Milford chronicle., 1920-05-14
BERRIES $40 A CRATE
POTATOES SIS BARREL
STRAWBERRY GROWERS STAND TO MAKE
"a. BIG MONEY AS BUYERS ARE CON
TRACING AT $40 CRATE.
THE WHITE POTATO CROP
WHITE POTATOES PLANTED IN LARGE
ACREAGE ON LOWER PENINSULA.
CRATES AND BARRELS SCARCE.

A correspondent writing from Sal
isbury, Md, says that strawberries
grown on the Eastern Short of Mary
land this year will bring fabulous
prices in the city markets, is point
edly indicated by the fast that scores
of the biggest growers of strawberries
in WicOmicO county have made con-
tracts with buyers already to sell
their berries at $40 per crate of 80
quarts.
Thousands of quarts of Strawberries
will be shipped to Baltimore and
Philadelphia this year from Sails
bury at that price, and the city con-
sumer will pay at least 40 cents
quart for the fruit.
The strawberry acreage in WicOmi-
co county this year will be much less
than usual. This means that the ber-
ry crop will be smaller than in prev
ious years. In spite of the fact that
many growers of the berries made big
money last year from their berry
crops, very few new patches were set
out for this seasons bearing and
many of last years patches have been
plOwed under to make room for an
other crop.
Mills Quit Making Carriers
The reason for this is the threaten
ed shortage of crates and baskets.
The materials used in the manufac-
ture of these is scarce and very high
so scarce and so high that fully so
per cent Of the mills which for years
have made a business of manufactur-
ing crates and baskets have eliminat-
ed that branch of their business. and
are now devoting all their energies to
the making OF lumber
In spite Of the reduced berry acre
age, however. it is estimated here that
the money received in this territory
from strawberries will be as great
in amount as that of last year when
all records were broken for berry
crop returns.
Potato Growers Expect Banner Year
In the two peninsula counties of
Virginia, Accomae and Northampton,
the potatO-growers are looking for
ward to a banner year. The potato
there this year is greater by
10 per cent than ever before, accord
ing to reports.
It is true that the heavy rains and
cold weather of a few weeks ago, /.
damaged some of the seed most early /
planted but the loss to the crop from
this cause is said to be immaterial
One Accomac county grower has
planted 1400 barrels of Cobbler pota- |
to seed, has bought fertilizer and ma /
nure for this crop at a cost of $21 900, /
and has contracted to buy 1900 bar
rels for shipping the tubers at S1.10 /
each. It is estimated that with prices .
equal to those of last season. and with I
a fair crop this grower will net about
100000 from his potato field invest
nent.
The barrel question is one that is
,ausing the Virginia and Eastern
Shore of Maryland potato growers
more than little anxiety. For the
same reason that berry crates and
baskets are scarce, potato barrels are
llso scrace. Growers are today fore
ID to pay from $1.10 to SLIPS for the
anne grade Of barrel for which they
'aid 80 cents three years ago, and
While there were plenty of barrels in
hose days at that price, the supply
S very narrowly limited this year.
Accomac and Northampton counties
n Virginia in the heart of the potato
eason ship on an average of 90 car
Dads of potatoes a day, each car con-
aiming $50 barrels, and each barrel
ontaining approximately three bush /
Is of the tubers.