The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-19
EGAN TALKS OF PEACHES.
PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL
BACK FROM FRUIT BELT.

President Egan's observations at
MarshaIIViIIe and Fort Valley
! Were of Very satisfactory Con-
ditions-He Found the Peach Grow
ers Well Pleased With Their Crops
and With the Results Secured by
the Sale in the Great Markets.
Good Prices Have Been Realized.
Condition of the Fruit Excellent.
Fort Valley Crates Being shipped
North and West.
President John NJ. Egan of the Gen.
trail Railway returned yesterday from
a trip to the fruit belt. So important
is the peach industry in Georgia and so
close and professional are Mr.. Egan's
| observations that the results are all
ways of interest. He was seen about
the peach situation, which he discussed
Interestingly.
Il visited some of the peach orchards
in the vicinity of Marshallville and Fort
Valley and met number of the prin-
cipal shippers. We have yet to hear
any complaint this year so far as
prices are concerned. They informed
me that the returns for the early va
rieties that were sent to market have
been more satisfactory than in preced-
ing seasons.
owing to the heavy shipments made
during the past few days to the East,
and in consequence of the trouble with
the freight handlers in Chicago, the
Pacific coast shipments were not
stopped in Chicago and vicinity, but
sent on East. Perhaps this will cause
depression at New York and other
POINTS during the first of the coming
week.
They have had ideal weather in the
Fort Valley and Marshallville peach
district this season. About two weeks
ago it was thought that, owing to the
absence of rain the liberia peaches
would not be as large as they gener-
ally are, but they have had two or
three good rainfalls in that vicinity,
and the consequence has been an in
crease in the size of the liberia to
what was expected. The size now is
normal. and the peaches are free from
any defects.
In going through a portion of Mr..
Rumph's orchard at Marshallville. as
well as that owned by Mr.. Willing
the peach orchards of Mr. Hale at
Fort Valley, 1 found the trees as heav-
lily fruited as they have been in pre-
Vlous years and the peaches present
Delter appearance. The Elbertas are
later this year than was anticipated
two or three weeks ago, and the ship
ments of this variety, which are now
helng made, will be continued through
out the coming week
After the Elbertas come the Emma
variety, and Mr. Rumph informs me
that he will have more Emmas for
Shipment this year than Elbertas. The
Emma is a finer grain peach than the
Eilperta and is superior in taste, but
not as large as the liberia.
Mr.. McNair of Missouri has in
vested largely in an orchard in the
vicinity of Fort Valley, and 1 under
stand he is considered as successful a
peach grower as there is in the United
states, his orchards extending from
the Sounth to the North and also to
I the Western States.
Zone of the most promising features
In connection with the sale of peaches
is the presence of buyers there who
! VIII purchase small lots from farmers
| as they bring them in. 1 was in
formed that several parties obtained
| $l.5o per crate for their peaches from
those buyers at Fort Valley this
week"
Up to and including yesterday the
central has forwarded Col cars of
peaches. While a large number of
cantaloupes have been forwarded from
Fort Valley this year, the shipments
would have consisted of many cars
more had it not been for the dry
weather that was experienced at Fort
| valley during the time cantaloupes
were maturing.
"Of the nine carloads of peaches that
| Mr.. Hale loaded on Thursday. July n"
said Mr.. Egan, che informed me that
they did not have half a dozen bas-
kets rejected. Parties that heretofore
have been forwarding pears from
Fort Valley in bulk and in barrels
| informed me that they have dscared
such shipment sand are now forward
| ing them in crates similar to the peach
crates, as they find they can obtain
| better sale for them when forwarded
in such packages to New York and
| other Eastern cities.
Mr.. McNair was so impressed with
the manner in which crates and bas-
kets are being manufactured at Fort
Valley that he ordered shipments from
there to his orchards in the North and
East. the value of the same exceeding
$2S, O00
Prospects are now that there will
be more young peach trees set out
this year than there have been in any
one year in the past, The recent
rains have proven of incalculable ben
efiet to the farmers, and the growing
crops present a far better appearance
than they did ten days or two weeks
ago."