The Vashon Island record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1916-1919, 1918-12-19

Twenty-Five years ago, when
Philip Mccormack came to Vashon
from Tacoma and located on The
tract between Vashon and Center
where he has since resided, there
was not, as Mr.. Mccormack OK
pressed it., "on the entire seven
teen and one-half acres cleared
spot big enough to SET l2Nl6-ft
shack. = II is now thoroughly
cleared and all under cultivation.
Mr.. Mccormack : specialties are
gooscberiies and entrants, prac-
iically one half of his ground be-
ing devoted 10 these crops. Al the
present time he has three acres in
gooseberries and five acres in cur
rants. Knowing that many per-
sons had tried and discarded the
gooseberry, expressed my sur
prise that be still stuck to it.
Well said Mr.. Mccormick,
the first thing is to get the right
variety. have found the Oregon
Champion to be the variety best
suited 10 my purpose. as IT is
ready for market at just the time
when there is demand for this
fruit. Goosebcrries need frequent
cultivation aud should be sprayed
at least twice to prevent black
rust. According 20 Mr.. McCor-
mick black rust causes the leaves
to fall oftentimes at picking time,
and many growers fail 10 recog-
nize the disease on this account.
In healthy plants the leaves re-
main until Fall. Another trouble
experienced by many growers is
in the picking, for the gooseberry
is not without its thorn.
Mr.. Mccormick supplies him
self with thick leather gloves, and
having set broad shallow box
beneath the bush proceeds, not to
pick, but literally to pull off the
berries by handfulls. Last season
one man in Mr.. McCormick's EN-
ploy gathered $50 pounds in one
day. The picking price is one cent
per pound, which gave pretty fair
returns for the days work.
It takes four years for the
gooseherry to come into full bear
ing, and all of Mr.. Mccormick S
three acres have not yet arrived at
that stage. but one acre this sea-
son yielded four tons, which the
cannery took at $50 per ton.
Mr.. Mccormack had raised cur
rants with varying success until
six years ago he brought five hum
bred bushes of the Perfection var
iety from the East. These he has
found to meet his requirements.
From two acres IN full bearing
this year he sold 100 crates on
the Seattle markets. AS to his re-
turns from tine crop, Mr.. McCor-
mick simply stated that the price
on the Seattle market this year
ranged from $3.50 TO $3.50 per
crate and that the Perfectim var
iety usually brings from soc to a
dollar more than other kinds.
Of course, market prices are not
net to the grower. because the
cost Of crates, picking, freight,
brokers' commission, etc. must be
deducted. The price paid for
picking is 20 cents per crate, and
the average person can pick 20
crates per day, children 10 years
Of age picking sometimes as high
as 10 crates.
Mr.. Mccormick sets his bushes
in rows six feet apart each way,
securing thus approximately 1000
plants to the acre. He has not
been troubled with the currant
maggot. which many growers
have found such serious draw
back. He believes the reason for
his immunity is to be found in his
thorough cultivation and spray
ing. He also applies about $50
worth of commercial fertilizer per
acre annually.
Mr.. Mccormick has more than
a local reputation as a poultry