Smyrna times., 1922-08-09
WOULD BOOST DELAWARE
APPLES At BLOSSOM TIME
HERBERT J.DODD, FORMER DOV-
Err BOY SUGGESTS A PLAN
Has Worked to an Advantage in Ad-
vertising the Georgia Peach; Why .
Not Boost Delaware

Not Boost Delaware
An apple blossom festival as
means for giving publicity to Della
ware fruit is urged by Herbert ]. Dodd
a Dover boy who is connected with the
United States Bureau of Entomology
at Fort Valley, Ga. In communica-
ton to the Dover Index, he says:
"In a recent issue an account of the
Fruit Growers Tour in the Sherman
doah crystallized an idea that had
been adolescing in my mind since
March IA, 1922. And l pass it along,
after a fashion, for what it may be
worth to the fruit growing section of
Delaware 81 have been actively en-
gagged in the U. S. Government Peach |
Laboratory, at Fort Valley, Georgia
since the oath of February, 1922, and
mittent service with the field extension
station of the Department of Agricul-
ture at Dover, Delaware. ThruOut my |
experience with growers, and espec-
tally since | have been located here
l have observed the crying need for
some method of popularizing agricul-
tural pursuits, some method of giving
the big fruit centers credit and pub
licity.
"On the 18th of March, this year
the people of Fort Valley began
series of annual publicity getters, for
the elaboration and edifcation of the
peach industry. This initial fete was
| loI,. o1 FTbo Dooah RlOccnr1 Eocfi-
val 1t is an all-American affair.
The Mardi Gras, of Louisiana is
heritage of France. The Rose Carni-
val of California is of Spanish origin,
but. the first all-American peach car
nival proved a mighty rival for inter
national honors.
How the Peach is Boosted in Georgia
''To illustrate what tremendous
undertaking such an affair was for
this place, l will tell you that Fort
Valley, is as small as Dover. 1t is
located squarely in the center of the
famous Peach Belt of Georgia. With
in a radius of few miles, there are
more than five million peach trees.
When the blooms are upon the branch
es, the trees make the whole country
side a pink paradise in springtime.
The tulips of Holland, and the cherry
blossoms of Nippon cannot be compar-
. ed to this magic pinkland in the spr-
!. ing. From this romance land of baby
pink blooms, of infant peaches, in
1921 more than one-third of GeOrgia's
peaches were shipped.
"The festival was a Fort Valley
celebration at first. Fort Valley peO-
pie originated the idea; planned it;
and carried it thru. But so success
full and broad reaching was the event,
that it Immediately and automatically
became a state, and even a national
institution.
at was decided to have an Oriental
pageant, symbolic of the Peach Coun-
: try, and to invite all Georgia to come
and take part in the festivities. And
the largest barbecue ever given in the
south was arranged to feed the guests
The date was to be dependent upon
the full blooming of the peach trees.
And March IA, 1922 was the day. The
Festival opened at 10 o'clock with an
automobile parade thru the pink bord-
cred lanes of the large peach ranches.
u For two hours the motor argosy voy-
{ aged thru the fairyland of Peachland.
!. Then came hungry mob to be feed
: with old fashioned Georgia barbecue.
Ten thousand platters were served.
And the days events eliminated in an
q impressive Peach Blossom pageant.
! The dramatic keynote of the Festival
was the pageant, "The Masque of The
Sun Goddess"
Why Not Boost Delaware Fruit.
From this sketchy account of Fort
Valleys first step in a series of at
tempts for publicity and growth,
trust you will be able to form the fol-
lowing connection.
4 Delaware is a fruit growing region
Near my own Dover choice apples are
grown. But / ask you how far oul
q state or town is known for it's produc-
/ tions. 1t is known, to be sure, but
l. people accept the fact just as they
= would the statement that all water
le has microbes in it. They have hearC
" it, but there has never been anything
E done to arouse their interest above Z
+ mild degree. Why can't we have al
y Apple Blossom Festival Why CAM
4 we put Dover on the map of agricul
n tural industry? Why can't we Civ,
II our state some agricultural publicity
IN that will stimulate abiding interest il
y the minds of our neighbors? Della
u ware is well enough known, in a way
er Since l have been in the South l hav,
20 been asked several times where / hail
" ed from. When l replied superiority
Oh that | was native of the Diamon,
I State, they invariably wouldsay, 90
e yes, didn't Washington cross the Del