Daily Republican., 1880-03-26
THE DELAWARE pEAvH CRor.

Fro liabilities Ct tho coming ScE-
son-Dimtn1sbins Humbor of or.
chards.
N. Y. Times Correspondence.
Middletown, Del, Narch 2i--The
peachgrowers Of this part OF the country
are generally of the opinion that the
peach buds have not yet been injured
by frost or any other cause. This 10 the
cautre Of very extensive peach grow
ing interest. There has been shipped
from this township--or Hundred, as II
is called hsre--upward Of 1000, 00(
baskets Of peaches in a single year, aud
no town On the Peninsula offers bsttel
opportunities for collecting Trustworthy
information relative to the prosperity
peach crop than this. Middletown ID
the homo Of ex-Gov. J. ?. Cochran,
who Ia the owner of 16 large farms,
upon each OF which there are one OF
more orchards growing. He has nearly
], 900 acrss,planted with peaches. Ex'
Congressman 3. 7. Biggs, who has
perhaps as masy acres In peach or
chards, and s. F. shallcroSs, whose or.
chSrds extend for fully two miles along
the public road, reside in or near this
place, and from such sourcs Is gathered
the information now sent. Unless later
frosts should kill the peach crop here
those trees now in hearing will most
probably yield a fall crop, but the
number Of trees now standing is very
much less thau when those large crops
alluded to were produced. How much
less it ia somnw hat difficult to ascertain
great many Of the best-ipformed
growers say that fully one-half of thu
trees tha. were standing in 1875 (th'
year when the greatest crop was pro
duoed) have been pulled ont, and fe.
or no orchards have been planted since
as psach-g growing on tho valuable lands
of this courty has not been yemunsra
tive, and the cultivation OF that frui
Is being rapidly abandoned here Esny
orch ards planted In tho Spring OF lS7r
or the autumn Of 1874 have not YET pro.
duosd crop, aud as the trees are
healthy aud vigorous, II these should
yisld one this yesr, as it seems proba,
BILE that they will, the number Of bas,
kets gathered FROM them will be lnGc.l
b.yond sne-half Of that of 1875.
The severe frosts which occur every
night are very mnCh in favor Of the
peach growers, and strong hopes are
beginning 10 BIZ centred on crop this
season, bu. no cae Is sanguine. 10 fact
most OF The gr0Ier5 here have turned
their attention TO the cultivation Of
grain, and do not LOOK to ths peach
orchards for much profit. II they yield
o crop it will be harvested with thank
fulness. If they fail, it is only what is
expected of them. IN fact, failures
of the peach crop in this onca almos:
certain and prolific growing re-
gion has become so common that tho
cultivation Of peaches here is doomed
and only few more years will have
passed before almost every peach or.
chard will disappear from this county,
and luxuriant wheat, corn, and grass
fields will appear in their stead. The
farmers say that when they SOW their
lands with wheat or plant with corn
they have every ASSURANCE that thsy
will resp profitable harvest, and their
anxiety csascs with the planting,
but with psaehes it is q lottery, aud
Consequently they are always anxious
From December to June they are liable
TO be injured by the action Of the
frosts