Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-08-08

The Peninsula OF tnlrLeen counties, lying pe-
tween the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic
Ocean and Delaware Bay, though through the
Legislative enactments of a past age 1t is under
the Jurisdiction of three State governments is in
climate population, identity Of interests and &C.
ographica position, practically one State, and as
such it bears no mean rank amongst the States
which compose our National Union. In area IL
is almost equal to New Jersey or Vermont, and
is considerably larger than Connecticut.
In 1860 it contained population of 264,s54,
and this population has since that time been
greatly increased by immigration 1t contained at
that time In farms 1882 acres of improved
lands, and 1,lla,75s acres of unimproyed lands,
valued at s72,O19,90s. This sum exceeded the
value in 1860 of the land in farms In the States of
Connecticut. Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, New
| Hampshire Oregon and others, and almost
equalled Maine and Texas. In area of Improved
lands 1t exceeded oil the above named States
except New Hampshire and almost equaled New
Jersey, which then had ,a44, 445 acres, while this
Peninsula had, MS above stated, 1879, 232 acres.
OF land in farms, improved and unimprovcd, the
Peninsula had 2,79s,a9O acres, being considerably
in excess of the number of acres of similar land
in Connecticut. Kapsaa, and Oregon, and here
also approaching New jersey, which then had in
farms 1888, 4I5 acres.
The above statistics which we give for the pur-
pose of comparison are compiled from the GEN.
sus of 1860. At present the comparison with the
Eastern States would be more favorable for the
Peninsula iu regard to population, and value and
extent of improved lands, than it was in 1860.
and with the WeGtern States probably less so.
| In our calculations we took one third the area,
population, &C., of Cecil county, making the
Elk River the dividing line, though really the
susquehanna is the natural dividing line.
| The counties of the Peninsula are New Castle,
Kent and Sussex, Of Delaware, part of Cecil,
Kent, Queen Anne's. Caroline, Talbot, Dorches-
| ter, Somerset and Worcester, in Maryland, and
Accoman and Northampton, in Virginia. We do
not suppose there is another portion of the Uni
ted States OF the same size with an equal amount
of coast, an equal number of harbers or greater
aggregate length of rivers And these rivers are
not, as many suppose, shallow and trifing ones;
they are not very long, but are generally deep
and navgable for good sized vessels and steamers
The Sassafias, the Chester, the Choptank, the
Nanticoke, the Wicomico and the Pocomoke all
employing into the Chesapeake are all large nayi-
gable streams and with the Indian river which
empties into the Rchoboth bay, on the Atlantic
coast, present as beautiful scenery as the eye of
man can dwell upon.
The soil Of the Peninsula is naturally good It
is sandy soil with clay subsoil, and In the
hands Of an intelligent farmer is almost like clay
in the hands OF the potter-can be put to almost
any use. Much of it is considerably worn out
and needs proper cultivation and manure but
nearly all of 1t Is naturally good and easily be
made good and devoted to that most pleasant of
all agricultural pursuits-thc very poetry of Ag-
riculture-fruit raising. Nor are the two lower
, counties Of the Peninsula behind the others in
J natural advantages.
, The timber Is mostly Of pine though other va.
ricties are found, and the much-talked-of and
somewhat dreaded Cypress Swamp is nothing
more nor less than forest of cypress and cedar
inviting the axe of the woodman. Great quanti-
ties of cypress also lay buried, some of it lying
PROSTATE under The roots of immense living trees,
and many Of these trees are dug up and found to
be perfectly sound, and are cut up into shingles.
In addition to all these natural advantages, and
the ease Of access by water for Its products to
the markets Of all the great Cities the whole Pc
ninsula is, almost as If by magic, being covered
with NOT work Of railroads. of uliei, tho Dala.
ware road is the main stem which doubles its IA
cilites for intercourse with the outside world and
is rapidly pouring into it healthy and inyigorat-
ing stream of Northern emigration.
Some day, but when or how IL is just now hard
to sec, the inhabitants of this Peninsula will be.
gin to appreciate the identity of their interests
prejudice will give way before common sens,
and natural laws, and the whole will be formet
!, into single State