The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-05-25
The Strawberry Crop.

One of the most interesting talks
made before the chamber Of COM
merce yesterday at the annual meeting
was that of Mr.. James 81. Chadbourn
relative to the strawberry industry in
the vicinity Of Chadbourn. The mem
bers present had some idea Of what
the berry business was, but they had
no idea it had reached such gigantic
proportions.
More berries are shipped from Chad
bournx the speaker said, than any one
market in the world. On last Monday
he said there were shipped from this
market 80 cars of strawberries aud the
local bank on that day paid out the
enormous sum of S60.C00
In years gone by the speaker said,
the farmer had to ship his berries to
the northern market and wait until
they we're sold before he got his
money. Conditions he said Lad now
changed and instead Of the farmer
sending his crop to the buyer the
buyer comes to the farmer. The sys-
tenn used in buying strawberries is
somewhat like that employed IN towns
where tobacco is sold.
In the vicinity Of Chadbourn, She
speaker said there we're seventy five
buyers. He said if anyone present
had ever visited the stock exchange in
New York City they could get an idea
Of the excitement that prevailed when
a farmer drove to the station with
wagon loaded with the luscious fruit. :.
The buyers, he said, at once made
dash for the wagon and began bid
ding.
The deal being c,ossd the successful
bidder tears a memorandum from
duplicate book ON which is Written
the number Of the car where the ber-
ries are to be placed and gives it to
the farmer. He carries the berries to
the car and after the duplicate is
checked o. X. he carries it to the bank
and gets his money.
In the vicinity of Chadbourn there
are now about ten thousand people
engaged in picking strawberries. a
labor bureau has been established and
when a farmer wishes to secure berry
pickers all he has to do is to put in
his application for the number he
wants at the labor burean. The people
from many of the adjoining counties
flock to the berry section during this
season. Nh. Chadbourn said out OF
curiosity he asked small negro girl
how much she had'made.
She replied one dollar, and this was
about 9 o'clock in the afternoon. One
thing he said that why the bank had
TO pay out so much money was because
the pickers wereypaid off evefy day.
He said there were numbers OF peo-
pie in the berry section who had made
small fortunes during the past few
years. One instance cited was that Of
Mr.. a. Coultas Mr.. Coultas came
to Chadbourn about five years ago and
stated that be only had one hundred
dollars. He bought farm for $500
and began growing strawberries. He
succeeded from the beginning, and 1T
was only a short time before his farm
was free from incumbrance and he was
making Improvements on his farm.
On last Monday. Mr.. Coultas received
for his berries that we're picked that
day s9O7. Each day for the week be-
fore he had received from $3.50 to $500
per day. Mr.. Chadbourn said he ask
ed Mr.. Coultas if he was satisfied with
his success, be replied by saying. [
would not sell my farm for $40, 600 and
l have 81, 100 to my credit in the bank.
Don't it lock like ought to be salts
fed
Other instances were cited where
land had increased enormously in val
ne. One piece of property spoken OF
vas bought ten years ago for $50,
and FIVE years ago it sold for $500 and
was recently sold again for the sum Of
s41O0. Wilmington Messenger.