The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1917-08-24
II win Equal TIVE Bushels for
Every Man, Woman and
Child in the Land.
STAPLE FOODS TO ALLIES
Motto This Year Is Eat an Apple and
Send a Biscuit"-Unusual Need
For Handling Crop-May Be
Short Of Help.

equals two bushels to every man, wom-
an and child in the country. In order
TO send as much staple food as posi-
bic to our fighting allies, Americans
are urged to use as many apples as
possible The motto this year is: Fat
an apple and send a biscuit"
War conditions also confront the
apple growers. foi H. re 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 to 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 this
crop as the farmer himself. This ia
emergency organization work to be
taken up Immediately by chambers Of
commerce, boards of trade, state and
county councils of defense, and bust
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 and railroads for labor have
disturbed the normal supply of work.
ers upon which the farmer usually
draws, and it is necessary to recruit
new kinds of workers. People who
have never regarded themselves as APP
pie pckers may this year be asked to
go to the orchards and help get in the
crop for patriotic reasons.
The organization work should take
the form of an immediate survey of
labor resources to see where a picking
force is to be recruited. Stores and
factories can often release clerks and
workmen for this service if notified in
time. Families who would like a week
or two of vacation in the country with
light, healthy outdoor work at satisfac-
tory wages, may also be induced to
join the picking army. 1t has been sug-
gested that the schools might be open
ed later this year so that boys and girls
can be sent to the orchards, but this
will not be necessary in all cases. One
very good source of pickers can be
found among the women's organiza-
ions Of this country.
Much is heard about the scarcity of
labor, but there is not as great a scar
city as most people imagine. Workers
upon whom the farmer depends in or
binary times have simply been shifted
INTO other occupations, and war condi-
In, locate other classes of workers who
can be 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
aeod. If the farmer can start with
MO or three experienced pickers and
pend a 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-
sehce, and the war emergency will ap-
peal TO their interest so that they will
@ more than ready to help harvest the
crop skillfuny.
Apple growers are advised TO get in
sach with the business organizations
10 their non roSt tourp aSIy fhot hpIr no
even in securing pickers and report
Ae number of pickers needed by them
wives. One of the greatest Difficult
us IN organizing harvest hands for
ny crop is that of gathering accurate
4'efmatiOn as to how many helpers
ue needed on each farm and in each
"@nShip. For lack of such lnforma-
wa II very often happens that one
e@h>hlp viii be handicapped because
: without sufficient helpers and a
"NhShip twenty-five or thirty miles
Sg viii have a surplus of workers.
aSceFtaining in advance just how
~! workers will he needed in each
AMY. business organizations will be
TO recruit a sufficient force anC
re Will be neither scarcity nor sur
IS IN any section.
us years apple crop calls for spe-
= methods OF handling. The size of
crop makes il necessary to send
IN hrst-claSS fruit To market and
see that all seconds and Culls are
IN bulk around home or worked
INTO by-products. There must be
~ care TO see that apples are not
s'Sed 10 the heat or outdoors after
Nns' but are properly housed In
P''ary storage places on the farm
aretully cooled. The scarcity OF
Aefs will probably make il neees-
10 pick and house the crop first
sfade and pack II afterwards. Full
ouonS for handling the fruit VIII
plbliShed later.
great big task Immediately
= Is that Of securing a picking
and in this work the business
and the farmer are cooperating
extent never known before. This
var crop. II will be harvested
war organization.