The Penn's Grove record., 1919-08-15
Delaware Growers Are Losers

The peach and cantaloupe market
IN lower Delaware has been affected
by an embargo placed on all freight
by the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford railroad, as a result of a strike.
Inc embargo keeps the Delaware
1fult from reaching the New England
markets, where, under normal condi-
tlons, a great amount of it is shipped,
PRINCIPALLY to Boston, Mass. This has
upset the market in the State.
A peculiar thing about the canta-
loupe situation is that last Sunday at
some points down the State a carrier
OF cantaloupes sold for so cents.
When it is remembered that a carrier
contains about As c~antaloupes, it is
difficult to understand why the fruit
costs so much in Wilmington markets.
Produce shipments from the lower
part of the State indicate some
changes over last years conditions.
Last year for the same length of time
72,724 baskets of peaches moved over
the Delaware Division and its branches
Tor northern and western points. This
year up to and including last Satur-
day, only 1925 baskets of peaches
have been handled.
This year, ~4,704,312 quarts of ber-
rles, including blackberries, strawber-
ries and huckleberries, were handled
from May IA to the close of the sea-
son. Last year, from May II to the
close of the season, 9,349,525 quarts
OF berries were handled. This shows
that this years crop was only about
so per cent of the crop last season.
The shortage is not due to any less
yield per acre, but is due to the fact
that there was less acreage of berries
this year. Owing to the high prices
received last year for tomatoes, many
of the farmers planted tomatoes in
stead of berries. And as the tomato
crop has been a failure, the farmers
have lost out both ways. 1t is prob
able that next year berries will again
come to the front.
Last year, for the same period of
time, 582, SOB baskets of apples passed
north over the Delaware Division and
its branches, while this year there
have been only 04,212 baskets of
apples. A large acreage of late ap-
pies, however, is expected to bring
the yield for this year to much higher
figures.
That the peninsula grows enormous
quantities of white potatoes is evident
from the great quantity of them
handled over the railroad. Last year
105,969 barrels. were handled over the
Delaware Division and it's branches,
while this year 1922 barrels have
been handled for the same length of
time. The N. Y, P. & N. line has al
ready handled 14,274 carloads of the
potatoes, while the highest single day
this year was July 4, when sol car
loads of potatoes were shipped. Fifty
per cent of the potatoes reach the
western markets.
Owing to the shortage of ice, much
of the fruit formerly shipped in re-
frigerator cars is now shipped in ven
tilator cars. This prevents the fruit
being shipped to as distant points as
is possible with the refrigerator cars
and has caused the shippers much in
convenience. The railroad authorities
canvassed the situation recently and
estimated a shortage of 230 cars of
ice.
The first carload of watermelons
for the season passed over the Della
ware railroad Monday. 1t was ship
ped from East Newmarket, Nd.
Grapes are also being shipped now.
Shipments have already been made
from Cheswold, Seaford and Viola.