Smyrna times., 1931-09-09
FREE PEACHES Bn|DGEY|lLE
RESENTED BY KENT GROWERS
DECLARE GIVING AWAY OF
FRUIT DESTROYED MARKET
Two Committees Appointed to In
vestigate Motives of BridgevilIe
OrchardiSts-Fear Precedent

The action of the BridgeviIle
peach growers in giving away 40,-
600 or more bushels of peaches as
noted in the last issue of the Times
has incensed some fruit growers in
Kent and some parts of Sussex
county because, they say, this ac-
tion has practically closed what
market there was for the peaches.
Last night at Camden, this State,
two committees were appointed to
probe the motives of the Bridge
vile growers in offering such large
quantities of peaches to the public,
free of charge. The first commit
tee comprises A. G.. Coverdale,
Herbert Richardson, and A. B.
Thomas and was appointed at the
meeting of the F'ruitland Grange
in the Grange Hall in Camden.
There was no discussion of the
question at the meeting as the
Grangers decided they would re-
serve such discussion until thor
ough Investigation of the question
has been made. While the Grange
was meeting in the upper floor of
the hall, a group of about 35 or 40
fruit growers of Kent County, not
affiliated with the Grange, met on
the first floor of the hall and dis
cussed the question. They too
named a committe comprising A
L. Soper, Frank w. Richardson
and Leo Scanlon who were direct
ed to find just why the Bridgeville
growers acted as they did. They
said that they did not approve OF
the precedent set by such an ac-
ton and that they did not want the
public to think that should there
be a bumper crop again next year
that a similar offer of free peaches
would Of necessity follow. Each
committee will work Independently
of the other but each will interview
the growers who gave away peach
es and report back on their find
ings. When these reports are com
pleted, whatever action, if any, i
taken, will be announced.
How Free Peach Offer Worked
The Kent county growers con
tend that the action of the Bridge
vile group has practically demor-
allied the peach market in Kent
county. One Kent grower in dis
cussing the situation said: The
peach crop in the Bridgeville dis
trict comes on a little ahead of us
they being further south. Wher
! the announcement was made or
H Saturday that they would give
n peaches away the growers in thai
district had made their first pick
ing and our first picking was just
coming on. To get something out
of our crop many of US were sell
ing to the road side markets anC
to those who came direct to oul
orchards. We were getting p tc
80 cents a basket and this woulC
have been a big help in reducing
expenses. Many of the roadside
markets were caught with as many
as 800 baskets of peaches that they
could not get rid of on Sunday be
cause Of the announcement of fret
peaches at Bridgeville. Since tha
time there has been practically NJ
market for peaches at any price a.
most everyone coming to Ken
county expects to get free peach
es."
Claim Thousands of Dollars Loss
The Kent growers claim that tn
situation has resulted in a loss O
thousands of dollars to them. The.
resent the fact they say, that
member of the State Board of Ag
riculture should have had any
thing to do with bringing abou
this result. The meeting at Cam
den Monday night promises to b.
largely attended.