Smyrna times., 1858-06-17
Delaware as a Farming State.

Delaware as Farming State.
In respect to climate and location, the State
of Delaware has unrivalled advantages in the
way of Agriculture. In connection with this
the soil is we'll adapted to the growth of nearly
all the products commonto the temperate zone
A better climate could not be desired Midway
between the burning plains of the south and
the frozen regions of the north-the thermome-
ter rarely getting lower than 10 degrees above
zero, while the summers are very little warmer
than In the northern States-all the cereals and
more delicious fruits flourish in profusion. In
the north and west, owing to the shortness of
the season, the closest application to teamwork
is required, while the stock has to be fed SO
long that it eats up the profits. There, the
land is cold, stiff and backward; here, light,
warm, early, and the fecundity of the season is
constantly at work for the farmer, and the CHI
mate and season do as much for him in one
year as at many other places in two. Wheat
and grass may not be so prolific as in Pennsyl-
vania and New York, though they are staple
crops, particularly the former. There has been
mistaken notion in regard to grass, the pre-
valling idea being that the soil was not stiff
enough for it but this idea is fast being dis
PEELED, as this crop is found to be on wel-cul-
tivated land one of the most profitable crops.
AS an evidence of this, we may state that
gentleman near Smyrna estimates his crop
of timothy hay at 50 tons, on 40 acres. In the
winter season, this hay usually sells at SIG and
=
staple.-while oats commands considerable at
tention and is valuable product. In regard
TO fruits and vegetables, Delaware is bound to
take the lead, or at least be strong competitor
of New Jersey. We are already becoming
celebrated for our peaches, and must become
more so. The number of trees set out the last
fall and spring, may be counted in almost every
locality by tens Of thousands. The cultivation
OF dwarf-pears, apricots, strawberries, and even
grapes, for wine-making, is receiving much at
tention recently. Being within few hours
ride of Philadelphia, by the Delaware railroad,
many articles that have been produced here for
home-consumptlen merely, are opened 10 a
large and profitable market, the supply of which
will not much longer be monopolized by New
Jessey. We refer to blackberries, early pota-
toes. huckleberries, turnips, and various other
vegetables and fruits. gentleman residing
near Camden has five acres of summer turnips,
the mRse forward of which are now ready for
market. From these five acres, he is confident
of realizing from three TO five hundred dollars.
Our facilities for market are unequaled by
any other State in the Union. Lying near the
commercial centres of our country,-Phladcl-
phia, Baltimore and New York. ready mar
ket for all her products is ever open. The noble
Delaware Bay extending along her entire east
ern side, penetrated every few miles by nume-
rous nAvigable creeks, with the Delaware rail-
road running through the centre of the State,
TO say nothing OF the canal and railroad in
tersecling the upper part, and the Lewes road
now bailding,--she possesses great facilities for
cheap and quick transportation; SO that, for
bulky, heavy or perishable articles, she has
superior advantages of markets.
In the aggregate crops of wheat, rye, oats,
corn, potatoes, barley and buckwheat,--if the
amount of each State is taken, and averaged
among the whole number Of acres in each State,
she is ahead of the Boosting State of Penn
sylvania, its average being two and forty one.
hundredths bushels per acre, while for Delaware
it is three and thirty-sir One-hundredths per
acre. I" Her soil,' it has been well said, in
comparing it with that of neighbering State,
"is easier titled, equally productive, less liable
to suffer from sudden changes of wet and dry,
IL,
the growth of early fruits and vegetables, and
ripens them sooner for market"
Under these circumstances, when il is pos
sble to buy land in our State, where nearly
every square foot of soil can be made produc
tive, it must sooner or later attract the atten
ton Of enterprising farmers abroad, and be t
them field of labor highly rcmunerative.