The Nevada County picayune., 1917-08-16
WAR APPLE CROP
This Years Harvest of Fruit Wi!
 Help Whip Enemy.
SCARCITY OF PACKERS FELT
Size of Crop, Equal to Two Bushels for Each Person in Land, Calls for Special Methods of
 Handling for Market.

In couple of weeks We will begin harvesting all over the United States an apple crop equal to two bushels for every man, woman and child in the country. This k war crop. The consumers of the United States will be urged to use apples in the food say ing campaign by which we are th- ereaslng the amount of wheat and other staple foods sent to our fighting allies.
 Eat an apple and send biscuit, Is the motto this year.
 War conditions also confront the apple growers, foY there is a scarcity of pickers, and careful preparations must now be made to see that this crop is all safely harvested and put into storage. Now is the time 10 be gin organizing picking crews in every apple growing section. A survey Of the situation shows that the farmer will need cooperation from business men in the towns and cities round about at which he trades, and which have just as great an interest in thlS crop as the farmer himself. This k emergency organization work 10 oe taken up immediately by chambers of commerce, boards of trade, state and county councils of defense, and husi= ness men generally.
 The labor supply to harvest this crop exists right in the cities adjacent to the apple orchards in most cases, but the draft and demands of fac tories ana railroads for labor have disturbed the normal supply of work CTS upon which the farmer usually draws. and 1t is necessary to recruit new kinds of workers. People who have never regarded themselves aS ap= pie pickers may this year be asked to 20 to the orchards and help get in the crop for patriotic reasons.
 Much k heard about the scarcity ef labor. but there k not as great scar city as most people imagine. Workers upon whom the farmer depends in af= dinary times have simply been shifted into other occupations and Waf eondiz lions demand that business men step iH locate other classes of workers Who can be shifted to the orchards for this emergency and see that the farmer has plenty of help.
 There will probably he some ditfi- eulty i'll harvesting the apple crop with these volunteer workers many ef whom have no experience at the work. Perishablc fruit must be handled care fully to prevent injury to the skin and bruises. These would later cause de cay when the apples go into storage.
 The principles of careful fruit pick ing are very simple. and easily under stood. If the farmer can start with two or three experienced pickerS and spend little time explaining good picking methods to his volunteers he should get excellent results, for these volunteers, while new to the work, will also be people of good average intelli- genCe. and the war emergency will ap- peal to their interest So that they will be more than ready to help harvest the crop skillfully.
 Apple growers are advised to get iH touch with the business organizations in their nearest town. ask that help be given in securing pickers and report the number of pickers needed hN them selves. One of the greatest diffcul ties in organizing harvest hands fol any crop Is that of gathering accurate information as to how many helpers are needed on each farm and in eacl township. For lack of such inforna ton lt very often happens that ons township will be handicapped hecause il k without sufficient helpers and q township twenty-five or thirty miles away will have surplus of workers By ascertaniug in advance just how many workers will be needed in eucl locality. business organizations will bo able to recruit q sufficient force
 This years apple crop calls for -pe ciul methods of handling. The size of the crop makes II necessary to sen, ouly the irSt-cu'~ fruit tu market uuC to see that aI seconds and culi~ are sold iH bulk around home er Werkee up into hy-product.. There must ht great cure th N'' lti"l "tfl'N alt HV exposed to the heat CT outdoors after picking hut are properly housed il temporary storage places on the farH and carefully cooled The scarcity o piekers will probably make it neces sary to pick and Aous The crop first and grade and pack it afterwards Full directions for handling the fruit Will he published later.
 The great big task immediatel, ahead is that of securing @ekins force. and In this work the bushes, man and the farmer are co-operatins to an ex-eut never known before. Thi, iS il Mar crop. IL will be harvested with war organizations