The Dermott news., 1917-08-16
It Will Equal Two Bushels for Every Man, Woman and -
 Child in the Land.
STAPLE FOODS TO ALLIES
Motto This Year Is "Eat sa Apple and Send a 6iscuit"-Unusual Need For Handling Crop-May Be
 Short of Help.

vest its great war crop of apples. 1t equals two bushels to every man. wom- an and child in the country. In order to send as much staple food as possi- ble to our fighting allies. Anericafis are urged to use as many apples ns possible. The motto this year is: Eat an apple and send a biscuit"
 War conditions also confront the apple growers for there is scarcity of pickers, and careful preparations must now be made to see that thiA crop is all safely harvested and put into storage. Now Is the time to be- gin organizing picking crews in every apple growing section. \ 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 this crop as the farmer himself This Ia emergency organization work tn be taken up immediately by chambers of commerce. boards of trade state and county councils of defense. and busi- ness men generally.
 The labor supply 10 harvest this crop exists right In the cities adjacent to the apple orchards In most cases. hut the draft and demands of fac tories and railroads for labor have disturbed the normal supply of work ers upon which the fnrmer usually draws. and IL Is necessary Ia recruit A<~ have never regarded themselves as ap- pie pickers may this year he asked tI ro to ihe orchards and help cet in s4e crop for patriotic reasons.
 The organization work should take the form of an immediate survey of labor resources to see where picking force k to be recruited. Ssifes and factories can often release clerks and workmen for this service II notified in time. Families who would like Il week er two of vacation In the country with light. healthy outdoor work III ssltIsfac- tory wages. may also hc induced 10 IoiH the picking army. Ii has been sug- ecSted ;hHt the schools might be open ed later this year So that boys md girls can be sent to the orchards hut this will aat he necessary in all cases. One very good source of pickcrs can he found among the wnmen's orguniza- tiouS of this country.
 Much is heard about the scarcity of labor. but there k not as great scar city as most people imagine. Workers upon whom the farmer depends in or dinnrN times have simply been shifted Into other occupations. and war conuE iionS demand that business men step in, locate other classes of workers who can he shifted to the orchards for this emergency and see that the farmer has plenty of help.
 The principles of careful fruit pick \ ing are very simple. and easily under stood If the farmer can start with two ar three experienced pickers and spend n 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- geuce. and the war emergency will ap- peal to their interest SD that they will he more than ready to help harvest the crop Skillfully.
 Apple growers are advised to get iD touch with the business organizations in their nearest town. ask that help be givvn in securing picker> and report the number of pickers needed by them- selves. One of the greatest difficult la, EzI, ha fcv any crop Is that of gathering accurate information as to how many helpeN are needed on each farm and In each township. For lack of such informa- tion 1t very often happens that one township will he handicapped hecansa IL Is without sufficient helpers and . township twenty-five or thirty miles away will have n surplus of workers. By ascertaining In advance just how many workers will he needed in each locality. business organizations will be able to recruit sufficient force nn1 there will be neither scarcity nor sur plus lu any section.
 This years apple crop calls for spe eial methods of handling. The size of the crop makes it necessary 10 seud only the first class fruit to market and to see that all seconds and eulls are sold In bulk around home or wsssed up into by y.products. There must bs great care to see that apples are not exposed to the heat or outdoors after picking. but are properly housed is temporary storage places on the farm and carefully cooled The scarcity of pickers will probably make II neces sarN to pick and house the cru6 iirSt and grade md pack II afterwarM
 directions for handling the frN
 he published later.
 The great big task immediately ahead Is that of securing a plckins force and In this work the business man and the faruar are cooperating to an extent never known before. Thh is war crop. will be harvested