Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-05-02

fhACh PARTICULARS FROM fOhT fENNs-
LARGE oRCHARDS-A sIiGHT REVIEW
OF THE PEACH COUNTRY IN THAT
NEIGHBoRuooD.
special correspondence of the Gazette.
PoRr PENN. DEL. May l. 1874.
This place, on the river shore.about seven
miles below Delaware City, is well dnown
as the principal shipping point on the Del
aware River. of peaches. In fact, with the
exception OF st. Augustine. mile below, 1t
is the only point from which they are ship |
ped In any considerable quantities. Should
any one desire to SEQ peaches growing IN
magnificent quality and quantity he should
make trip to this village about the middle
OF August, the time OF the picking OF the
Early Gorks and Early Crawford varieties.
think aride from Port Penn for twenty
miles through the peach growing section of
this couRtry during the coming Summer,
when there will be u full crop OF peaches,
would prove OF unusual interest. Even now
Ii we'll repays one tor the time anu Expense
of tax ing II.
Only half a mile out OF town commences
the ii ne orchard OF Dr David Stewart which
contains 1000 trees, and stretcEe es along
the public road ior II distance OF nearly a
mile. This orchard has borne continuous
ly since first coming to maturity, some
seven years since, which Is something very
unusual for peach orchard. As gem
era rule they bear every other year. 1t Is
| situated within half a mile OF tho Delaware
Bay, aud Is bounded Oh tho south by tho
| water. which at every tide for three or tour
hours covers st. Augustine Marsh. 1t Is
| supposed that the climatic influence OF the
tide water aids in protecting tho buds
from the weakening influence OF overbear-
ing. This orchard Is capable OF propucing
81. 900 baskets, but will probably yield only
| about 25, 900 hask cts this year. Adjoining
| Is the orchard of Mr.. Thomas i. Dilworth,
| which contains 1000 trees in bearing, and
L ta tlNeH hAsa ltl
| orchard two years ago. and not then having
| Its full growth, yielded about ,O0O baskets
| and some varieties yielded fully eight bag
| kets TO the tree, or 100 baskets to the acre.
This orchard Is capable OF producing 10000
bes S;s and doubtless will yield this year
fully 10000. The owner Is preparing to
plant another orchard OF 900 trees. On the
| farm OF Mr.. Jos. Cieaver there IL another
orchard OF u. 900 trees. In excellent coudi-
tion, and they will probably yield 25 600
| baskets. Adjoining Mr.. Clesver's farm is
that OF Mr.. McMullen, on which Is very
| beautiful small orchard Of .OOO trees, which
| will dou btiess yield {, 200 baskets. A short
distance above Mr.. McMullen's farm, and
also adjoining that OF Mr.. Cleaver, is large
farm belonging to Mr.. A. j. Vandegritt,
containing an orchard OF upward oil s,oOO
trees, which will probably yield 80 600 bas-
kets. Adjoining Mr. Vandegriit's farm is
that of MIR. Thos. +. Craven, upon which Is
lYrewing vigorous young orchard OF 1900
trees, just in Its prime, which may be sale
ly calculated on for n yield OF 30, ,OU bas k cts.
This farm lies upon either side OF the State
road. and adjoining II is the farm OF MI
Jas. NJ. Vandegrift, which also is largely
planted in peaches. aud iroIu when proba-
| oily 900 baskets may be shipped. Just
| OH the State road can be seen the two line
farms Of Mrs. Mifiin, in which are large or
chards in good condition, containing 5000
trees, from which a crop OF $4,000 or 10000
baske of peaches may be expected. These
| orchards all are situated either along or
within sight OF the public road leading from
Port Penn to Boyd's Corner, a distance oi
three aud "a halt miles In this short drive,
| Iand We have not reached the peach coun-
try YETI we have passed through section
2 OF country upon which ATE growing peach
orchards numerous and large enough tC
yield 250, 600 bask cts OF peaches, and which
will probably produce l60, 900 baskets this
! year.
From Boyd's Corner We pass along tht
State road until we reach within few hun
dred yards OF McDonough. the house o
Commodore McDonough. the hero of Lake
Champlain. A part OF the estate belongl NJ
to the McDonough's, and which had beer
in their possession tor century or more
has become pait Of the estate OF Mr.. )
Shallcross, the peach King OF Delaware
Through that land passes the road known
~ the Mill road, which We took, after leav
: : ing the State road in order to pass through
! Mr.. Shsllcross' orchards. MIR. Shsllcross
has made a special effort to have bis or
chards on the public road as much as possi
Bile, so that, while he is tundoubtedly y the
. peach king, II extent OF orchards and
amount of production entitle. him TO tina
title, his orchards look more extensive than
/, they really are.
: His original estate was upward OF l,0Ot
: acres and commenced at the old mill, and
for distance OF upward of five miles his
lands lay along public road. and some
times on either side. Wherever lie ha.
lowned lands on the road he has planted il
in peaches and consequently his grain
farming operations are never in view OF the
public. His farm is about the centre of the
n great peach country. and he has in planting
Il an immense orchard OF about l2O. 900 trees
5 l. OF this vast quantity he has in bearing per
. haps 70 900 trees. These trees are capabl,
y OF Yielding, should they each bear, which i,
= very common thing TOR peach trees to do
o five baskets per tree, 100000 bask ets. Bu
0 IL Is q singular fact that while small orchsrl
0 OF 900 trees aud less will sometimes aver
| age I've baskets to the tree, large orchard.
! have never been made to produce anyihinl
spproaching that quantity. And 1t is high
. ly improble that MIR. Shsllcruss will be aDl,
! to gather 900; 200 baskets OF peaches from
his orchards.
In my next will endesyor to give yoI
J sone idea OF the labor and cost OF gathering
and shipping The above quantity OF peaches
| to market. j. ID,