Smyrna times., 1877-06-13

THE RETURN OF EMPTIES.-Ever since the
peach business began to assume large pre-
portions the growers, the railroad men and
the commission merchants have been trou
bled about the return of empty baskets
after the fruit has been sold. The farmers
have found it absolutely necessary to have
them returned, while the commission and
railroad men have found it almost impossi-
sible to comply with the necessity. The
farmers could not afford to let them
go with the fruit because (lst) they could
not bear the loss, and (2d) they could not
keep up their supply of baskets if none
were returned. For instance, in 1875, the
fruit paid, on the average, only from II to
- cts. per basket, while each basket con-
tanning the fruit cost about IA cts. at the
factory. To get the immense crop off it
took all the baskets the factories could
make and all that the railroads could re-
turn to keep the growers supplied, and
many times even then the fruit had to rot
on the trees. Loud complaints went up
because empties were not returned. The
commission men also made loud complaints.
TO dispose of the fruit and at the same
time keep an eye in the crowded market
on each growers basket, was no easy task.
Neither did the railroads have an easy
time of it. To deliver to each grower his
own peculiar lot, as marked, was about as
troublesome as the labor of the commits
sion men to collect them for reshipment
In the sale Of no other fruit is this required.
The apple barrels of the North and the
orange boxes of the South go with the
fruit. And this is what the railroad com.
pany is after now in the peach business, as
may be seen in the report of the peach
meeting, in another column. And we be-
leye that result will follow. We will never
have, perhaps, another crop as large as that
Of 1875; the indications arc that the croI
will decrease while the facilities for baslle
making are all the time increasing and the
baskets gradually cheapening. The tive
factories in our own midst, Worden's anC
Evans & te- the largest on the Peninsula
are now making each about 5000 basket
per day, : - can increase the quantity
Mr. ~ ,m7 us that he coult
nearly double his number if necessary.
basket that cost from Is to % cts. at til
first start in the basket business is no'
made here for 7 and 8 cts. They hav
been sold here in wholesale lots at thes
figures this season. And the indication
are that less substantial basket, wit
fewer nails in it, could be built for eve
less than this.
The growers seem to think that bask,
at 5 cts. could be allowed to 90 with IL
fruit, and they could more than save Il
extra cost for new baskets in the decrea
of freights offered by the railroad comp
nies. The business, as now conducted,
the return of empties, requires the farme
to lay in about 333 baskets for every 10
baskets Of fruit they expect to ship. La
year man who shipped 5000 baskets
fruit had to have 1000 baskets at 81
9$112. If the return of empties we
abandoned and the price reduced to ct
it would take 5000 at a cost of $3.50.
the r. r. Co. promises reduction
freights if the empties are not demandC
this increased expense of from $50 to
could be made up by said reduction,
before stated.
Can two-thirds as many more baskets
manufactured is frequently asked.
think there is no doubt of that. The s.
ply has always equaled the demand.
only the factories that can turn out baslS
by the million like ours) can succeed.