The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-06-17
REPORT on FRUIT FOR MARY
LAND.
SOCIETY, AND PUBLISHED IN ITS
PROCEEDINGS.
p. BARRY, ESQ, Chairman
General Fruit C0mmittee:

DEAR SIR:-Had the necessary in
formation from experienced fruit grow
ers in our State come earlier into my
possession, this report of the progress
and extent which fruit culture in
MARYLAND has reached would have
been forwarded sooner.
MARYLAND, in her geographical posi-
ton, the fertility of her soil, mildness
and uniformity of climate, embraces
one of the finest fruit growing regions
of our whole country. by this we
refer more particularly to what is
known as our Eastern Shore Counties,
bounded on one side by the Chesapeake
Bay and on the other by part Of the
State of Delaware, where the peach
and pear may be said to have found
their homes. The soil of this Mary
land tract is generally what may be
termed light loan, and therefore
easy to work. 1t is computed that
about sixty thousand acres of this Is
planted in peach trees, and the market
able yield the present year OF this fruit
is estimated at five millions of bushels.
The fruit begins to ripen about the
middle of July, and continues until the
first of October Some of these or
chards are over twenty years old, and
still continue in healthy condition
The stimulants used thus to maintain
the trees are liberal applications of
barn yard manure, or to the extent Of
one thousand pounds of ground bones
to the acre. Sometimes murlate OF
potash and other fertilizers are applied,
while the surface of the ground is kept
open by frequent blowing and harrow
ing during each season; .iudicious prun-
ing and shortening is being consld-
cred essential to the healthy condition
of the orchard The usual remedy for
the peach borer, or worm, is to use the
knife freely and then apply a shovel
full of Stacked lime on the surface in
close contact with the tree Some
seasons the Curculio does great damage
to the fruit TO prevent this no remedy
has vet been found. With regard to
what is called the q Yellows," Il few of
the more intelligent growers attribute
it to the action Of an aphis on the roots,
and is considered by some to be the
Grape Vine PbvlloNera, although some
entomologists call it the Aphis Pers!ca.
These insects, though small, make sad
havoc on the roots, and their presence
underground is made very evident by
the yellow and sickly appearance of
the leaves, and on the few that have
been examined by myself the insects
were found following out and destroy
ing the healthy bark to the extreme
points of the rootlets. Our intelligent
and most extensive peach grower, Col.
Edward Wilkins, Of Kent County, is
now carefully investigating the charac-
ter and habits of this destructive pest,
and from him we expect such informa-
ton as may lead to measures calculated
to put a stop to its ravages. An opIn-
ion prevails almost universally among
our orchardists, that Of late years the
season of ripening Of many kinds has
materially changed. These peaches
which used to ripen late now come in
with earlier varieties, thereby OCCASION
ing frequently a Cutting of the market.
Some attribute the cause to an lndls-
criminate use of seed for stocks got
from the preserving establishments, or
to the small and week hog or natural
seed procured in Virginia, and my
friend Col f. Wilkins thinks this evil
can be obviated by budding Early
Yorks on Early Yorks and Smock on
Smock stocks
PEARs.-Within the last few years
the cultivation of this fruit has very
considerably increased, and very ey-
tensive orchards, some of them embrace
ing four thousand trees, now in Il
bearing state, are to be found As a
general thing Standards are preferred ::
but on our Eastern Shore, DwarfS are
more grown than in the upper counties,
and there bear very heavy crops. Mr.
Il. S. Emory, of Kent county, writes
me that the present season from one
half acre of Dwarf Bartletts he market
cd four hundred crates of prime fruit :
and as general thing good pears if
properly handled, remunerate the
grower well. The greatest drawback
to the cultivator is blight, the cause
OF which no one can tell neither has
remedy been found out
AppLEs,-Apples are not grown
extensively, as only the very superior
early and late kinds are remunerative
Cider being less in demand now than
formerly, the ordinary kinds do not
pay for the trouble of marketing.