Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-01
SraWbrdge & Clother, s : :3sE| Philadelphia
THE GROWER GETS LEFT.

"a htNttW ot tnB Etnluhuih EtAcn StAbOu
The Average Yield Has Been One and
a-haif Baskets Per Tree or in Cash
&16.5O Per Acre.
Philadelphia Press, sept Goth.
What is regarded as the last consign.
ment Of peaches from the Delaware
Peninsula, SO far as this season is con-
cerned, was received in this city yester-
day. With the wind-up Of the crop
comes bundle Of statistics which prove
conclusiyely that the poor peach grower
again got the worst of it from finan-
cial point of view. In ordinary seasons
the peaches can be counted ON to net the
grower at least 30 cents a basket This
year has been more than ordinary when
the yield is considered but from the
2,O0O 000o baskets used in Philadelphia
the Peninsula growers got a trifle less
than 10 cents basket.
The other 100000 baskets-for there
were 100000 baskets raised on the
Peninsula this season. went to New York
and Baltimore, and for these the grower
will realize considerably less than ten
ccntsa basket net. In all probability the
prices realized from these points will
not amount to more than eight cents a
basket. The figures by which these
conclusions were reached were gathered
at the traffic offices OF the p, w. & b.
railroad, the Philadelphia d Leipsic
Transportation Line, the Baltimore &
Philadelphia Steamboat Company, the
Philadelphia d Smyrna Transportation
Company and the Steamer Clio. The
representatives Of these companies agree
that financially the peach crop was a
failure.
LITTLE MONEY IN CHOICE FRUIT.
One of the queer phases of the seasons
market is reflected in the fact that the
very choicest fruit brought the least
money This is explained easily, for at
the time the choice peaches came in the
market was heavily laden with giut of
fruit that was not az all choice, but was
considered good enough for canning
purposes. AS it was the height of the
canning season housekeepers naturally
bought the cheaper fruit The conse-
quence was that the choice peaches re-
manned on the market until the COM
mission men were forced to unload them
at regular bargain counter prices.
A communication was received in this
city yesterday, from the secretary Of the
Peninsula Peach Growers Association,
which places the average yield through
out the peach belt at Il basket per tree
AS there are 10 trees to the acre, il can
readily be seen that there is positive
loss in raising peaches at $16.50p per acre.
This communication reports on the
yield and quality of the prominent
varieties OF peaches in the order of their
arrival in market. The early peaches,
including the EARLY Beatrice, Early
Louise, Early Rivers and Craws, were
above the average in yield, but far below
in quality. The poor quality is due to
the heavy and continuous rain storms
that occurred during the process of
ripening. As ~ consequence. the fruit
came to the market in what is called
"water.logged" condition.
PRoPoRrIoNATE YIELDS.
The Hales had Il good yield, but the
warm weather ripened the fruit SO
rapidly that great quantity of it de-
cayed before it could be gotten to the
freight stations. The Reeves, choice
yellow fruit, was below the standard,
both in yield and quality. The Noun.
tain Rose was good as to quality and
yield, and the same is said of Moore's
Favorite and Fosters. There was a
small crop of Fox's Seeding, but the
quality was fine. The Stump Of the
World was scarce, good in quality.
Crawfords Late realized good crop of
good fruit The Smock came up with
an average yield of good peaches. The
White Heath, which was variety dc.
pended on to help the grower out of the
financial jungle, was very scarce, but
the fruit was fine in quality. A white
peach, known as Miller's, came plenti-
fully in the market, the quality was
good, but the prices realized were dis
appointing in the extreme. The Octo-
Der peach, the last to come in, was
plentiful and of good quality, but the
prices realized hardly paid for handling.
The housewives of Philadelphia have
good reason to be cheerful over the pear
and apple outlook, but, as in the case Of
the peaches, there is no ray of hope for
the grower. Advices received by local
commission men show that hundreds of
tons of pears and apples are rotting in
the orchards of New York and the west,
| simply because the growers cannot
afford to send them to market at pre-
vailing prices. The market is already
| glutted with apples and pears. The
Bartlett, which is considered the best
paying pear, is a drug on the market,
and is bringing fully 80 per cent less
than has been the case for twenty years
| past.
The fall apples, which are just begin
ming to come in, are bringing 10 per
cent less than the usual price for an
ordinarily abundant season, and the
commission men expect still further
drop. The grape crop is unusually
plentiful, aid the fruit is of excellent
quality. However, the era OF low prices
has not left the grape crop unscarred,
for the prices realized are fully three
quarters Of cent per pound under the