Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-09-19
PEACH CULTURE.
RAPID GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY.

| -
| olrraF sii b. aaa anui
/ d RAPID GROWTH OF Tue INDUSTRY.
/ t
| Tbirty.tiyo wears aeo The cultivation
Of poac6cs for the markets was mn.
known in Delaware and Maryland.
| Only in certain sections of New JERSEY
| was this interest looked upon as of any
Importance. There were some five or
lsix orchards in Burlington county and
4 few in Gloucester county. Most OF
1.-The fruit from these orchards was
brouahtto PHILADELPHIA In large market
wagons and sold by the growers direct.
I " 10 consumers. philadelpbians we're
| not then such fruit caters AZ thew are
/ now. and this limited supply, together
| with the Weld Of the natural trees
which grew In many gardens in, the
CITY WINS sufficient, for tbe demand A
few wears later. when. by means OF
rapid transportation the fruit could be
4 cot tomarlsct In a fresh and appetizinr
condition. tho demand increased cnor,
mously and the peach growers OF New
Jersey began to reap a rich reward.
The cultivation OF peaches as a business
| grew into great Importance. Among
| the first who looked to Delaware as
promising field for the cultivation of
peaches was Mr.. Ridgeway, an eminent
Philadelphia merchant. Securing the
aid Of Successful New Jersey grower
named Reeves, together they p1rchas.
cd tract Of land on the Delaware
river, lust below Delaware CITY, upon
which they planted about four thous.
and trees, AT that time this was look
ed upon as an immense orchard. They
received profitable return from their
Investment but Mr.. Rideewav was far
advanced in years and had already
amasscd great fortune and did not
push the cultivation of peaches to any
great extent and Mr.. Reeves means
did not permit him to do SO. Consc.
qucntly, Messcrs. Ridgeway and Reeves
are now generally known only as the
pioneers Of peach culture in Delaware.
There lived near Delaware City at
the time that Messrs. Rldaeway. and
Reeves were making their experiments
an enterprising Pennsylyanian. Major
Philip Reybold well advanced IN lin
and IN GOOD financial circums,ancas,
IIo had always been a keen speoulator
and had made n small fortnna os q con
tractor in digging n section If ,be nei
.
readilv leorncd tbeIesson which Wessrs
Ridgewav- ond Reeves, ovner,ront
tanght and induoinc his sons I'm
RoTnay William p5;lin cIarton nnd
Anthony 10 purchase lands which AZ
that time were sellinr NJ verv low
nrices thev NH ongo ood in tho cy,l,;va.
lion et neacbes IN few wears In ,he.
markets of .pbilodelnhia Ralt;moro
New Yorl, and BOSTON tbo names If
Revbold and neaohes seamod N be al
most svnonvmops terms The Messrs
Reyboid had in the aggregate upwards
oi fortv tbonsnnd ncech troes grov;nc
on their fnrms and tho friut Gsom tb;2
number Of trees nearly sunnlied
tho market at that time. n was
said of them that thew instruct.
cd their agents in New York and Phil.
adelphia @ throw ali Tho fruit into the
river which they could not sell above
certain prices, and on one memorable
occasion in New York, when tho
Mountaineer arrived late one Saturday
at that port, the peach buyers formed
combination bywhich they expected
to buy the fruit at very low prices,
knowing that the steamer would be
fully loaded The Major demanded
twenty-five centsa basket the buyers
offered fifteen. Neither side would
v;eld Tho Nonn,o;naar drov, 81, 4,