National Republican., 1883-08-29
Extent and Variety Of the Traffic from the
Various Landings to Point Lookout
Great Number Of Peaches and Water
melons Brought Up This Season.
Probabilities as 10 the Fish and Game Shipments
During the Next Few Months.
Bright Future Predicted for the Truck
Farms Along the River Banks.


Chesapeake bay connections, is destined to
become an important factor in the food mar
kot, which supplies the middle states with
fruit, vegetables, and fish. The supply of
these commodities is unlimited even now,
when the resources are barely developed.
The immense acreage bordering the banks of
the Potomac has never been tested to even
quarter of its capacity as a food producing To-
cality. The fisheries, comparatively speak
ing are yet undeveloped. The soil along the
river is rich and fertile, and has produced the
very best qualities of watermelons, canta-
loupes fruit, wheat, corn, and garden truck,
while the fisheries, from the beginning of salt
water to Point Lookout, include every variety
of the much demanded salt water fish in
great abundance.
A representative of THE REPUBLICAN en-
barked Satur day night on the Lady of the
Lake for the purpose of feeling the pulse OF
the Potomac river traffic. Frequent conver-
sations were held with old river mon and
farmers of long experience, and numerous
observations made en- route. The prevailing
impression is that when the proposed Point
Lookout railroad is completed the result will
be simply astonishing.
Said an old farmer of half q century's ex
perience, "When the railroad is finished the
force of men employed and the number of
acres cultivated will be doubled We
can easily supply Washington, Balti-
more New York, and Philadelphia
with garden truck, fruit fish,
crabs and oysters. Washington will then be-
come tho supply center instead Of Norfolk,
for tho railway will give us an advantage
which Norfolk cannot overcome. | think"
he concluded, "Washington should make
strong move in this matter, because with her
first class steamers and n river railway in
operation, and both in connection with the
Baltimore and Potomac and Baltimore and
Ohio railways, that city would at once be-
come the distributing point for vegetables,
fruit. and fish,"
Numerous other conversations were held
with truckers and others. but the above was
the average tenor Of their remarks.
The products of the river are now brought
to this city and carried to Norfolk by the
regular steamers schooners, pungies, slOops,
barges, and in fact every variety of crafts.
Many growers own their own sailing vessels,
as they do on the eastern shore of the Chesa-
pcake, and with these. manned at their own
expense, the products are shipped either up
the Potomac or down the bay.
The watermelon season is waning. The
choicest melons have already been shipped
by the millions. However, there are still
enough on the vines to supply a brisk demand
for several weeks. The quality of the melons
grown along the Potomac issuperior in flavor,
if not in size, to those produced in the Caro-
linas and lower Virginia. The Potomac has
supplied an average of nearly 100000 daily
since the season opened actively The re-
porter visited several largo melon patches
and witnessed the operation of plucking and
transferring them to the wharves. Two farm
hands, protected from the glaring sun by
wide brimmed straw hats, each carrying q
pruning or other large knife, preceded n
car or two horse vehicle, and cut
the melons from the vine. They wore then
piled by threes or skies on the ground and
loaded upon the vehicles by the driver, who
is sometimes accompanied by an assistant.
On smaller farms it is necessary for the driver
to cut and load the melons as well. The
melons grow upon vines and are cultivated
much as sweet potatoes are. There are many
varieties of watermelons, but the Potomac
growers have grown and shipped during the
present season larger quantities of the light
skinned citron melons than any other variety.
That variety is rapidly growing in favor be-
cause of its easy cultivation, thin rind, and
luscious flavor. Not many years ago citron
melons were hardly salabe. They are now
the favorite here, as well as at Norfolk, whero
such colossal shipments are made TO the
north. The average number of citron melons
shipped from Norfolk to New York and Bos-
ton daily during the past few weeks will eX
ceed 100000 exclusive of other varieties.
Leaving the watermelon question the re-
porter applied his interrogatories to the growth
of peaches along the Potomac. The peach
and fruit market is Mt its full. Phenominal
quantities of the delicious fruit are being
gathered every day, packed in crates and
shipped. The Potomac is the garden spot
of all fruit growing localities. Its banks are
lined with immense orchards some of them
miles in extent, while tho number Of fruit
pluckcd each day would make veritable
,tn.,, ,x,I,n
ington to Point Lookout were piled with
crates awaiting transportation. and emitting
the most fragrant odors, and wagons and an
tiGue OK teams were arriving with their loads
of the luscious rosy checked fruit.
The soil on general features of the Potomac
are peculiarly adapted to the growth of
peaches and its banks are lined with orchards
of varying sizes There is an orchard few
miles below Matthias point, which contains
over $4,000 trees Capt Troth owns one just
below Mount Vernon with thousands of trees,
and Mr.. Kuchling one of equal size. In the
neighborhood of Point Lookout those orch
ards are extensive in both size and number,
while the fruit grown is of the very best size
and flavor. Tho prospects for fruit growing
along the Potomac is bright, and many farm
ers are planting thousands of young trees.
The late crops of peaches are beyond the reach
of harm by climatic changes and promises
to be abundant and of excellent
Qunllty. Apples, pears, NprlcOIs, nlNms, ualn-
sons and grapes are also reported to be plenti-
full, but Of Potomac fruit the peach is king.
The crab season is now at its height, and
millions of these epicurean shell fish are being
captured daily and shipped to Washington
and Norfolk. Point Lookout is perhaps one
of the very best points for grabbing on either
the Potomac river or Chesapeake bay. A party
of Washington visitors, of which Col. Rogers
was q member dipped out over 300 fine speci
mems Sunday in less than one hour.
The shipment of salt water fish
will begin actively about the fifteenth
of September, at which time nearly
all of the seines will begin opera
tions. A considerable number Of the fish sup
piled to this market come from the Chesa
peake bay fisheries, but it is estimated tina
the fisheries of the lower Potomac river, !
proper modes of transportation are brongh
into vogue, can supply not only the Washing
ton markets, but many fish to thos
cities and towns that are within easy Rcces
to Washington by rail The principa
fish product of the Potomac are spots, sheep
heads, tailors, perch and other well-knowl
varieties. Point Lookout would make an ex
cellent fish supply depot If it was connects
with this city and Baltimore by rail. Bein
upon both the Potomac river and Chesapeak
bay fishing vessels could easily unload thei
cargoes at depot for inland transportation.
The immense amount of live stock, includ
inc chickens, turkeys veal, lamb and porB
which Is raised in the country contiguous (
the river, would also find rapid transports