Smyrna times., 1882-08-02
The Maryland Peach
Trade.

Last week between 5000 and 1000
boxes of peaches, (peaches that go to
Baltimore from the Eastern Shore usu-
ally go in boxes instead Of baskets)
went to that city daily. They will rap
idly increase until the middle of August
when the season will be ut its height.
All the peaches going to Baltimore
from this Peninsula are conveyed by
water. In noting this fact the Balti
more Sun says:
"In years gone by, when the steam
boat interests of Baltimore were com
paratively small, nearly the whole of
the fruit grown on the peninsula of
Maryland and Delaware was shipped
to Northern markets by railroad. For
number of years the peninsula rail
road system mOnopoized the business,
but in the meantime the steamboat fleet
of Baltimore was gradually developing.
To-day there is IL vessel of some sort
plying between this city and every river
on the Eastern Shore. Most of these
vessels are comfortable side-wheel
steamers, with large freight capacity.
! In addition to these there are several
propellers that were built especially for
carrying peaches. This development
of Chesapeake bay navigation has not
/ only put new life in the Eastern Shore
counties, but has done more toward
advancing the business of Baltimore
than most people are aware of. The
reason this fact is not generally known
and appreciated is because the eXpan-
sion of the steamboat interests has not
been attended with any flourish of
trumpets, each company having worked
silently and kept its business affairs
quiet. AS an evidence of the stride
forward that has been made in bringing
Maryland peaches to Maryland
market it may be stated that the csti-
mated number of Eastern Shore peaches
that will be sent over the peninsula
railroad system this year is l,24900
baskets, or about $4,000 boxes. 1t
takes three baskets to make two boxes.
1t will thus be seen that the bulk Of
Maryland peaches comes to Baltimore,
and is not shipped over the peninsula
system, as was formerly the case. The
peaches grown in Delaware are of
course nearly all sent to Northern
markets by rail. Canneries have been
established in the peach regions of
both States, and absorb large quantities
of fruit. The largest proportion of
the peaches that arrive here aresold to
the fruit packers. There are about
fifty packing establishments in Balti-
more that havea capital of Over$2 900
600. Their product, vegetable and
fruit, is valued at over S5,000,O00
Owing to the small peach crop last yeal
canned goods sold high, and consider
able money was made. As there are
scarcely any canned peaches now il
market, and as the demand is usually
: good, the packing-houses are making
extensive preparations for work thi.
season. Some of these places will run
eighteen hours daily. The fruit that j.
not bought up by the packers isshippet
, North and West over the railroads
The shipments over the Baltimore ant
D Ohio Railroad extend as far west a.
Chicago. In addition to the peache
that are received here from the Eastern
Shore large quantities come from
: Southern Maryland and from Virginia
! Very few are shipped from the Eastern
1 Shore of Virginia, rs the farmers ther
devote their land to raising potatoes
: The consumption of peaches in Balti
; more is large, and is supplied from al
: sources. The census department ha
, not made n statistical report on fruit
J, but it is believed there are a grea
: many more peaches grOwnin Marylan,
y than in Delaware, Notwithstanding
l. l. Delaware has always had the reputa
, tion of being the greatest peach-SrOwin
> State in the country.