Smyrna times., 1927-02-02
FRUIT GROWERS PLAN STATE
SURVEY Of UNDESIRABLE CROPS
IDEA BEHIND MOVEMENT is TO
WEED OUT UNPROFTTABLE,CROP
Prominent Fruit Growers and AgricuI-
turists From All Over the State
Met at Dover to Discuss Plan


Following the plan of bringing to
gether the fruit interests of Delaware
and the Eastern Shore of Maryland,
as was suggested at the annual meet
ing of the Peninsula Horticultural So
ciety which met in Dover last Novem-
Der, conference Of representative
fruit growers was held in the office of
Kent County Agent Russell E. Wilson
on Monday, January "a, at the request
Of William M. Dickson, president of
the Delaware Apple Growers Asso-
citation which was formed in the sum
mer Of 1916, but which has been an
inactive organization during the past
ten years.
At previous conference of the of
ficers and members of the executive
committee of this Association which
was held in Dover on January 10,
plans were discussed whereby this or
ganization might be revived and made
to function as it was intended that it
should for the best interests of the
fruit growers in Delaware.
Aside from the cooperative mar
keting features of such an organiza-
ton, several other important matters
pertaining to grading, packing, and
the elimination of non-proftable var
ieties, were brought up for considera-
tion at the meeting on Monday of last
week which was attended by ten COM
mercial fruit growers in addition to
Director C. A. McCue and DIR. C. L.
Benner of the University of Delaware
and Kent County Agent Russell E.
Wilson. The fruit growing industy of
Delaware was represented by w. NJ.
Dickson, Woodside; F. w. Richardson,
H. G. Richardson, and A. Bailey
Thomas of Wyoming; B. B. Chase,
Dover; A. o. Baker, and H. G. Baker
Of Bridgeville, and Leslie Knapp and
i. B. Knapp Of Nassau. The only
fruit grower from
Maryland who was present at this
was Lee Allen of Salisbury
In the course Of the discussion, it
was learned that before any definite
action could be taken toward the pos
sible solution of some of the outstand-
ing problems that are confronting the
Delaware and Maryland fruit growers
today, it will be necessary that a sur
vey be made of each commercial fruit |
section on the Peninsula in an effort |
to determine the number of bearing
and non-bearing apple and peach
trees, and the average production of
both the early and late varieties of
apples as well as of each Of the var
ieties of peaches which are of bearing
age. Information Of this character
will be of great value in the solution |
Of some of the marketing problems,
and will be of special benefit to the |
growers in the event Of another sea !
son of over-production such as was
last year.
The elimination Of undesirable var
ieties of apples and peaches is another
important question which deserves the
serious consideration from every COM
mercial grower, and is one which will
be taken up for further study by the
Delaware Apple Growers Association
under the direction of a special COM
mittee consisting of DR.. c. L. Benner
and Director C. A. McCue of the Uni
versity of Delaware, A. Bailey Thorn
as of Wyoming, and A. o. Baker of |
Bridgeville.
A survey of the commercial grape
growing industry, which has been ex-
panding so rapidly in Kent County |
during the past five years, will be
made by County Agent Russell E.
Wilson, who will secure the acreage,
date of planting, and the variety in
each of the vineyards in the Dover,
and Smyrna districts where |
the grapes are being grown more ex-
than in anyother sections of
the county or state.
Following a general discussion of |
the federal inspection of car lot ship
ments and of all fruit which passes
through the packing houses, it was
voted at the meeting that the Della
ware Apple Growers Association go
on record as favoring a law which
would specify that no apples under
2A inches indiameter be permitted to
be shipped out Of the state in stand
ard packages, and that a committee
consisting Of Henry Ridgely, H. @.
and H. G. Baker, be ap-
pointed to consider the feasibility of |
such a law for Delaware.
The Association also favored the |
adoption Of a Peninsula trade mark |
in addition to the preparation of a
list of fruits that would be eligible |
to come under such a brand distinc- |
tion, but that any standard trade
mark or name should not supersede |
any trade mark or label which has