Milford chronicle., 1893-11-24
Kent County Farmers Institute.

The Kent County Farmers Institute
met in regular monthly session IN Fire
meu's Hall, Wednesday afternoon. ], Al
exauder Fulton, ESQ.,, filled the chair III
! the absence of the President, Thomas B,
| Coursev, who was obliged to stay at home
| on account of an accident which befel
him few days ago while at work in his
mill. A heavy piece of iron fell from a
story above striking him over the eye.
| The injury is not a serious one. however,
| and it was the expressed hope of the In
stitute that he would be able to attend
the next meeting.
The chairman upon taking his seat
stated that the last meeting, held at Fell
ton four weeks ago, was held for the pur
pose of hearing reports of growers and
shippers Of the recent peach crop, ahd as
the attendance had been small the same
object had brought them together here.
7. B. Gilchrist was the first to speak.
He said he picked about $500 baskets of
peaches from his orchard this year, 5000
of which he shipped to Hartford, Conn.
The other 500 baskets we're shipped in
small lots to various points, and sold to a
local Gamer. Only the best fruit was
picked, which left fully one-third of the
entire crop to rot upon the trees The
net returns amounted to about 80 cents
per basket.
NJ. l. Newton, from near FELTON,, said
there were buyers at that point and about
two-thirds OF the fruit shipped was sold at
the station, while the other third was
shipped on consignment by the growers.
A commission merchant from Philadel-
phia told him he bought about 10 600
baskets Of fruit at an average OF 27 cents
This was about 22 cents net for the grower.
This Mr.. Newton believed to be about
the general net price realized by growers
of that vicinity. The railroad company
made more out of the crop than the
grower.
w. R. Phillips only shipped COL bas-
kets and they netted him 20 cents. He
evaporated 1900 baskets from which he
realized better price.
John Heyd said he shipped about one
third of his crop and sold the balance at
the station. For those shipped he real
lied 25 cents per basket net, aud from
those sold 40 cents. Average for the en-
tire crop was 20 cents net. Mr.. Heyd said
he believed the growers of the Peninsula
had been greatly benefited by the can
vassers sent out early in the summer.
New markets had been opened by them
and peaches had this year been sent to
points, lat never before received fruit di-
rect from the Peninsula.
DR.. G. W. Marshall said he had only
small lot of fruit, that was inferior quality,
and his average net returns amounted to
Sc. The best price he received was rs
cents.
Mr.. Newton opened a general discus
sion of the subject by saying the farmers
would do better with their fruit II they
had a list of reliable commission mer-
chants i'll some of the smaller cities that
they could ship to when the large mar
kets were dull. The agents sent out to
create new markets, he said, might turu-
ish the farmers with such a list. Mr..
Phillips replied that better list could be
gotten from any Commercial Agency than
from any canvasser that could be sent
out
Mr.. Cilchrist was of the opiRion that
BUYERS at the Gepots were not needed as
they come between the grower aud CON
suu1er and make profit that the grower
ought to save by making his own chip
ments. This idea was not met with gen
eral favor, however, as the buyers create
competition and better prices are the re-
suit He made one point that nearly all
agreed with, though, when he said, a
grower would net better returns by stick
lug to one point through the entire sea
son. Then his fruit would become known
and would meet with ready sale Mr.
Phillips said so few Of the farmers had
that ''sticlx" in them.
Before the close of the meeting Mr..
Fulton said his crop netted him about 2I
cents, He also made an estimate on the
per centage of cost in getting fruit to mar
ket. and said the railroad, commission
men aud carriers got as per cent OF the
gross sales, leaving the grower So per
cent. Is there any other product, ne
asked. that pays such high rate OF tax
Is there any product that costs SO mucn @
to reach the consumer lie lett these
questions for the members to think about.
The meeting adjourned to meet in Eel
ton on Wednesday, December goth, at