266
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
the jam has lately been made in the shape of a vacuum pan, where, after the
syrup and fruit have been put in, the air is exhausted during the boiling.
This method is said to be the best for preserving the real flavour of the fruit.
Every department in the factory, in which there are about 70 or 80 hands
employed, was visited under the personal direction of Mr. Wilkin, the party
being struck with the cleanliness and order that prevailed everywhere.
Then the visitors wended their way to the strawberry fields, in one of which
were about 150 pickers—men, women, and children—at work. A great many
of these corne from the neighbourhood ; others are of a nomadic type, who
generally manage to find their way to Tiptree by the fruit picking season, and
sometimes there are 300 or 400 pickers employed at one time. They are all paid
by piece-work, so much per pound, and the children, who are the most expert
at the work, can earn as much as 6s. or 7s. a-day. The members of the
party were kindly permitted to pick among the strawberries, and availed them-
selves gladly of the opportunity of sampling some luscious fruit. One
of the features of the farm is the manner in which the fields are irrigated,
the water being pumped up from a stream some distance off at the rate ot
about 3,500 gallons an hour, and dispersed by means of hydrants and stand-
pipes. There are at present 78 acres of strawberries, 27 of raspberries, 20 of
black currants, 12 of red currants, 10 of gooseberries, and a few acres of such
fruits as cherries, damsons, &c. In the busiest part of the season about 40
to 50 tons of fruit are picked in a week, and converted into jam or preserved
in other ways.
At the end of a most interesting tour of inspection, the conductors led
the way to Mr. Wilkin's residence, the homestead of the farm, where on the
lawn a large marquee had been erected, and Mrs. Wilkin, her daughters and
sons, presided over a sumptuous tea, the staple at Tiptree, "strawberries and
cream," of course occupying a very prominent place among the good things
provided by our thoughtful host and hostess.
Mr. W. Cole, just before the close of the repast, on behalf of the Club,
asked the party to accord to Mr. Wilkin and his family a hearty vote of thanks
for his kindly welcome and hospitality. This was seconded by the Hon.
Charles Strutt, M.P., and carried by acclamation.
Mr. Wilkin replied, and expressed his pleasure, and that of his colleagues
of the Company, at the visit of the Essex Field Club.
Prior to departing from the parish of Tiptree, what remains now of the
real Heath was diligently explored. It is really very well worth the trouble,
and in a very short time specimens of the following species were to be found
in the baskets and vascula of the plant-hunters :—
Erica tetralix, with white variety Senecio jacobaea
„ cinerea ,, sylvaticus
Galium saxatile Salix repens
,, mollugo Hieracium boreale (?)
Polygala vulgaris Potentilla tormentilla
Orchis maculata Stachys betonica
Achillea ptarmica, with galls of Teucrium scorodonia
Hormomyia ptarmica (see E. N., i., 177.)
Nardus stricta Trifolium filiforme
Montia fontana Thymus serpyllum
Veronica scutellata Ranunculus flamula