Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-08-19
MORE ABOUT PEACHES.
Another Rambls among the Peach Growers.
How the Growers are victimized !!

How the Growers are Victimized
Thomas Landing on the Appoquini-
mink.
My former letter from the land of peaches
in New Castle County, might properly be
considered the commencement of brief
notice of few of the peach farms laying
along the " Appoquinimink" in the neigh
borhood of Odessa. In making up the gen
eral estimates OF the crop in the State, little,
if anything has been said Of the vast number |
of baskets of peaches which are being ship |
ped by water from the various landings on |
the small tributaries Of the Delaware Bay. |
There is no doubt, that in addition to the
2,O0O,O 900 of baskets shipped by Railroad in
the State another million will be shipped by
water from Delaware City, Port Penn, the
landings on the Appoquinimink, Blackbird,
and Smyrna Greeks, and Port Mahon.
Some idea may be formed of the vast
amount of peaches shipped by water, by a
general detail Of the results Of a short visit
by your Rambling" correspondent to
Thomas Landing, on the Appoquinimink
Creek about three miles in an easterly direc-
ton from the town of Odessa, where, at the
close of my last letter was standing upon
high bluff Of the creek looking at the deep
red tinged orchards on the opposite shore
Leaving the Delaware Railroad at Middle
town was soon on my way to the town of
Odessa passing the fine orchards of Thomas
Merritt, II. N. Willis, Mr.. Aston, Mr.. Vail,
Richard Cochran, William Cochran, and
Captain Samuel Pennington. These gentle
men will ship, none of them lower than 5000
baskets, while several of them will ship as
high as $4,000, all by the Del r. r. Captain
Penningtons four year old orchard is very
productive, but he has been the victim of a
mistake by the nursery-man who furnished
him with 500 more " Troths" than was or
dercd, instead of that number of Early
Yorks." These mistakes by nurserymen
cause very great inconvenience if not a
real injury 10 the peach grower. Peach
growing has been reduced to such perfect
system that the least mistake by the nursery
, men in the selection of trees may and often
does cause the loss of thousands of dollars
to the grower. The different varieties Of
peaches commencing with "Hales Early
! followed by the "TrSth' " Early York and
P others all follow each other about a weel
). apart, thus allowing the grower to make hi
y calculations as to the amount of force neces
= sary to market his crop as each variety be
h comes ripe, so that when through the mex
!, eusable carelessness of the person who fur
it nishes trees, larger number is furnished O
les certain variety than is ordered, and cor
Ie responding reduction of the next variet
IL succeeding, some idea may be formed of til
# inconvenience and loss thus occasioned to th
T. grower. While passing through Odessa W
u u called upon gentleman who is one of til
or veteran peach growers of New Castle County
and were informed by him that $1,000
~, would not replace the loss on three of Ii
oe farms alone by the careessness of the Nui
IS. scryman in the selection Of his trees TIL
IL mistake of 500 trees on each of his thrt
ed farms he thinks is little too systematic
pt be accidental and as a consequence the col
hg tidence of the growers in the nurserymen
~ considerably diminished and Raise yol
Ms own trees" is now u popular motto among
ed them.
IA Feeling that this was question of Wit
gs Importance to peach growers, we have take
iht the liberty to digress Il little from our orig
Hg nal intention and speak OF an evil which |
ne doubt exists in every community OF peac
nd growers on the Peninsula.
at A walk over one Of the most delightful
les shaded causeways in New Castle Count
brings us into a neighborhood which Il
Yer pears TO be By nature peculiarly adapted
,,hhs the growing of peaches. A labyrinth of q
lei chards surround us on every hand, the We
eat atmosphere is impregDated with the Ii
the cious aroma Of the peach.
The roads leading to Thomas Land
us, are full peach wagons all the time goi
any and returning hitched to horses and mu
~, ~, continually under the lash to hurry the or
'na' into market, for n day too late with t
al peach is equivalent to a total loss. As
dye draw near the land ng the welcome sound
los thunder is heard, away to the north II
VIC the dark rising cloud portends
w. near approach OF copious n
~ H. so much needed, so much wished for. i
,",y Landing is at length reached, yes, here il
the place from where over 400, 900 bask
sent of peaches will be shipped. Excuse me fro
u ~ the task of enumeiaiing the Number of
and tells, stores, public buildings or even the p
No., 10, ulation of such an important place. w
,lac. gentle readers, there is nothing of the X
,tci- 'here, no, am mistaken, thcrc Is ore "
for ment house away off there on rise of
and ground, this is the only dwelling near
$ BY place but there are four temporary BIO
le to buildings with platform extending ou
In, Inc the edge of the Appoquinimink Creek VIII
i ,er forms the landing alongside of which
hali schooner and three barges are in proc
ri.t- of being loaded for market. These scho
their ers and barges are each capable Of carry
wide from five to seven thousands baskets
ielve peaches and are chartered by the grow
wy ior the season the vessels and barges
~ So ~ taken out of the creek and on to Phla
ent. phia by three propelers, the running
which is so systematizcd and timed III
s the propeller, three barges and a schooner
that be at the landing at the same time, the 81
~ 10 number at the wharves in Philadelphia
WIKI the same number on the way between
,nicd two places. Those who are familiar
We the hurry and hustle attendant upon the
buck, rival and departure Of steamboats, hea
keeps laden with freight may form some ldc
ylisis the hurry in loading these vessels with
main a nnrishahla article as nnoches A IL,
. .cuig, men is formed from the houses TO the W
and the basket pitched from one to the o
until il is safely deposited in the hold q
the deck OF the vessel We here found
ent to Joseph W. Vandegrift OF Legislative IN,
Getting ry, and who, be it said TO his credit, hat
nj M, manliness to vote asainst what is now
,h.ao known as the Infamous btate tau
- ~. helm company with his brother william
y, " Vandegritt occupy peach house, they
7oaS = amongst the large peach growers OF
large State, the former having 900 trees in
other ing from which he will ship 10000
nrgcy cts exclusive of 5000 which he will
low in from Smyrna Creek Landing his bro
minis. William NJ, who we regret 10 say is
IN ~. seriously i'll at the White sulphur Sprln
Virginia; has from Is to 10000 trees
which he will ship about 10000 basket
l, i The next peach house is occupied
, a. tna, Mrs. Lydia Thomas and +. T Perry.
MI he Thomas has "A farm Of about 500 acres
Hae's Of the most productive in the State, HI
either chard in the quantity and quality o
lscous peaches is hard to excel. She has
II must trees which will produce $4,000 bal
' pelns The Landing Is on her farm.
r,,i,,, Mr.. Perry on an adjoining farm has
a close trees which will produce $1,000 basket
3 ship Peach house No 3 is occupied by 81
es shall | Fcnnimorp and Thomas Willis WIN