Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Potatoes - 1940
From the Bi-State Weekly Friday July 5, 1940
RECENT SURVEY SHOWS INCREASE IN SHORE POTATO SHIPMENTS
Approximately three thousand more car loads of potatoes will be handled over the Delmarva Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad this year than last, it was made known by an official of the company after a survey of the potato crop on the lower Peninsula and after talking with shippers throughout that section. It is estimated that the company will handle 7000 cars this season, compared to 4,182 car loads handled last year.
Already 1514 cars have passed thru the Delmar yard this year which is about 100 more than passed through on the same date last year. All of the digging has been on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, but growers are expecting to begin digging in Maryland the last of this week.
Sunday morning over 350 cars passed through the Delmar yard with potatoes which is the largest single day shipment this season. The peak, when over 600 will be moved through the yard in a single day is expected within the next two weeks the official stated. The yield per acre is averaging 50 to 60 barrels. There is no doubt if there had been rain three weeks ago, the crop would have been the largest ever had in this section. Prices on Saturday were from $2.00 to $2.15 a barrel on U.S. No. 1, which is considered low and many of the shippers are holding back the cars. On Friday night about 150 cars were loaded, but were held on sidings for better prices.
The largest shipping point to date has been Capeville, Virginia, 354 cars having been shipped from that point up to the Saturday movement.
The railroad to handle the movement has added 5 pickup freights which run out of Delmar each afternoon and then brings the cars to the Delmar yard after midnight where they are checked for ventilation by employees of the Fruit Grower Express Company, then the cars handled by pickups which average about 40 cars a train, are combined into trains with 100 or more cars. These trains then proceed straight through to the Edgemoor yard. The railroad to accommodate shippers who are late in loading potatoes during the day have placed a high class freight known as D-122 which leaves Cape Charles early in the morning to pick up these cars so that they will arrive in the market on the same day that the pickup shipments arrive.
The first load of cucumbers passed through the Delmar yard on Friday night under refrigeration. It was loaded at Salisbury and consigned to Cleveland, Ohio.
The Delmar produce block opened Monday morning for cucumbers. Delmar is one of the largest cucumber growing sections on the Peninsula. A few of the farmers began picking cukes last Monday week and sold them to individual buyers at their places of business. The price was $1.70, but on Saturday the price had fallen to 90 cents a hamper. The crop according to the growers will be a bumper crop this season.
RECENT SURVEY SHOWS INCREASE IN SHORE POTATO SHIPMENTS
Approximately three thousand more car loads of potatoes will be handled over the Delmarva Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad this year than last, it was made known by an official of the company after a survey of the potato crop on the lower Peninsula and after talking with shippers throughout that section. It is estimated that the company will handle 7000 cars this season, compared to 4,182 car loads handled last year.
Already 1514 cars have passed thru the Delmar yard this year which is about 100 more than passed through on the same date last year. All of the digging has been on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, but growers are expecting to begin digging in Maryland the last of this week.
Sunday morning over 350 cars passed through the Delmar yard with potatoes which is the largest single day shipment this season. The peak, when over 600 will be moved through the yard in a single day is expected within the next two weeks the official stated. The yield per acre is averaging 50 to 60 barrels. There is no doubt if there had been rain three weeks ago, the crop would have been the largest ever had in this section. Prices on Saturday were from $2.00 to $2.15 a barrel on U.S. No. 1, which is considered low and many of the shippers are holding back the cars. On Friday night about 150 cars were loaded, but were held on sidings for better prices.
The largest shipping point to date has been Capeville, Virginia, 354 cars having been shipped from that point up to the Saturday movement.
The railroad to handle the movement has added 5 pickup freights which run out of Delmar each afternoon and then brings the cars to the Delmar yard after midnight where they are checked for ventilation by employees of the Fruit Grower Express Company, then the cars handled by pickups which average about 40 cars a train, are combined into trains with 100 or more cars. These trains then proceed straight through to the Edgemoor yard. The railroad to accommodate shippers who are late in loading potatoes during the day have placed a high class freight known as D-122 which leaves Cape Charles early in the morning to pick up these cars so that they will arrive in the market on the same day that the pickup shipments arrive.
The first load of cucumbers passed through the Delmar yard on Friday night under refrigeration. It was loaded at Salisbury and consigned to Cleveland, Ohio.
The Delmar produce block opened Monday morning for cucumbers. Delmar is one of the largest cucumber growing sections on the Peninsula. A few of the farmers began picking cukes last Monday week and sold them to individual buyers at their places of business. The price was $1.70, but on Saturday the price had fallen to 90 cents a hamper. The crop according to the growers will be a bumper crop this season.
# posted by Howard @ 9:30 AM 
