Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-10-09
Agricultural Reports from Northern Della
ware.

NEW CASTLE COUNTY CRoPs-THE LOWER END OF
CHEsTER ooUETY-oATTLE AND sHEEP-ExTEN-
sIvE CHANGES IN FARMERS SYSTEMS.
The crops in the upper end of Delaware are
good, and the farmers consider the results of
their seasons labor fairly satisfactory. The
potatoes are now being dug, and the yield is
large. In the Hockessin Valley, the Red Mon !,
itor variety has been extensively planted, an
has produced well. 1t is rotting, somewhat
however. The
CORN YIELD Is AN AVERAGE ONE,
The stalks being large, and the ears fairly filed
1t has now been mostly cut and shocked. few
farmers remark that the grains are not well
grown ont on the end OF the cob, but the crop
is. as stated good one.
The heavy rains in the summer and the CON.
tinued supply of moisture, since, had the effect
OF producing tremendous growth of vegetation,
and the
FALL PASTURES
Are unusually luxurant. The farmers, both in
upper New Castle county, and the lower end of
Chester, have been now buying sheep, extern
sively to feed OF these pastures. Sheep gra-
ztDg is taking the place Of cattle grszing, almost
entirely Chester county used to feed an i'm
mense number OF cattle for beef, every year,
but the competition from the West has broken
down the business almost entirely, 40 that an
intelligent agriculturist informs us that in Ohes-
ter county, there are now probably not 100
eloet5 leu hneioj Ton years aSOJ there Were
1000.
THE SHEEP ARE BROUGHT
From the Interior States-Ohio and Indiana
by railroad. Many farmers are buying ewes,
about two years old, with the intention OF keep
ing them over winter. Their lambs will be drop
ped. early in the spring, and the wool is shear
ed from them, somewhat later, and they will
then be fattened and put into market by Au-
tumn. The lambs can be killed along in the
summer. Their proceeds, with the wool, are
counted on as the profit Of the transaction. the
old sheep usually bringing about their cost, in
this way. Nice ewes bring now about "a, TO $5
a head; wethers to be fed and butchered during
the winter, are quoted at $5 to SO. These prices,
it must be understood are those which the farm
ers are paying to the drovers. There have been
quite number sold at public sale at Kennett
Square, which has become quite q headquarters
for stock auctions and others have been sold at
Red Lion, Kimbleville, and other villages.
Last year, there were some large Kentucky
sheep brought in; but We do not hear Of any,
this season.
SOME CATTLE ARE BEING BOUGHT
For grazing and feeding. Samuel Hopes has
sold two or three droves at Chatham. Some
farmers arc buying very nice steers from West
Virginia, 2 and year old, which will weigh,
alive, 1000 or HOO pounds. The price has been
about cents pound. They propose to keep
them on pasture during the Fall, then Winter
them, pasture again next season, and sell or
kill next Autumn, the growth of the animal max
ing good margin Of profit in this way, Very few
heavy cattle, for Winter fattening on grain, are
being purchased by farmers, 80 far as we can
learn. There is, still.
DEMAND FOR FARM HELP.
Farmers say they are by no means we'll sup
piled with labor, of reliable, steady kind. II
Joseph Arch would come to this section, they
think they could show him the place whore his
English laborers would do most good for al
parties concerned, themselves included.