Daily Republican., 1881-04-29
Farm, Chit Chat.

Farm Chit Chat.
Everybody who can do so should
snatch sufficient time now to take ride
into the country Il day or two to get
solid, substantial view of the budding,
growing beauty of vegetation OF all
kinds. Waking up from a long ana
severe winters nap the grain, grass,
flowers and trees are covering the lahu-
scape with robes of beauty that bring
Joy and gladness not only to man, p"'
to beast and bird. The warm weather
has come upon us all at once bringing
with it that little, harmless spring dis
ease called the spring fever, which we
are glad can be checked and cured
without the use of opiates and physic'
1t is hard on both man and horse, but
it will not take long to adapt matters to
the changed condition of temperature
These are busy times for the farmers, for
the long winter has greatly delayed
operations and they must face spring
with much accumulated work upon
their hands. The grass has hardly
sprouted enough as yet to allow calcu-
lations on the summer hay crop, while
As to the wheat, it is generally admitted
that the crop will be light in straw, al
though there is as much diversity OF
opinion as there are judges. 1t is very
hard to tell what field of wheat will
turn out to be VIXEN harvest time comes
around. Some that looks rank and
covers the ground may be prolific in
straw, while others, which scarcely
cover the ground, may spring up under
the genial influences of sunshine and
showers and producea wonderfully pro
life crop of grain, but not so much
straw. We hear of some farmers who
have ploughed 'wn some fields that |
were sown in wheat and have put in
another crop of something else. Owing
to the freezing ont of a part fthe wheat |
crop there will be large acreage ofl
corn and potatoes planted and much OF
it will be planted this week by early |
farmer birds, who have succeeded in |
getting their ploughing done in spite of
the weather, but many farmers argue
that there is no advantage in planting
corn until warm weather sets in with
out any danger of returning cold snap
although according TO some old fashion
ed weather observers, and by the way
good farmers, it will be q long wait
this season as they prophecy frost the
latter part of May. 1t seems to be
something remarkable that while thsd
farmers to the north and west Of us An
Lancaster and Chester counties &avc
gone almost demented over the tbbacco
culture cr2xe; ;the farmers OF View Castle
County5equally as intelligent and push
ing, have not allowed their usual
serenity to he disturbed and still de
pend more upon the standard crops OF
wheat, corn, potatoes, oats and fruit.
In Chester county there will be an im-
mense amount of tobacco planted this
season, so says the Record. The enor-
nous prices Of S4Oo per acre We're in
MANY instances realized last year, and
this will lead to the planting Of a large
ly increased acreage this year. At this
rate tobacco is by farthe most profitable
crop a farmer can grow, but it involves
much toll and care to secure good crop
and after it is gathered it requires the
most careful handling.
The importance which this crop is as
suming and the large amount of money
invested in it is shown by the fact that
insurance companies are organizing to
insure the crop against hail and other
destructive storms. 1t is a little
strange that the farmers in New Castle
COunty have not given tobacco culture
more attention. The soil is as rich |
and productive and the season as well
adapted to the growth Of tobacco as IN
Chester County and with the exception |
of an occasional patch here and there
to be seen no tobacco can be found in
Delaware,
Cfthe fruit prospect there are various
and conflicting reports, but it is pretty
generally settled that there will he no
peaches of any account, while of other
fruit the prospect is more encouraging.
Strawberries have wintered well and
will be along some two weeks later than
usual Down towards the south end
of the Peninsula we are informed they
are in full bloom and the crop will be
prolific. Pears, cherries, and other tree
fruits except peaches have borne the
blunt ofan arctic winter amazingly well
and if the bloom is any indication Of a
crop it will be abundant. But with
this lovely Spring weather, and its pro-
mise of new life it is hard to take a
dismal view of things, and we indulge
the hope that bountiful harvests will
gladden. the hearts of the farmers.
WILMINGTON HAS been clear for a
long time Of bloody deeds of violence,
but the peace and quiet Of the city have
at last been disturbed by bloodshcd, a
quiet inotiensive and industrious color
ed man being the victim and man
named Carberry, w;tchman in one Of
the Diamond State Iron Company's s
mills, being the guilty party. With the
knowledge we have at hand we are not