Milford chronicle., 1920-03-05
SHORTAGE In BERRY
CRATES THREATENED
The FACTORIES HAVE CUT DOWN OUT
PUT AND BERRY ACREAGE HAS
BEEN GREATLY INCREASED.
,..o., nrinnn,icn News Sanlshnrv

From Wieomico News, Salisbury
The berry growers and shippers OF
this and neighboring counties who de-
pend upon the crate manufacturers
of this vicinity to supply them with
carriers, are facing a shortage in
crates and baskets which may be dif-
ficult for them to overcome unless
they take immediate action.
A survey of the crate and basket
factories made within the last ten
days reveals the fact that because of
the high cost of the materials used
in the making of crates and the diff
ficulty in obtaining those materials,
the output of the factories will be so
per cent less this year than a year ago
and that the crates will cost the farm
er from 55 to so cents each, at the
least.
The acreage in this vicinity devoted
to the growing of strawberries this
year is about 40 per cent greater
than that of a year ago, and unless
those berry growers who will use
crates place their orders with the
factories at once they will doubtless
find no crates available.
1t is estimated that two years ago
the output of the local factories was
about 100000 crates. Last year be-
cause of prevailing high costs Of la
Dor, lumber and hardware the produc-
tion was greatly decreased; but. the
season Just approaching will find the
smallest output of crates in this sec
tiOn, ever known. 1t is said on the
best authority that the factories will
not produce more than 100000 crates
this year.
The manufacturers say that with
the prevailing high costs Of labor and
materials, they are unable to make
crates and sell them at the prices
the farmers are willing to pay, with
out losing money.
Five years ago crates were sold
and delivered to the purchaser at 20
cents each and the manufacturers
made money. AT that time labor
could be had at from 80 cents to $l.lO
a day; labor now costs from Sl,5O to
S225 a day. The hardware used on
a crate costs three cents more and
the tacks and nails used now cost
double the costs of five years ago.
Lumber used in the crates has also
advanced greatly, so that the cost
of making the crates is now much
more than double the old % cent
selling price.
OF the 100000 crates which will be
manufactured by the factories in
Salisbury and vicinity this year, it is
estimated that nearly 100000 have al
ready been sold
Several of the mills have ceased
to manufacture berrycrates and bask-
cts because of the excessive costs, and
others have cut down their produc-
ton to a minimum, and are giving
their mills over to the making OF
other products from which they are
able to net greater margins OF proht.
Heretofore the berry growers have
been able to go to the mills and get
their supply of crates and baskets,
very late in the season-just a few
days before time for shipments of
berries, in fact This will not be the
case this year.
Because of the reduced number Of
crates manufactured, the sales al
ready made. and the increased acre
age given over to strawberries, it will
be necessary for the growers to place
their orders Immediately if they are
to be supplied; and it is suggested
that each grower obtain all the crates
he can. even if he has to hold some
of them over until next year; he
cause as things are going, crates will
become scarcer and scarcer as the
years pass by.
The strawberry crop each season
means great many thousand of dol
lars to the farmers of Wicomico coun-
ty. Somerset county and Of the lower
sections of Delaware; and it would
be a tremendous loss both to the in
dividual berry growers and to the
communities in which they live if they
were to find themselves unable to pro-
cure crates for the shipment of their