The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-04-30
GET HIGH PRICES.
Strawberry Growers, Play in
Luck
ONE CAR SOLO FOR S1,587
Yesterdays Shipments Amounted
to Nearly $4,000

Marvellous Tale oc High Prices Told
by Commission >Iun-Aycra@c
Paid in Cash for Berries Yesterday
Was S6.35---Earlicr in ;i.c week
S1.75 Crate was Con-idcrcd al
most Record Breaking Price.
A Wilmington gentleman who Sp2Et
a day in ChadbOurn during the past
week speaks enthusiastically of the
big returns the strawberry growers
are getting for their crops. He said
that in company with another gen-
tleman he visited scverd. Of the big
strawberry farms in the ChadbOurn
region and that while undoubtedly the
crop viii be materially reduced by
the recent severe weather, yet the re-
ductiOn will not be as large as ex-
pected and the short crop will have
the effect Of maintaining high prices
throughout the season. II was first
estimated that the damage would
amount to nearly so per cent, but
thought to be about correct puts the
damage sustained in the neighborhood
of 25 per cent. The rain that fell
during the week following the colo
weather, proved the salvation of the
crop and though the growers
naturally feel a little sore over their
loss yet the present high prices they
are receiving is gradually putting them
into more satisfied state of mind.
This gentleman said that there are
now on the ground at Chadbourn more
than so produce men representing big
commission houses in the north and
they are begging for berries at almost
any price and paying for them ON the
spot One instance was related where
a grower drove into town with team
on which there were A crates of ber-
ries. In a short While he had been
paid in cash SITS for his load. Prices
range from 1915 to $475 crate, the
latter being the highest prices that are
known to have been paid.
1t is practically certain that the
other section will have the same good
luck as has the Chadbourn section
and that high prices will in a great
measure compensate for the loss by
cold. The reduced crop will have the
effect of being transported with more
. despatch to the markets in the north
and the berries will arrive at their
destination in the best condition.
The coming week will witness the
beginning of the heavy movement and
many carloads Of berries will leave
this section each day. Secretary Bau-
man of the E. G. T and F. G. Associa-
ton has opened his office at Rocky
Mount, where he will direct the move
ment of the crop to the best advantage
of the growers. Agents of the associa-
ton, to look out for the interests of
the members, have already gone to
the northern markets where they will
remain during the strawberry sea-
son.
Since the above article was writ
ten one of the agents of northern COM
mission houses, who has been in the
ChadbOurn section, was seen and he
told of marvellous high prices that
were paid yesterday for 0el,fios He
said that one car, with about $50 crates
on it, was shipped yesterday and tina,
the grower who filled it was paid
s1.S00 cash for his berries. Some
crataes had brought as high as $7.35.
: and report had it that more than $S
~~nte had been paid in some in
stances.
Estimating conservatively yester-
days shipments from all the straw
berry region at so cars, the estimate
being based On the number of cars
that had been ordered at 80 and con-
'cedlng that $685. was the average price
paid per crate, and this is considered
reasonable and accurate, it would show
that each car averaged 1857, or
that a total of SAT $40 had been paid
in cash to strawberry growers in this
section yesterday. These figures are
not exaggerated but they reflect the
candid opinion of men who have been
on the scene of operation.
In regard to the lettuce crop in the
immediate vicinity Of Wilmington it
was stated fast night that at least
$4,000 had been brought into this
territory within the past five weeks
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