Evening journal., 1906-09-07
CLAIM TOMATO
CROP is FAILURE
Reports Received From VaEi-
Gus Down State Sections
indicate This
EXCESSIVE RAINS THE CAUSE

The claim is made that the tomato
crop for 1906 is practically failure,
according to reports received by a man
close to the selling committee OF
bankers OF Baltimore, who are dis
posing Of the holdings of the syndi-
cate which figured in the so-oallcd
corner OF the market.
While there have been well-dehned
rumors to the effect that the crop for
this year was not as large as expect
ed, they have been confined to small
sections, and have not been backed
up by any authoritative statements.
The letters printed below, therefore,
make this the first accurate and
iauthentlc review of conditions exist
ing throughout the tomato growing
country as yet to be published. They
are practically unanimous in saying
that the pack viii not be above 25
per cent to 40 per cent of what it
should be- Not only have the growing
districts Of Delaware been affected
but those Of Maryland and the West
as we'll The heavy rains, which were
stroyed the blossoms, and the later
ones have caused the growing fruit to
rot while the specimens on the mar
ket to-day are very poor in quality
being soggy and water-laden and de-
void Of the body necessary to the per-
feet tomato.
The following reports were collected
for the purpose Of guiding the selling
committee, and are the best obtain
able. They have just been received,
part Of them coming I'm yesterday
FROM MILFORD, DEL.-"The con-
tinued wet weather has very much in
jured the tomato crop in this section,
but the large acreage planted makes
It a problem as to what the output
will be in this neighborhood.
DRAPER & HIRSCH."
FROM RIDGELY, MD.-"We must
say that conditions are very poor, in
deed. II rains here almost continu-
ally. One-third OF our crops were
drowned out a month ago, and the re-
naming vines are suffering greatly
from so much water--in fact that the
prospect is anything but promising.
ct. L. DAY, SWING & Co"
FROM STAFFORD. DEL.-"The crop
of tomatoes in our vicinity has been
very much injured by incessant rains.
, We understand there is fair crop in
the upper part OF the State If we
may judge by the few tomatoes we
are getting from our immediate
vicinity, the greater part Of the crop
must have been drowned out.
"GREENBAUM BROS"
Conflicting Reports.
FROM SMYRNA, DEL.-''The actual
crop conditions on the Peninsula war
rant conflicting reports. mean by
this that in some sections the crop
conditions are very poor, and in some
others they are very good. As far as
I have been able to learn, for the most
part the crop prospects east of tho
Delaware Railroad all the way down
the State are excellent. West. especi-
ally in some sections of the State
where there Is a great deal Of fat
land with poor drainage. the prospects
are very poor. In Kent county, Nd,
and / would assume the same to be
true OF Cecil county. the crop pros
poets are fine, but both OF these coun-
ties are light packing counties and
consequently don't cut the figure thct
do the lower counties, like Caroline
and Dorchester. There are very con-
flicting reports from both of these
counties. even from the same neigh
borhoods or communities. For in
stance one packer at Cambridge, Nd.
says that they viii not have over
so per cent. of the crop. Another
packer, and a member of the largest
packing firm there, says they have
the finest crop of tomatoes growing
around Cambridge that they have
raised within the last 10 years. Mr..
Cannon, Of Bridgeville just before the
packing season began, said there
would not be half crop Of tomatoes
in his section. He now puts 1t at
three fourths Of a crop. Mr.. John S.
Reynolds. Of Frederick, says they will
have a fine crop in that section.
"Our own growers generally admit
that they have a good, big crop on
their vines. i am very strongly OF the
opinion that If a killing frost does not
come earlier than usual-say October
1O-the total roundup will show a very
large pack. We have had more than
three times as many cases packed
from a smaller acreage than we had
at this date in 1908, when we made
the biggest pack.
wv. o. HOFFECKER."
Mr. Hoffecker's letter is by far the
most optimistic one received.
FROM BRIDGEvIDLE, DEL.-"No
sugar corn was planted this year
Peaches have rotted very badly Rains
almost daily. Here IL is Wednesday
Z (the 29th) and rain has fallen almost
d continuously since last Friday. Toma-
ties are cracking and rotting worse
, than 1 over remember before. Acre
age is quite large. Water covers
. many acres planted in tomatoes. and
vines are dead that are under water
Many acres are injured all the way
from 20 TO so per cent. There is moi
an acre which is not more or less in
jured. I have withdrawn all quota
tions on tomatoes.
II. P. CANNON"