Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-10-24
The Sweet Pniaso-.-Some Reasons for
lis Decline in Value.

Silp ping VI U110 SWOOo FOos-po Sf
might help us in our dilemma; and
for that purpose this article is sub
mitted to the farmers of the Eastern
Shore.
From 1854 to the beginning of the
war, the writer was interested in
buying and shipping the crop, but
directly after the war, he became
specially connected and interested
both in buying and selling, and con
tinued SO until recently, when he has
been carting shafts in the fall and oil
through the winter, putting out
sprouts in the spring, hoeing grass
through the hot days in June and
getting poorly paid for his work.
AT that time, 1854, and until 1878,
sweet potatoes were sold in bulk;
that is, carried in carts and wagons
to the wharves. and measured or
weighed out to the buyers. They
were shipped in vessels i'll the same
condition. They were sold in New
York in competition with Jerseys,
pelawares, and brought more money
than any variety on the market.
They were known then as "Nanse-
monds," and later as Deals Islands,
a name applied to them by Capt.
w. Fl. Parker who at that time was
receiving cargoes from that section;
and still later rs Eastern Shores
They had then, as now, the highest
reputation for eating qualities.
In 1878. if my memory is correct, a
New York vessel landed at Finney's
wharf, now Wachapreague City, a
load of empty barrels. The idea
originated with Mr.. -, as an i'm
nrovnmcnt on the old plan, and to
rive indiviLual farmers the privilege
of con ,igring their potatoa', il they
wished, instcad of selling us hn'orc.
But it proved to be 81 turning o. the
tide. in tn II business, that has hccn
runaing ebb to this dav. And why?
Eeca $50 1t die ava Y with compulsory
inspe etion. Under the previous sys-
tc II. f,r,rcrs were compelled to Gull
their potatoes or be subject to having
it done nv the buyers at the wharves.
They prided themselves on never hav-
ing had load of potatoes culled, and
it was scmewhat a rcproach to I'M
dergo that or:le"l.
DO the majority of orr farmers to-
day hold to the nrincirle of shipping
potatoes that need no culling?
Under the new system, many farm
ers pridcd themselves on their in
dividuql mark and do to this day.
But it is true that hundreds of bar
rels OF potatoes are shipped from the
Eastern Shore under fictitious names.
and many farmers boast of getting as
much for culls as their neighbor who
ships number one stock.
The man who shipped the culls for
primes put the consumers money in
his pocket and colnplimnnted himself
on his Sharpness; but his deception
was part of a whole that stands to-
day between his success, and that of
his neighbor, in a crop upon which
he relies, to q great extent, for his
future livelihood.
Meanwhile the Jersey farmer, ship
ping his potatoes in open packages
was compelled to Gull Them,
SO while Virginia sweets were every
year losing favor with the consumers.
Jerseys were justly gaining in popu-
larity.
With these facts before us it is
plain TO see that observer" was cor
rect in his reasoning.
There is another factor that grew
out of this new order of things.
Under the old management, that is
prior to 1878, there were but six conf
mission merchants who sold Eastern
Shore produce. But on the arrival
of this cargo of sweets in barrels
those who had heretofore been buy
ers, learning from the marks on the
barrels that they were shipped by in
dividual shippers, flooded the county
with their cards and stencils, and to-
day there are likely fifty firms in New
York contending for this trade. And
this applies as well, in proportion, to
other cities to which this business
extends.
These merchants have devised all
imaginable plans for precedence in
this trade. The have catered to the
demands, often unreasonable, made
by the farmers, have reduced their
rate of commission until it has be-
come mere nominal consideration,
revolutionizing the whole business
from a legitimate commission bust
ness to a buying and selling operation.
This is a rough synopsis of the East
ern Shore sweet potato trade from
the year 1867, and if the farmers can
learn from it to whom belong the
errors and wrongs, il any have been
made, or if it in any way aids them
in adopting some systematic plan
tending to their general good, the
writer will be well paid.
In conclusion, let me make one
proposition which in my opinion will
meet the wants of both raiser and
seller, and accomplish the end in
view, viz: bind ourselves to ship our
goods to no firm who charges less
than ten per cent. commission, and
hold the consignees strictly respon-
sible for the faithful and honest dis
charge of their duties as commission
merchants, to the full extent of the