Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-06-23
EASTERN SHORE OF NARY
LAND, KENT COUNTY.

visit from one of your well-known rea-
ders to this portion of the State, the
writer was a little surprised to find
how little was known by him of the
productions, geological formation, re-
sources, &C., of our shore. The
thought that some of your readers
may feel an interest In the great peach
region of the States, as well as other
matters connected with the Peninsula,
prompts this communication.
Delaware and the portion of Mary
land, known as the Eastern Shore, is
situated between the two important
bays, Chesapeake and the Delaware.
1t is nearly all of modern formation L.
e. sedimentary, and was at some re-
mote period prior to the glacial age,
part of the rocks and clays embraced
in the land lying at the head waters
of the Susquehannaf and Delaware
rivers. The alluvium formed bar in
the old Ocean which in due time be-
came dry land either by upheaval or
by the subsiding of the waters. This
pcninsular extending nearly two hun
dred miles due south, is from sixty to
twenty miles wide, and is composed
of fine sand and clay with no rock or
stone to be found anywhere. 1t is
generally level or slightly rolling
The highest point it is said, being only
80 feet above tide water, yet it is suf-
ficiently rolling to afford easy drainage
to the numerous tributaries of the
Chesapeake and Delaware bays which
indent the land in every direction and
afford easy and cheap transportation
to the various markets. Most of the
rivers and bays are navigable for
steamboats, and sailing packets and in
Kent county, Maryland. / believe
there is no farm further than 4 miles
from a navigable stream. The mar
kets are Philadelphis, Baltimore and
New York, all of which being accessi-
BILE by both rail and water in q few
hours to all parts of the peninsula
The great productions of the Eas-
tern Shore in grain, are wheat, corn
and oats, and by the census report be-
fore me / find that the average of the
three grains gave about 130 bushels
to each inhabitant in this county, and
this after much of the best land has
been planted in peaches. Many of
the farmers count their peach trees by
the thousand, and ship many thousand
baskets of peaches to market, where it
is considered the finest favored fruit
to be found. At this time the farmers
are rejoicing in the prospect Of an
abundant crop, as the trees are loaded
with the young fruit and all danger of
frost has passed. The main question
now is how to get it to market. From
the wharf nearest to the point where
| am now writing, over one hundred
thousand bushels are likely to be
shipped, and from the next one C.
miles above) one hundred and twenty
FIVE thousand is the estimate, most of
which finds ready market in Balti-
more, where numerous Gamers have
their factories, employing thousands
of women and children in preparing
them. The same establishment can
oysters in their season, which follows
the peach season. The shipping of
peaches commences about the 25 Of
July and continues about two months,
the different varieties following each
other. A number of canning houses
have been started among the orchards
which secures ripe fruit. Shipping
peaches are pulled before they are fully
ripe, and many of them are sent to
Chicago and other western and north
ern points; indeed, have seen them
in Canada from my immediate neigh
borhood. What surprised my visitor
most was the cheapness of the land
compared with far inferior land in his
country for agricultural purposes.
Our lands are easily titled, being en-
tirely free from stones. We have fine
roads, q turnpike being unknown on
the peninsula. The farms are well
fenced in, often with hedge fences ex-
tending for miles. The water is gen.
orally good and obtained from wells
mostly within few feet 10 to 30) from
the surface. Pears, apples and berries
of fine flavor are extensively cultivated
and since our vinyards have come into
bearing the New York, Philadelphia
and Baltimore markets are often glut-
ted with the different varieties of
grapes, the Isabella and Concord reach
ing prefec ton. Besides the produc-
tions of the land, the water furnishes
luxuries such as oysters, fish and crabs
and the creeks, inlets, &c, abound in
wild game such as ducks, geese and
swan.
In many districts there is some
trouble in the spring and fall from
malaria, producing ague and fever;
yet in other places the country is as
healthy as can be found anywhere.
Pulmonary complaints are rare and
hay fever is unknown az far as the
writer's knowledge extends. Two
persons who had been victims for
years to the later disease visited me
last August and were surprised TO find
that no indication of their trouble ap-
peared.
The grasses, such as timothy, clover,
orchard grass and blue grass grow
finely and usually abundant rain fur
nishes important food for grass. Prior
to the war of l776, tobacco was the
main crop of the county, but the war
stopping the expectation of this article,
the attention of the farmers was di-
rected to wheat raising which has been
sue essfully carried on ever since. 1t
is well known to millers that the
finest wheat found in the Baltimore
market comes from the Eastern Shore.
1t always commands the highest price,
having thin hull, and Is known as
amber wheat.
Owing to the peculiar geographical
location of this peninsular, it is rather
out of the line of travel, is therefore
but little known and but little emigra-
tion has found its way here. Having
been cultivated before the emancipa-