season than is experienced
during the latter part; though, posi-
bly,, the fact that there is apt to be a
little less moisture in the ground at the
end of the season may be responsible
for some of the difference in mois
ture content of the fruit. The berries
which are over-ripe should not be uset
for evaporating purposes. Such berries
can be utilized for juices, syrups, jams
and jens.
Cost of Picking.
The picking is done mostly by
women, girls and school boys, the aver
age price being one cent per pound
Some growers practice giving five
sixths of a cent early in the season
and pay about one and ne-fourth cent
when the picking becomes poor in thu
latter part of the season. 1t is, a
times, hard to get really first elias
work done by the class Of people VIII
present themselves to our growers. Th
system of paying by the piece encour
ages the pickers to be very careles
and if this system is maintained it j
absolutely necessary that careful So
pervision be employed. A check system
of some nature so that the grower ca
check up on his pickers would be yer,
advisable whether they pick by tn
piece or by the day. This is the onl
way he can keep out undesirable frui'
stems, leaves, etc. Up to the presen
time the growers have had very littl
difficulty in securing pickers. Goo
camping facilities should be furnished
and whole families will move to tn
loganberry district and enjoy an ou
ing, and at the same time the youn
people can earn money for school book
and other necessities. Owners