Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-05-28
LOCAL AND PENINSULA
A FITAL 1CCnENT TO sIIAi
WHITE. VI
Eastern shore Frnit-grO wing -Fiml
Pre- sP 'ct for tbc Sirawb 'rry Crop
Fruit Culture in vyicom leo.


SALISBURY, Mp, May 22.-Aetiyc 1rraA
aratlons are now being made by the fail3
road company and growers for l,utlinIl
this seasons fruit crop into inarketa
Some of the railroad officials came dow1il
the road this week and drove throngll
various sections of the country, oousuitIl
ing with growers us to the running oil
fruit trains. last seasan ample faeilitiesi
We're provided. The berries picked in
the morning up 10 IL O'Clock were carried
ON train leaving here about noon The
fruit ON this train was carried TO Phila-
delphia, Wilmington aud Chester, Pa.
| The Boston train left about O'clock &c
| night, thus giving growers an opportu-
| nifty to pick the balance OF the berries in
the afternoon. This arrangement worked
very well and it is stated that siinilar
arrangements will be in force this season. 7
Notwithstanding the faoi thatiaany Of
the Strawberries Were killed by the frosts +
last week, very large crop will be gath \
cred. Reports from various portions of
Wicomico county state that ful crop
will be gathered. This crop alone is an
important source of revenue to the
county, and puts large amount Of money
III circulation. The money pnid for pick 4
ing goes to people who are la need Of it, /
and who have TO spend il for the neeeA-
saries of life. The storekcepeIs look for
ward TO the strawberry saason with
anxiety, being much concerned sbont The
outlook for II good crop eueh year
Business is always good during tla g6slsmf
and money is freely spent
No adequate idea OF the tent of
strawberry growing in thu Ito AN be
obtained except by ,bsei yaiion.
The fields are nov b. ssums,
and the young bee, J, Z rapid
growth. In nboI iIments
will begin in earn, w. q, ,Wn will
be thronged with .ltIss ut ". ious sorts,
each bearing its load Of fruit. IN the
lower part of Wicomico county, along
the New York, Philadelphia IL Norfolk
railroad, there are some growers who
daily load from one TO two cars from
their own fields, and ut this station it re-
quires several cars daily to carry the
berries. In addition to those shipped by
rail, thousands of quarts are carried each
trip by the steamer Kent from points
along the Wicomico river TO Baltimore.
On the Nanticoke river, where the dis
tance is too far to reach the railroad by
hauling, the berries are placed on a small
steamer and carried to Seaford, Del,
where they are shipped by rail to northern
markets. Large quantities alsorea Balti-
more on the Kent from Roaring Point.
Many of the fruit growers in Wicomico
county are realizing greater profits from
their crops by means of canneries and
evaporators. When the prices for fruit
become too low in the cities to be remu-
nerative, the fruit is canned and eyapor-
ated. By this means great deal is utilized
that would otherwise be left in the fields
to rot. II is said that the fruit crop of
Wicomico brings in more money to the
growers than any other crop raised.
There is now very little money TO be
obtained in raising corn and wheat, and
many farmers are turning their attention
to fruit growing. Next season moro
peach, apple, pear and other fruit trees
will be in full bearing than ever before.
Mr.. $. E. Gordy has put down about half
of his large farm in fruit trees, which will
be in bearing next year. He then pro-
poses to erect q canning house and
evaporators, SO MS to utilize all the fruit.
In addition to the fruit shipped, canned
and evaporated, thousands of pounds of
peaches and apples are annually dried by
the old process. This is sold during the
winter, and is another great source of
revenue. The earliest berries TO reach
market are those grown along the river,as
the frosts do not affect them us much us
those grown off from the water courses.
Berries gathered about the middle of May
always sell for high prices. Some growers
along the Wicomico often receive 60 cents
per quart. In addition to the straw
berry crop, the whortlebery crop
is also source of considerable
revenue. This fruit grows wild in
the swamps. The pickers have
novel way of gathering them. They go
out very early in the morning, spread
sheet or some other large cloth on the
ground and shake the berries off into it.
They are then assorted over the faulty
ones thrown out, and the remainder
packed in crates and shipped to market
Until within the lust seven or eight years
this fruit was allowed to ripen and rot,
but since then it has picked and shipped.
The prices are unusually good. Thou
sands upon thousands of quarts are sold
TO canners i'll the cities. In the vicinity
Of Pittsville there ARE hundred of acres OF
swamp lands abomding in whortleberry
bushes. The fruit requires no cultivation.