Smyrna times., 1869-02-17
.MiSceIIN ~ e us.
A Northerner's Opinion of Delaware.


A gentleman named Redfeld, Northerner
now living at Bridgeville, has written the fol-
lowing sensible letter to the Rural NeSo York;
er, prominent agricultural paper
| have concluded, with your permission, to
give my experience and observations since |
first settled here, in this State. Somewhat
over four years ago, l left Brooklyn, N. Y, in
search of a home for myself and family. After
looking and searching in many parts of our
country, decided to settle in Sussex county,
Delaware for the following reasons:
First, | could get better land for less money,
than at any other accessible point so near the
markets Second, it is as healthy place as
any know of and was born and lived among
the hills of Connecticut for twenty years, where
it is supposed to be as healthy as any place can
be. Third, L could grow fruits, vegetables and
the like, and get them in the markets from ten
days to two weeks earlier than from New Jer-
sey, and thereby get the highest price for them.
For the above reasons | decided to settle here,
and now, after living here over four years,
might add many more why | should stay here,
and why others, situated as very many North
and East are, should also come and settle here.
Sussex couty is about as far south as one can
go for the purpose of growing all the small
fruits, and get them into the Philadelphia and
New York markets fresh and in good order
Here we can gather our berries and vegetables
timore, Wilmington, Philadelphia or New York
markets, as we may prefer. Fresh and in
order, they sell for the best price.
| The Delaware Railroad Company is doing
very much to encourage new settlers 1t de-
ducts one third from the regular rates of fare
and freight for one year to all new settlers:
and so far as my experience goes, | have ever
| found it ready to accommodate the public to
| the best of its ability We have oysters and
| fish in abundance The price of oysters ranges
from twenty-five to fifty cents per bushel.
Our schools are pretty good, so far as they go;
but the best we can do at present in Sussex
county is to give a good common education.
The old settlers are as good and kind hearted
people as any one need to live among. Most
of their ways seem odd and strange to new COM
ers; and yet, after one has been here a very
little WHILE he will be very likely to adopt some
of them.
OF the wild blackberries, whortleberries and
plums there are thousands of bushels shipped
annually from this station alone.
Peaches are the great fruit crop of this State,
eight car loads having been shipped in a single
day from this station, or about 900 baskets.
Most farms have from five hundred to 5000
trees and some have from 1000 to 40, 600. But
few Of the large orchards are yet in bearing
Those who sell their peaches to the spectators
generally get when there is full crop, about
fifty cents per basket, or one dollar per bushel,
delivered at the station. This season the crop
; was light, and they got from two dollars and
fifty cents to five dollars per bushsl From one
! hundred to one hundred and seventy trees is
the number generally put on an acre, or from
, sixteen to twenty feet apart each way. The
trees usually begin to fruit in three years after
setting, and at five or six years they will, with
good care, produce from one to two bushels per
tree.
E OF the cultivated small fruits, but little or
nothing was done in the way of growing them
for market until three years ago, when some of
: the new corners made start In the way of put
+ ting out strawberries. We had to get our plants
IS from the North, and not knowing what kind
J. would do best we got about :.all kinds, mostly
of the worthless sort, and put them out in al
ways, and yet they have paid us WELL COulC
u we have known at the start what kinds to plant
K and the way to do it, we should have done bet
= ter. With my experience in the matter,
e could only recommend to those about to pu
e out strawberries in this country the Agricultur
n ist, Wilson's Albany and Triomphe de Gand
Of plant early in the spring in rows two and hal
t feet apart, and one foot in the row, cultivate
& thoroughly; keep off the runners and if you
le land is rich, you may count on getting from
n, 1000 to 1000 quarts per acre, which will SCI
at the average price Of rs cents perquart in NeV
r York.
&c &c Of raspberries, but little has yet been don
:, in the way Of planting. What few were ship
:" ped last season from here sold for seventy-fv
Re cents per quart in Philadelphia market. The
to are of the Philadelphia variety.
IS OF backberries, but few as yet have bee
W planted. Owing to the great quantity of viii
ones, many have not thought it worth while t
oil cultivate this fruit; but there is no doubt tha
ht' the Wilson's Early, planted here, will pay g
we'll as any small fruit grown, from the fat
mt that they are out of the way before Hale Ea
rks ly peaches are ready for the market Pea
in in grapes, early apples, cherries, ounces and hoI
have been planted, and so far promise to
lief well.
%S af And now let me put light on the rock tn;
me- some split upon in coming to Delaware, or II
sGt that matter in settling in any other place
en- They start expecting to find heaven on cart
md thinking that they know it all and no one els
lS lee, anything. With but little money they buy
or- large tract of land running in debt for the mo
of it, and with their hands in their pockets e
rre, rss, pect to live nabobs.
ger Who can succeed with such ideas in the
'N heads in any place? To all such we say, ST.
rt where you are; you will be no nearer heav'
Two in Delaware than elswhere; but to those tn
am, aIa have brains, some capital and are willing
two work, we say there is room enough In Del
nty ware. You shall be welcome. Buy but lit
'ebS land keep as near out of debt as possible-t
and nearer the better-and the road to peace a.
fee, prosperity will be easily found.
1850 ELEVATED RAILwAY.-A charter has be
l