The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-11-08
FERN PICKING IN VERMONT
A UNIQUE INDUSTRY

In the sparsely populated back
towns Of Windham and Bennington
counties in Vermont unique ano
profitable industry is carried on dur
ing the months of September and
October. Each year from section
scarcely 10 miles square is shipped
most of this country's supply Of fancy
and dagger or Christmas ferns. The
towns Of Somerset, Searsburg, Wood
ford and Glastonbury have combined
population of about five hundred, but
during the fern-picking season this
number is greatly augmented by new
comers who live in abandoned lumber
mems shanties and tents. While the
season is on nearly everyone in the
towns mentioned works from sunrise
till dark picking the ferns that find
their way to nearly every city in the
United States. Some idea of the i'm
portance of this industry may be
gained from the fact that from Ben
nington, Wilmington and few minor
points are shipped annually two hun
dred million fancy ferns, which rep
resent retail value of over five hun
dred thousand dollars.
A Natural Monopoly
:. No monopoly is more complete than
the fern-picking industry. Three men
control 80 per cent of the output.
They supply the pickers with baskets
and crates, buy the ferns, store them
and sell them through the whole year.
The country where the fancy ferns are
picked is one of the most beautiful
sections of New England. From the
highways in Woodford, three thousand
feet above sea level, looking as far as
the eye can reach, one sees only for
est-clad hills and valleys, typical
spruce and hardwood of Vermont, and
underneath this forest mantle are bill
lions upon billions of fancy ferns
which are never picked. Some idea of
the countless numbers growing in this
section may be had from the fact that
Earl and Harry Bishop, picking twen-
ty thousand daily, work practically
the whole season within one-half mile
of their home.
Varieties and Prices
The fancy fern is the one picked
most, and must be in good condition
and Is inches long to be accepted by
the buyer. Dagger ferns must be
from 10 to IL inches long They are
picked and tied in punches of rs, for
which the picker receives one cent.
This seemed to me to be incredibly
small pay, but l found that the aver
age picker earns about four dollars
per day. One picker l met said that
his best days work had been 680I
punches. His average, however, was
400. A little rapid mental calculation
showed me that picking $50 punches
meant $1,000 ferns picked and tied 25
in bunch, all between sunrise and
sunset.
The Picker and His Work
1t is interesting TO watch the ex-
perienced picker tie the punches. A
ball of twine is carried in a cloth sack
at the side and as the rs ferns are
gathered the picker catches the end of
.he twine and rapidly winds it three
Or four times around the stems, then
bringing is up between them couple
If times and breaking it. No knot
S tied, and the whole operation takes
'nly few seconds. Each picker car
-ies basket, similar to commonl
.lothes basket, but a little deeper, and
With strajghter sides. As they are
led, the punches are placed in this
md covered with spruce or hemlock
branches TO keep them moist and cool.
When it is full stout cord is passed
through the handles of the basket and
'ver the top TO held them securely
)ne basket holds about 400 punches
n days picking.
Shipping
Driving along the State highway
etween Wilmington and Bennington,
ne sees the eyer-present pile of fern