Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-12-06
to a. each at retail. An American canta.

10 81 eaCn AZ TetHll. AL huleTiCuH Chntd'
loupe, nutmeg, or common muskmelon,
would be revelation in this market and
command instantaneous sale. II would
seem to me perfectly feasible also to
place American watermelons on the
English market. The freshly plucked
melons of New Jersey and Delaware
could reach here in good season and
comparatively fresh. Plums are always
to be found, English grown, and very
nice. As to apples, the only good ones
found in the Bradford market are from
the United States, and they are highly
esteemed; the Newtown pippin is con-
sidered great luxury, and being a good
keeper, is easily handled. The Spanish
and Italian apples are plucked green
and exhibited in wilted, leathery con
dition, and have no distinct apple flavor.
They are neither good to the taste nor
wholesome. notwithstanding peaches
and nectarines are seen, but cost at re.
tail from to 12 cents each. | have paid
the latter price for them within week.
The English gooseberries are the larg-
est and finest in the world, and tho
same can be said of the Strawberries.
The raspberries, Currants, and bilberries
are good. but the season is short. Pine
apples, luscious and ripe, are retailed at
extraordinary prices, and one dealer,
whom know, has received as high as
50 for single one. Tomatoes are
good. Bananas are small and of miser-
able quality. Oranges and lemons can
| be obtained in about the same ASSERT
ments and grades rs at home, and, in
season are not exorbitant in price. 1t
| will be seen, therefore, that, with good
| conditions of transportation existing,
there ought to be an almost unlimited
market here for our apples, cherries,
oranges, peaches, apricots, nectarines,
| pears, bananas, grapes, wntermelons,
muskmelons, cantaloupes, and grape
| fruit.
A Bradford retail fruiterer, in large
way, informs me that one reason why
American fruit is not seen in the pro-
vincial and retail markets is because of
the extortionate railroad charges. Liver
pool would be the natural port, for in
stance, from which Bradford would OBJ
tain its imported fruit. But the railroad
rates make it impossible to do so Mt a
| profit. A Bradford merchant can have
barrel of fruit sent him through from
New York, ship freight, railroad freight
and all included, for $l.l2, while the
same thing IRON Liverpool alone, dis
lance of only so miles, costs 81 cents.
There are splendid markets in Liver
pool, and were it not for this excessive
railroad rate, Bradford fruit merchants
would buy in that market almost by
the carload. AS the same thing applies
to dozens of inland towns, it can be seen
how the American market suffers
through this discrimination. From Lon,
don, on the contrary, which is much
further distant than Liverpool, the rate
on fruit to Bradford, is only 81 cents
per cwt., and special rates are given to
large centres. Several Bradford fruit
merchants buy in the London
market and have special rates
both for their freight and them.
selves as passengers, to and from
the sales. The unjust discrimination
on the part Of the railroads exists not
/ alone against foreign fruits, but applies
to the home market as well. In the fruit
J districts OF Kent, Worcestershire and
! Devonshire, magnificent plums are said
10 be rotting by the hundreds of bushel;
because the railroads refuse to haul then
tn the markets at rate at which they
can be sold. IL is strange, too, that this
i contumacy is in the face of growing dc
/ mand by the people, caused, in larg,
g legree by the physicians, who are con
i stantiy urging upon the English people
. twho are not naturally fruit loversl tht
necessity of eating more fruit that they
!. may avoid certain disorders to which
e thoy are subject, owing to their ordinary
diet. 1t is u notable fact, too, that higher
Y rates of freight are charged for soft anC
, over-ripe fruit than for that which j
}, hard and green on account of the in
5 creased difficulty in handling,
# 1t will be seen that none of the diff
e eulties mentioned are insurmountable
n 1t is to be hopei the time is comin
5, when wholesome, ne4lth-S giving, Amer
/, can fruit can be found in every retail
e market in England. BY concert c
& action on the part of the exporters, i'm
II oorters and those engaged in transporta
e ton, this hope can ne realized witt
. profit to all and delight to the people.
Ii FOOTBILL BONBONNIERE.