The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-07-05
THE PEACH CROP.

EAl of fASll SUl1l IN DELLA W ahh
HOW THE GROWERS ARE sWINDLED BY
"sHYsTER PURCHASERS.
BRIDGEvILLE Sussex county, Del.
Leaving Port Penn on May Goth,
took a carriage ride through the princi-
pal peach growing section of this county,
passing through some it's finest farms. On
every side were to be seen peach orchards
some just planted and Others of full age for
bearing. 1t is wonderful how entirely the
land is here given up to the cultivation of
the peach, for the orchards give the coun-
try an aspect wholly unlike what is found
in grain-growing districts. The roads pass
through perfect maze of fruit bearing
trees, and the scenery, though somewhat
monotonous, is nevertheless charming.
l learned good deal about the method
of raising peaches. The pits for planting
are selected from the natural fruit-that is,
fruit grown direct from seed. These pits
are buried in October and November, in
thick layers with earth between, and re-
main thus buried until the following spring.
In the month of April, generally, they are
carefully removed from their winter quar-
ters and planted out in drill rows, the
ground having been previously plowed and
thoroughly pulverized. The pits not yet
cracked are allowed to remain in the bed
until the succeeding spring. The pits
shoot up very quickly, and by the budding
season, which is about the middle of Au-
gust, attain height of two to three feet
Budding is in itself regular profession,
and to be successful requires considerable
skill. In budding peach-tres the buds of
the varieties desired should be procured
from the new growth of good, healthy
tree. An incision is made in the bark of
the scion a little above ground, the bud is
inserted, and remains in a torpid state
until the following May, when, having
twig. By the following spring the scions
are fit to be transferred to the peach
grounds, where they are planted in rows
twenty feet apart, and suitably MANFRED.
The trees must be very carefully tended,
and frequently an interval. Of four years
elapses ere crop can be gathered.
When the promise of a crop is certain
the grower arranges his baskets and crates,
erects his culhng- houses, and makes all the
necessary preparations for culling the fruit.
The crop being ripe, is picked by either
men or women, in half bushel baskets,
with the aid of ladder and hook, and
carried by the wagoners to the culling-
houses. Here they are assorted into three
grades, extras, primes and culls. The ex-
tras are those of large size and bright
color; the primes are the middle sized, in
Guiding the badly colored extras; and the
culls are composed of the small fruit
is packed in large road-wagons, capable of
holding 10 baskets at time, and dis
patched to the railroad depot, where the
employees of the grower place them in the
cars, which they lock and seal before deliv-
ering to the railroad company.
The railroad depots during the peach
season, present an appearance of excite
ment and industry, which almost entirely
ulbdppcdl6 dltSl tuC u oho eoeioii VI eAiS
fruit has ceased. Hundred of men can be
seen engaged in the various occupations
attending the shipping of the crop, and
even the VIGOROUSLY idle seem to catch the
fever Of activity, and work with will for
a season at least.
| To give an idea of the quantity of peach
es shipped from this section, it is only
necessary to state that last year over $l75,-
600 in freight were paid by the growers for
the transportation of their fruit to New
York, divided up as follows: $4,000 from
Middletown, $50, 900 from Armstrong, and
sec, 600 from Mount Pleasant. The fruit
on which this freight was paid, filled 49,,
900 baskets, not more than one-tenth of
which, am convinced, will be shipped
this year. This great falling off in this
section, however, will be nearly if not en-
tirely balanced by the immense crops from
the Peninsula this year, the produce from
which last season was very little. Passing
along the main line of railway running
through the Peninsula, one passes sue
cession of flourishing peach orchards, the
condition of which gives ample evidence of
an abundant yield.
The soil in this county is sandy, but the
best land for growing peaches is that which
contains the most clay.
AS rule, only the early varieties of the
peach are planted here, the later varieties,
which grow much smaller than in the upper
parts of the Peninsula, not being able to
compete with the larger growths and fire.
quently not bringing remunerative prices.
Hals's early peaches are the variety ear
liest in the market in any quantity, and
although condemned by New York buyers