Smyrna times., 1924-09-03
GRAPES AND PEACHES NOW
BEING HARVESTED ABUNDANTLY
LITTLE LOSS is REPORTED FROM
BLACK ROT IN VINEYARDS
Peach Shipments Reach Their Peak
This Week With the Famous Ell
bertas FavOrite of Orchardists

reports from some sections of Kent |
county, which is the grape-growing
country portion of Delaware, that |
black rot had again destroyed the |
hopes of the vinyardists, and that be-
cause of the railroad shipments had
fallen off that the crop was failure,
seem to be without substantial found !
alton. 1t is admitted that railroad |
shipments have fallen down, but that
is because the growers, or at least |
many of them, are utilizing auto
trucks to ship their grapes. In other
years the grapes went by train or not
at all.
The raising of grapes in these
times is a scientific problem, one of
the details of which is the spraying
process. Grapes that were sprayed
at the proper time have pretty gem
orally escaped the black rot. As a
majority of the grape growers of
Kent county are following scientific
methods, the loss from rot, it is be-
lieved will not be so heavy as made
to appear. There are about 700 acres
in Vineyards and the fruit at this
time looks good.
Last week and this week will be the
harvest weeks for peaches in Della
ware. The Georgia Belle by now has
reached its peak and the Elberta
by this week. There is nothing at
this time to indicate but what the
promise of a crop this year two to
three times larger than last year will
be made good. The orchards that
have fruit look to be very heavily
laden, and one grower who ships from
Wyoming expects to send out from
four to six carloads of peaches every
day for the next ten days. For one
man that will be quite some consign-
ment. Motor trucks will also trans
port quantities of peaches to city
markets, chiefly Wilmington and Phil
adelphia.
Tomatoes do not look so good. As
the time for their harvesting draws
near the vines show that but about
half a crop may be expected this year.
To those who follow crop conditions,
however, that statement will not be
half as hard on the farmer as it
sounds. With a half crop the ordinary
result is higher prices. Those who
have contracted for tomatoes will OBJ
tain their price gladly from the can
ner, and those who took a chance will
probably get more than those that
were contracted for. But the law of
averages also shows that the man
who takes a chance never makes as
much money in raising tomatoes as
those who sign contracts. Last sea-
son was an illustration for the man
who didn't sign a contract.
The crop of early apples, which is
gradually closing, was about the equal
of last year. Those who sold apples
early realized a very fancy price.
Those whose apples came later did
not fare so we'll; but according to the
growers the early apple season as a
whole was a fair one. Late apples
will soon be marketable and as prac-
: tically all of the larger growers have
> arranged to have their apples govern
!. ment inspected, they can rest assured
that their fruit will obtain as good
, prices as any offered anywhere.
/ Some of the larger growers want
to try for a market for Delaware ap-
pies abroad. This venture last fall
proved successful and also unsuccess-
full. Early shipments paid well. Lat
er shipments made at a time when a
dock strike begun in Liverpool result
ed in a financial loss. But that was
not due to any lack of demand fol
apples, but because the stevedores die
not handle the apples until they haC
spoiled.
Sweet potato growers throughout
the "sweets" section feel that they
are again going to have a norma
crop this fall. 1t is pretty early t
definitely fix the quantity but ther,
are indications which point to tn,
crop being satisfactory.