Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-02-21
THE PEACH CROPS.
PROSPECT FOR THE PRESENT YEAR
Opening New Markets---DIagni-
tude of the Peach Interest.


were made as to the
PROSPECT FOR THIS YEARS CROP.
The following summary exhibits the state
ments made -,
Dover ; crop very small, not over one-sxth.
Mr.. Fulton found only live bud in so twig
from DIR. Ridgely's orchard has alive in 8.
Milford Mr.. Wood buds nearly all killed
few orchards may possibly have escaped.
Seaford Nh. Nicholson might be one fourth.
Between seaford and Cambridge, similar re-
port,
About Berlin, Snow HILL and Princess Anne
fair prospect. -
Bridgeville one orchard examined, good for
half crop, in others buds seemed totally des-
troyed
Middletown e. r. Cochran buds of several
varieties years old alive out of of 13 6 out
of 10 out of A / (Hales Early) out Of 20.
Old orchards better than this.
Alassey's X Roads, one third one gentleman
expected half
Near Kennedyville, an orchard years old,
"plenty" Of live buds.
Sassafras Neck, half a crop.
Middle Neck one orchard examiDed plenty
of live buds.
Between Dover and Smyrna, year old trees
| good in older orchards, buds dead.
Mt. Pleasant sewell G. Bggs about like
Middletown, or better, which he considered good
| for a big half.
Between Middletown and Townsend Samuel
| Townsend; good for half crop.
Pocomoke River, crop unhurt
AbOub W. H tuhlhiALoI hot efoA Oho-
| fifth.
Bombay Hook Island half full cAop.
Thomas Neck E. O. Fennimore very rarely
dead bud a neighbor's old orchard hurt, but
young orchard very little
These expressions will convey to fruit growers
fair idea Of the apparent condition of the trees
| in the sections named.
OPENING NEW MARKETS.
committee appointed at the meeting last
Fall, to ascertain whether direct shipments could
| not be made to Boston, and other cities East Of
| New York, and to the Interior lof Pennsylvania,
and New York State, reported or the first portion
| OF the subject. They had gone in person to ex-
anime into the matter in November last and
| found there would be no difficulty in forwarding
| loaded cars of fruit direct to New Haven, Hart
| ford Providence. Springfield and Boston.
| The plan agreed upon. after consultation with
the various railroad officials, (who all seemed
| very friendly to the proposition,) il to ship the
| loaded cars, from Jersey City, ON large barges,
/ one OF which will carry eight cars, across the
| North River to the foot of 32d street. From
that, branch railroad very recently completed
| runs to Mott Haven, miles East of New York,
| on the New York and New Haven Railroad. The
| ferriage will take 70 minutes for round trip
from 32nd street to Mott Haven, 40 minutes.
The General Superintendent of the New York 4
New Haven road assured the Committee that he
would forward cars landed at 32d stree, promptly,
and il 30 cars lenough for train, came together,
he would send at once, at the rate OF 20 miles
an hour. He would provide cars, pay his
No freight rates were fixed, but the Committee
think that they will not be unreasonable. The
time required for the whole transfer around
New York would be about y hours From Do
yer to Jersey CITY is 1870 miles requiring o hours;
and from Jersey City 10 Boston, 240 miles, TAX
ing IL hours, or 81 hours in all, from the peach
district to Boston, direct. Freight is estimated
| at 1925 per car for the whole distance, $40 to
Jersey City, and $3.50 thence to Boston.
Verbal additions to this report were made by
Mr. Townsend Mr.. Hayes, MIR. R H. Cummins,
members of the Committee. Peaches picked
on Monday could be in Boston on Tuesday night
ready for the earliest market on Wednesday,
| The New England cities are excellent markets.
New Haven can take cars daily; Hartford
or Springfield, l or 2 Providence probably
, 10. Retail prices ranged dollar basket higher
in Hartford than in Jersey City. The fruit those
cities now get comes in bad condition. 1t is un-
loaded at Jersey City, put on boats, or on cars
, without shelving or ventilation, loses much pre-
cous time in the transfer, comes too late Tor
/, | the best market, and must be re-picked upon
: arrival. BY the arrangement now suggested the
| fruit would come in good order and doubtless the
T: demand would be much Increased. The fruit
dealers ia the cities visited seemedfu fully alive on
d the subject. T..-C3
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE FRUIT INTEREST,
! | Mr.. Falton. Chairman of Committee appoint
i ed at last meeting, read the draft of an Address
proposed to be issued by this Association to the
\ Fruit Growers of the Peninsula, representing
l. the magnitude of the interests they now control
/. and the Importance Of organization and concer
. . The address is quite elaborate and. discusses
: the whole subject with much ability. It presents
/, the following estimates e.
y Peach trees on the Peninsula, ....... 500 ,00(
n Z" =" in bearing, .s......,,.,5 j, 0O0, OO
i, Acres in peach trees s............,....'. 5O,00
" Value per acre Glow average). ........- 20
| Whole value of orchards. .,.,... ,... 81 6O0 OO
Investment in wagons, baskets, &c..s $3.50 90
Capital invested in peaches. 49,. S2,70O, OO
1. A full crop of peaches is estimated at g. 900, 90
l. baskets. That of last yearreached about thes
in figures;
lg Shipped by rail, .............,,.. 2456,6I6
d, By water (estimated,) ............ 50000O
10 Canned, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Io,0OU'
ss Dried (Alden process ........,. 1l,000.
es Otherwise consumed. ..........., 14,OOO.
y, Total, baskets, ......... S,o56,s76.
lg Value of 8 900, 900 baskets, ..... So, 900, ,0O
ea Expense of picking, ..... $l50,O00.
70 " fTeight,...... 6O0,0O0.
Wy " Commission, 100000.
10 Total expense, ...,.........',.' l,uoO,uo
y Nett product full crop,.,.. ....... S1,95O,OO
Of The annual value, it is true, is uncertain.
re 1868, the crop was total failure In 1871, IL w
immense but prices very low. A crop, howeve
may be relied upon 8 years in 4, and the retu
is as certain as for wheat.
There are now canning establishments, co
Ote sumng rs 900 baskets, and putting up 1900
| cans. Alden 1rOCehb estdpnsnhlehth a
established at Milford and Middletown, are co
in sidered very satisfactory, and consumed Ia
wear about II 600 baskets.
ase Peaches are yet the great fruit interest, but
increase in orchards is not so rapid as two yet
lies ago attention being more directed to pears, SIN
hin fruits, and vegetables. In 1870, the number
Young peach trees sold by nurserymen to
Peninsula was 2S per cent over 1869; but in IL
it fell OFF IA per cent. from 1870.
ieir The address makes the following recommt
dations to the peach growers -l
nsi- l. Send no inferior fruit
the @ Open new markets. --
g. Send cars direct TO market without openil
4. Have prompt reports of sales and baske
g. Supersede commission men entirely, or I
les. tabsh system of investigation as to their ch
old. acter.
ood g. Compel, by legislation or encouragem'
of competing routes, reduction OF freghts.
con- Z. Encourage canneries and dryeries.
8. Establish Unity of Action. .. .,.,,,. .
J. The Address was referred back to the Conn
ced. tee for revision, before publication. III =,
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Townsend
adopted urging the p, W. d b. Railroad "
pany to return to the peach growers the S3U,
retained by the Company as tax, in the y
hree 1869, and 1870, pending the question whet
ves- the tax was constitutional
-, T,-rr ar sryt tEs-Messrs e. H Rumfort