The sun., 1900-08-11
PEACH CROP IS ENORMOUS
Delaware Fruit Growers are
Sending Away Thousands
of Baskets Daily.
BUT THE PRICES DO NOT FALL
The Estimate of 100000 Baskets
Will Not Reach the Limit---From
BridgeyilIe Alone 100000
Baskets Will be
Shipped.
BUT THE PRICES DO NOT FALL
From The sum. snecIaL correspondent.

Bridgevilie, Del, Aug l0.-Delaware
fruit growers are harvesting their peach
rop, the magnitude Of which has never
~, IRE been realized, and throughout
sont,. ern Delaware the peach growing
halt Al, is hustle and excitement.
Tbis :, usually quiet town has been
,roneforr.ad ITO city within few
liz Ia -. a1 g roar with the thun-
der Of traffic from os n,os 49,
Citizens have .urned their no. &C.
boarding houses and restaurants t, >,
commodate the great crowds from town \
and city which pour into this place with Il
every incoming train. Trampe there are 4
by the hundred, and at night she flames H
from their campfres illuminate the sur- !
rounding country lfor miles. Humani'
OF all classes is eongregated be-, .nd ,dd
the streets are overrun " su,a;r aro
throngs throughout the "u 'u's'hs
Az the de 40t the day. 40 ,t.ho
ta'e' d delSasv Railroad avenue, for
y seaaee one mile, il blockei with
;enlc g Of every description, ranging
tro" the massive double dcckers to the
! lrnpretentious blackboard. On big days
T there are sometimes double rows Of load
g ed wagons extending one half mile in
the country. Swift.footed messenger
5 boys dealing out kilograms to the buyers,
\ WHO, with their clerks, hurry among the
mass Of yehic es, the shouts of the team
! sters and the incessaLt saving and ham
i. mering from the direction 81 the cars, add
- to the excitement.
At the beginning Of the season the
I. yield from this peninsula was estimated
= at 900 900 bgskets, but it is now plain
III evident that the yield will be much
larger. From this point alone 5000
IS baskets will be shipped, making it the
largest shipping station in the United
IN States.
ID The enormous yield has led to great
he deal OF speculation as to the successful
ness OF tie crop. Philadelphia commits
~ sion men are of the opinion that not
nd withstanding the big crop, good price
III will prevail throughout the season, bu
many growers are selling their orchard
M to commission agents at from twenty Il
NJ, thirty cents per basket.
~ ~ As faint gray in the east heralds ap
preaching dawn, the highways leadin
to this town suddenly become alive wit
~. pickers bound for the orchards, whil
ne the dark woods resound with the plain
tive songs Of the negroes. The earl
not morning trains must be met, and tn
! 4 work necessarily begins at an earl
the hour.
The pickers are mainly tramps an
MT negroes, and among the latter are larg
hin number Of children. They are general
paid by the hour and are enabled to ear
an IRON $l.25 to 81 80 day.
The largest growers employ fro
twenty TO thirty pickers, besides nun
loil ber Of women and girls, who pack ii
mn peaches for shipment.
lwn Gazing at the long line Of fruit ca
y along the switch, with various hut
- flags floating from the roofs, strang
~ would naturally be puzzled as to the
!" use.
This is done by buyers to dstinguis
~ the cars, and when load is purchase
lay. the buyer directs the farmer TO certa
flag.
,ns. Recently buyer purchased load
.i,,,, fruit from an old farmer, and direct
,,l- him to the American flag
"Dang me il know which it are, NJ
teri the old fellow calculated, much
lrr' the buyers surprise. "What color is
anyhow"
q: Owing to the great numbers Of buyt
the congregated here, competition is bril-
hy and growers are enabled to display tn
auctloneering procivitles.
i When load of fruit draws up at
! station it is Immediately surrounded
,.i.. number Of buyers. Standing ON tor
NinE >l his load, with whip for malet, the I
. u"ps mer bids off his load to the highest
49, der. The bidding is spirited when t
fruit is unusually fine.
It no Owing to the fact that only large a
Sight fancy varieties are now grown by grc
ers OF southern Delaware, it is belle'
has that enormous profit will be realized.