New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-04-17
DEIAWAR T..
The Delaware Peninsula and its ProdHets-
PecuIiuriiies OF the Soil Manufacturing
Waterpower-The Peach Cniture-Au Invit-
ing Field for the Agricultnrist-The Sweet


Potato.
Correspondence Of The n. Y. Tribune.
MILFORD Del, April T. 1865.
might date this letter anywhere in circuit Of 20 miles;
having within the few last days "rampaged over that
much of this delightful regionfrom Dover in The center
of the State to within sight Of the breakwater at Cape
Henlopen. You know what pleasant experience II IA
when one gets out OF the Lermetcay-seaed house Oh
Winter and stands at the doors OF Spring in the genial ana
soft airs that announce the season OF growth. heathi
and renovaing fragrance from the earth as soon a.
il is liberated from the crust Of Frost more dclectabls
than the fragrance of flowers. For a month past the
farmers have been Flowing here and the abors OF the
field are fairly established while yet our Northern nye
are scarcely unbound from ice and the Rightly OF Winter
still rules everywhere above this latitude Abou, six weeks
earlier in the Spring. and the same time OK prolonged
exemption from frost in the Autumn, gives labor season
full three months longer than is enjoyed in New-York and
-Engand-a Of nine months from The beginning
Of March 10 the end Of November Add TO this the easef
cultivation Of the soil, and have no doubt that the
economy Of farming in the Delaware peninsula Is f one
third greater than il the northern country east Of Ohio.
SOIL AND PRODUCTS OF DELAWARE.
There are no rocks and stones below Newcastle County
There are no hills and consequently streams liable to
freshes and gulcs in the land Nearly every 1907 OF
is available for planting The surface Is gently rolling and
the roads so smooth that transport by spring wagons easy
and raud The soil Is generally sandy loan with SUD-
soil OF yellow clay Shallow blowing has exhausted tha
where deep iuuoW only would give fair crop II Is nos
many years since OF the poorer people N Lower Dea
ware used plows with wooden share so igAt ana easiy
turned much Of this soil yet II Is very productive Win
usral addition Of ferizng anufes The ghtness Of II
is highly favorable certain cultures such as sweet pota'
toes the peach strawberry and fruits generally Inc ram
penetraes il and the cabed beneath ard nor.
a. from billy grounds carried off by the surface to MI u
the streams and to gues. But there Is 10 lack Oh
springs and water basins in the peninsula.
There are more mill-dams than have seen IN much
travel through most of the Northern States, giving gen.
orally an excellent undersho power 70 the common whec
and good efficiency 10 the turbine have seen the two
united al Milton twelve miles south Of this where there
is large power yet unused No maps OF the State nfy
represent the surface TO the sources OF moisture wnes
are abundant and lasting ia the shape Of lakes IL many
there are swamps rather UNFRAMED forests WHICH
little digging and banking would convert into the moss
fertile grounds ii cleared The great cypress SWAMP, y
the Southern part OF the state has been paay utanea
by canal and yields of corn 100 bushels 10 the acre lhs
aluyal Deposit of Baltimore Hundred in Sussex County,
Is said 10 be several feet in DEPTH and 70 produce
isbin- crons In Talbot County on the Maryland shore
Of the peninsula So bushels OF wheat TO he acre axs
the farmer content. The extensive growth ol ca
on every side sweeps down on the railroad SLOWS
that the soil is like Lucy's crade-rockins good ana
strong" But l Will nov give yoq some account OF ms
particular products of the peninsula.
The Peach is the great culture. No tract in the country,
for soil and culture equals this The people have taSeu
OF the adage, Pant trees and they vii grow whis
You sleep There were probably four millions OF
trees Young and Old in the peninsula, IN 1851,
when Delaware sent to market near one million
OF baskets 100000 bushels OF The luscious fruit.
The MARYLAND counties near the line Of the railroad
nav have contributed to these figures but the west side Of
the peninsula has not one ITohose Ia H. anu the culture
there large though there are number OF exten'
sve orchards near the Chesapeake Bay aud along the navs
gable streams pouring into H. Every year. new orchards
into bearing. With good care the peacA tIee w
bear well for years when IL Is cheaper 70 look aes
new planting than 10 spend more labor upon thein lave
seen trees in Delaware - years old III OleaDe bearing
To Judge the general appearance OF the orchards 10
the growing season. neither tree fruit Is subject TO any
disease When the leaves Of tree curl and shrie wig
"the yelows is Immediately dug up and burned, and
.a1 fha 1cpasp il ken
The mischieyous called the "borer betrays him
self BY gum issuing from the stock at the surface OF tbs
ground and he can easily be dug out from the bark wtg
little injury TO the tree. one OF the most eApeneheea
growers In Delaware puts the bearing o. the peach
from five six baskets for Oyears basket BENG
halt bushe The most approved planning Is iV trees 10
the acre which will give Cos baskets 300 bushels OF an
na product This year, the crop viii be small II the up
ur county OF the state better III Kent the middle county,
and better still Sussex but at large II Is not sale "a
count on than half crop This, however, Wi. %
partly compensated BY the greater size OF the rG making
more than half the measure. As rule the greater ths
number of peaches tree the smaller Their SIZE IN certa9
limits Last Autumn and this Spring will add loVoOood
trees to the orchards of Delaware All the near nurseries
If grated fruit have been exhausted OF their most desirable
Kinds and some growers have sent Ohio and Central
New-York for stock. can easily believe what they
tell me here that three years hence Delaware VIII sehu 70
market 900 baskets Of the fruit The Only diicuy
AZ present the transports the one railroad running down
the being inadequate to bring Oh onehiEd OF tns
In 1861 at the hight of the season, carried 10 Phila
delphia and New York 80 carloads dar-i2,0 baskets
and has nnce been obliged 10 pay damages for wDal ~
could not bring IL is said that near lOOOO basxed
were lost by ROT at the station platforms that season IL
now expected that outlet by sea will soon be prcvidee
for the products the peninsula which, OF al knds reach
many millions OF bushels annually. The Junction and
Delaware Breakwatcr Railroad is likely TO be built ING
present year. and pier at Lewes will give the required
facility for shipping TO NeyNork which Is but 1! houu
distant by steamer.
Sweet Potatoes are a big thing in lower Delawae.
The sandiest soil is chosen for their planting because Of
its warmth This vegetable Yields from two hundred anc
ff,v TO three hundred bushels 10 the acre Sussex County
alone could As well raise for the Newly ork maAot
million of bushels year, and mako IL, ior we
al dear luxury as II now But the sweet potato Is not
IA . here for the market az ALL IL - one OF those Vege.
tables of which the freight eats up all the Ronl soiu
here last Summer az Al barrel, while the tsoIe
nriee in New-York 81 a barrel Only -
consumed BY the railroads and the forestallinf
GUeksters The cost OF transportation ought not
TO be above 81 barrel by rail, at the highest
and would not be- If there were rail- trans
port adequate TO carry the products That IS fne
difficulty and the cause why the sweet poiao Is nos
raised in lower Delaware by the million Of bushels:
pershable article, and cannot like corn ana gram wall
for convenient carriage Aud that is the reason why
Delaware does not many other vegetables lot Whcn
the people in our Northern cities are amishhg As soon
as the sea transport to which have referred Is established
the cultures of and grain will be abandoned or thAs
moro profitable business of raising vegetables: r..
Two curious facts are told about the Sweet fotso.
Il improves in quality BIZ continued planting IN me ans
ground farmer near LeWes has used the sane ne. -
n through 20 successive years and assured Ic IT,
goth gave him the best product ~ quality aa 1rs;y.
The other fact was related 20 me BY yselah 80
practice who has observed that as sooh o. arS
potato comes IN, bilious affections "'o
gradually disappear. =. ... ,n,o,.
ind that mus. put OF for another paper s0ne H'
c5...- l. LivseS~s