The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-04-07

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. HARVESTING AND 3
I@ MARKETING BERRIES g
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(From Bulletin BY Charles A. Kef-
i fer, Director Division Of Ex-
tension.)
(Article No. 90
The picking of the berries should
have tae constant supervision of the
grower or a competent foreman, who
appreciates the Importance Of proper
picking. When large gangs Of tran
sients or temporary labor are EN-
ployed In picking, proper supervis-
ion is exceedingly important, as they
are often careless in their haste to
! fill the boxes. This is especially apt
to be the case when the labor is
employed on a piece-work basis. 1t
usually requires se,hral days to
break in inexperienced pickers, ana
throughout the entire picking season
the grower should carefully watch
the condition Of the picked berries.
Each picker should be given car
rier holding either six or eight quart
baskets. During the cooler part of
the day each picker may be given
two carriers to be filled before they
are brought in, but during the
warmer part of the day each carrier
should be brought in as soon as all
the boxes are full, for some of the
berries will be exposed to the sun too
long If allowed to stand in the field
until the second carrier is filled. The
longer the fruit is in the sun the
quicker it breaks down.
Each picker should be assigned to
certain row and should work across
the field in this order This makes
it easier to see that everyone IS
doing his work properly. All berries
should have slight stems left on, al
berries without stems are not fit for
shipping. They will soften or break
down and cause other berries To pet
in the same condition. Pickers should
handle berries as little as pos
sible, reaching around them and
pinching off the stem with the
thumb and forefinger, thus touching
only the stem In picking, This
avoids bruising and resultant break
ing down. TO insure prime fruit, the
strawberry patch should be pickeo
over every day, or at least once
every two days. The fruit is ready
for picking when it has just turned
color and is firm. The rows should
be picked clean of ripe berries At
each picking, which eliminates the
danger Of over-ripe fruit getting in
boxes from later pickings. Do not
pick berries that are too green. A
few Of these in box will detract
materially from its market value.
See that the boxes are well filled.
1t il wiser to have a few more ber-
ris in box than d few less. Under
filled boxes are the cause Of much
dissatisfaction and are responsible
for many growers not receiving sat
isfactory returns.
When picked, all understood, un-
sound, dirty, watersoaked or over
ripe berries should be placed in d
separate box. Such berries should
not be shipped. Keep them at home
or sell them to a local canning fac
tory. Do not mix these berries with
good ones. A box or crate of ber-
ries will be judged by the. poorest
specimen in it.
A shed should be located in the
field under which berries that are to
be packed and prepared for market
can be protected from the sun. If
the berries are repacked table
should be provided Of convenient
height for working at it comfortably.
AS the berries are brought into the
packing shed they should be ex-
amined critically and attention called
to any defect. 1t is a good plan to
dump the boxes of each picker fire.
quently to see that there are no
leaves or straw in the bottom of the
box and that the berries are uni
form In quality throughout. AT this
time pickers can be credited with
correct number Of quarts gathered.
Many growers, particularly those
who find it impossible to get de-
pendable pickers, make practice Of
sorting and repacking all berries
after they are brought to the shed. If i
possible, the laborers should be
taught to pick them properly and
thus avoid this repacking. Dumping |
and rehandling is not only an ex-
pense, but bruises the berries and
causes them to deteriorate more rap
idly. Facing the top adds much to
the attractiveness Of the berries. I
However, this should not be done to /
cover up inferior fruit Every berry /
IN the box should be as good al
those on top. Buyers soon find out
If facing is done to cover up defects
and for this reason may be skeptical
Of faced berries. Facing should all
ways be done BY packers in the pack
ing shed.
Grading is becoming more and more
an operation in straw
berry marketing, and other things
being equal, fruit free from grit /
commands the highest price on the
market. 1t win pay in the long run
to grade berries according Ia size,
condition and quality. So much bet
ter price will be received for the
choicer berries that, as rule, the
slight increased expense in grading
will be made up in the selling price. I
Two grades have been recommended:
Grade No. consists Of sound
Strawberries Of one variety, which
shall be well grown specimens, care
fully picked, with about one-half /
inch stem on them, properly packed, 1