Annie's Crannies - Rules For Branding Page

Rules For Branding

Howes Brands

Early Blacks Brands

Other Variety Brands

Rules for Branding - circa 1880's

General Requirements

All cranberries which are branded must be dry, sound, free from frosted or wormy berries and - with the exception of "Variety" Brand - free
from berries of green color; unless specifically mentioned they should not contain any all white berries; they must be solidly and cleanly
packed and reasonably uniform in size. Pie Berries must be removed by the use of a 13/32-inch grader.

Special Requirements of the Several Brands is shown below.

EARLY BLACKS

Skipper                        "Eatmor"
Early Blacks; averaging 75% colored, with not over 10% of all white
berries; counting not over 130; fit for 15 days' travel.

Chanticleer                   Not Eatmor
Blacks; at least 90% colored; count not over 125 to 130; fit for 15
days' travel.

Mayflower-Lion           "Eatmor"
Blacks; at least 90% colored; count not over 125; fit for 15 days'
travel.

Minot's Light                "Eatmor"
Fully-colored Blacks; count not over 125; fit for 7 days' travel.

Harvard                        "Eatmor"
Blacks of uniform dark color; count not over 105; fit for 7 days'
travel.

Yale                              "Eatmor"
Blacks; 90% colored; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count not over
95; fit for 10 days' travel.

Capitol                         "Eatmor"
Blacks of uniform red color; count not over 110; fit for 15 days'
travel.

Our Favorites

Over the years I have acquired a rather sizeable collection of antique cranberry brand labels. In addition to those shown above (and listed in the
Rules of Branding below), these are some of my favorites. While they are all beautiful some are very intricate works of art.

Labeling Standards for Shipping in the 1880’s

As the cranberry industry grew it became necessary to set standards to identify the variety, color, size, durability, and
quality of cranberries. Due to the increasing number of independent growers it was also necessary to clearly identify
each cranberry shipment. The result was the Rules for Branding shown below the sample branding images.



Located in historic Dennis, Cape Cod MA birthplace of the cultivated cranberry!

LATE HOWES

Turkey                         Not Eatmor
Howes; at least 75% colored; count not over 120; fit for 20 days'
travel.

Battleship                     Not Eatmor
Howes; at least 85% colored; count from 120 to 140; fit for 20 days'
travel.

Honker-Mistletoe       "Eatmor"
Howes; at least 85% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days'
travel.

Holiday                         "Eatmor"
Howes of uniform deep-red color; count not over 120; fit for 15
days' travel.

Santa Claus                  "Eatmor"
Howes of uniform deep-red color; count not over 95; fit for 15 days'
travel.

Pointer                         "Eatmor"
Howes; at least 85% colored; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count
not over 90; fit for 20 days' travel.

OTHER VARIETIES

Paul Revere                  Not Eatmor
Early Reds; at least 83% colored; count not over 110; fit for 10
days' travel.

Puritan                          "Eatmor"
Early Reds of uniform dark red color; count not over 90; fit for 7
days' travel.

Eagle                            Not Eatmor
Mammoths, Batchhelders, Hollistons; at least 85% colored; count
not over 80; fit for 7 days' travel.

Iris                               "Eatmor"
Mammoths of uniform dark color; count not over 75; fit for 7 days'
travel.

Plymouth Rock             Not Eatmor
McFarlins; at least 75% colored; count not over 90; fit for 10 days'
travel.

Pilgrim                          "Eatmor"
McFarlins; at least 85% colored; count not over 75; fit for 10 days'
travel.

Magnolia                      "Eatmor"
McFarlins; uniform solid color; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count
not over 60; fit for 7 days' travel.

Faneuil Hall                 Not Eatmor
Matthews; at least 85% colored; count not over 110; fit for 10 days'
travel.

Bunker Hill                  "Eatmor"
Mattthews; at least 85% colored; count not over 95; fit for 10 days'
travel.

Windmill                       "Eatmor"
Matthews of uniform dark color; count not over 85; fit for 7 days'
travel.

Blue Heron                   "Eatmor"
Pointed Howes; uniform dark red color; count not over 100; fit for
10 days' travel.

Chipmunk                     Not Eatmor
Smalleys; at lest 75% colored; count not over 125; fit for 15 days'
travel.

White House                "Eatmor"
Smalleys; at least 85% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days'
travel.

Pocahontas                  "Eatmor"
Smalleys; uniform deep red color; count not over 110; fit for 10
days' travel.

Dragon                         Not Eatmor
Chipmans or Bugles; at least 85% colored; count not over 120; fit
for 15 days' travel.

Samoset                       "Eatmor"
Chipmans or Bugles; uniform dark color; count not over 120; fit for
15 days' travel.

Myles Standish           "Eatmor"
Bugles or Chipmans; at least 85% colored; count not over 100; fit
for 15 days' travel.

Beacon                         "Eatmor"
Bugles or Chipmans; uniform dark color; count not over 100; fit for
10 days' travel.

John Alden                   Not Eatmor
Centennials; at least 85% colored; count not over 90; fit for 7 days'
travel.

Priscilla                         "Eatmor"
Centennials of uniform dark color; graded over a 1/2-inch screen;
count not over75; fit for 7 days' travel.

Peacock                       "Eatmor"
Centrevilles; at least 85% colored; count not over 90; fit for 10
days' travel.

Pheasant                       "Eatmor"
Centrevilles of uniform dark color; count not over 75; fit for 7 days'
travel.

Red Cedar                   Not Eatmor
Black Veils; at least 85% colored; count not over 130; fit for 15
days' travel.

Lone Pine                     "Eatmor"
Black Veils; well colored; count not over 110; fit for 10 days' travel.

Fisherman                    "Eatmor"
Stanleys; at least 90% colored; count not over 110; fit for 7 days'
travel.

Pioneer                         Not Eatmor
Natives; at least 75% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days'
travel.

*Inspected                   "Eatmor"
Any odd variety having no established grade level; at lest 85%
colored; count not over 130; fit for 7 days' travel.

*Bluebird                     "Eatmor"
Any mixed variety averaging 85% colored; count not over 130; fit
for 15 days' travel.

*"Variety"                     Not Eatmor
Any variety or mixed variety averaging at least two-thirds colored
but less than the established minimum grade color of any variety
containing not over 15% all white berries and 5% berries of green
color; count not over 175; containing not over 5% unsound berries.
Name of variety must be plainly stamped or marked on the label.

Plainheads
Any berries which do not conform to any of the requirements of the
preceding grades must be shipped in unbranded packages plainly
marked as to size of package, variety, and pack number.

Pie Berries
Berries that pass through 13/32-inch screen, regraded over a
9/32-inch screen, and screened, having color of crop run of any
variety, shall be marked - "No. 1 Pie Cranberries." No berries will
be accepted for shipment as Pie Berries which do not meet these
requirements.

* These brands to be used only upon definite authority of an inspector.

NOTES:

"Eatmor" was an early Cape Cod cranberry growers co-operative.
The "days of travel" or durability rating was based on non-refrigerated shipments, usually by railroad.
The "count not over..." indicated the maximum number of cranberries to a standard measure.

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