Smyrna times., 1874-06-17

MILFORD ITEMS-The chief topic of interest
Just now is the berry crOp-lE quantity abun-
dant, in price not at all satisfactory. The
excessive rains of week ago SO water. soaked
the berries as to cause them to mould before
they could reach the purchasers. The general
impression is that the market has been over
stocked. This seems really not to be the case,
however. The kilograms of such low prices
the first of last week caused one of our largest
growers-Mr. HOpkins-tO go on to New Y ork,
and he returned satisfied 1t was the condition
and not the quantity, that effected the market,
berries that stood up" bright and firm bring
ing from 20 to % cts. per quart. Good
enough Careful cultvatOrs need not fear to
raise all they can property handle. Old
Puvius does not usually shed such cOpious
showers of tears in the month of June.
AprOpOS of this berry business-the quantity
of lose change that it scatters broad cast in this
community is enormous The number of
pickers that go out from this town number,
probably, 500 or 600, mostly women and
children, ranging in receipts from 50 cents to
81 per day. Saturday was the best COM
mentary on the result. Walnut st., our chief
business thOroughiare, was crowded like Eighth
! st, Philadephia on the advent of a holiday.
| Our small shops especially-those that do up
! fixings-were crowded and the turn out the
next day of new hats, gay ribbons, exotic
/ flowers, and bright chintZes was stunning
There are many perSOns-wldOws, destitute
children and the very large family of the
colored persuasion-tO whom these fruit sea
sons are god-sends. And as one of the latter
says, lit ain t like it used to was" The tip of
fashion has got way down dar' and the outfit
of the prOmenader does not always reveal the
complexion-a peep under the bonnet is
frequently necessary to ascertain this result.
A gentleman day or two ago WAS drawing
comparisons between the opportunities OF the
boys of to-day and when he was boy, some
twenty years ago. Why, said he, II have gone
down to the wharf and pitched many cord OF
wood for two cents and felt rich with this
amount in my pocket. Now, boy can 60 in the
strawberry patch and in a half a day have a
hundred cents. Moral, boys are making
progress faster than steam and in danger oil
getting above themselves
But | intended to itemize rather than
moralize, but it is getting to be big subject
and cannot be justly dismissed with few
dashes Of the pen.
Business here of all kinds is brisk The
t ship yards, the Woolen factory, the Husk and
Bark farctory, machine shops saw mills
Phosphate factory, NC, all seem progressing
t The hay crop, now ready for the Scythe, and
the wheat crop, which will be next week, are
both larger in acreage than usual aud promise
!
There were fears last week that the intensel,
hot and wet weather would seriously effect the
wheat, and it may have, somewhat, but unleS
there be disaster thiS.week, the crop will b.
, more than an average one. A gentleman VIII
5 visited Frederick yesterday tells me that Mr.
. Emerson thinks the yield around there will b
= the largest they have had for some years.
! The rains were apparently heavier in SUISSE
than elsewhere, completely drowning out tn
!, bottoms, their best corn land They will hav
to plant again but do not fear making crop
the ground is dry enough to replant by the Is
d, Of July.
y The live and progressive farmers ''Centra
is Fruit Growers Association" have every year
't strawberry party at which they, with the
) families aud a number of invited guest
5, participate. 1t occurred last Saturday in
e grove on the farm OF Gen. Van Worst. III
/, tables were loaded with choice berries, variet
: and abundance Of cakes aud three kinds of il
d cream. Participants about 2O0-not nea
enough to demOlsh anl send home empty tn
p, well ladened vessels. INDEX
~ MILFORD, June 18TH