Evening journal., 1889-05-11
A summary of the Prospects from Re
ports from All Parts of the State.

A Summary of the Prospects from Re-
ports from All Parts of the State.
II is yet too early to give strictly re-
liable estimate Of the Delaware peach
crop, but from information obtained from
extensive and experienced growers
throughout the state and the peach grow
ing counties of the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, the following summary of the
prospects of the coming crop. at the pres.
ent time can be considered as reliable.
In New Castle county 1t is a failure.
Some peaches will be shipped, but the
yellows and cold easterly storm of the
last week Of April has killed the buds or
caused the young peaches to fall from
the trees like rain.
The crop in Kent county Is hurt badly
in some localities, but the probabilities
are that fair crop will be marketed In
some parts of Sussex county there
will not be half crop, but
through the greater part of the
county the crop is injured very little
In Sassafras Neck, Cecil county, Md the
principal peach growing section of the
county, the complaint Of the killing of
the trees by the yellows is general. In
other sections of the county there is little
complaint The prospects Ia the Mary
land counties of Caroline and Queen
Anne are generally good, while in Kent
county, Md, some localities promise
good crop, others poor one.
These three counties Of Delaware and
four Of Maryland comprise the principal
peach. growing section Of the Peninsula.
Taken altogether the prospects are good
for fair crop, but nothing like the i'm
mense crOD of last yenr
Almost every year peaches are killed
in some localities and injured in others.
For example, there might be a local frost
in some particular section. At once the
report goes out that the peaches are
killed, and from this source arises the
notorious peach liar. !"
The result Of the local frost is that the
buds are killed, and there are no peaches
from that locality; but there is no ground
for people outside jumping quickly to
the conclusion that the entire crop is
destroyed. If the crop is killed in Ger
tain localities of Kent county, It does
follow that it is killed all over the PENN
sula
The trees blossomed very profusely
this year. and when in bloom the or
chards We're masses of bewildering pink
color. But, even in the best of seasons,
not one blossom in twenty-five produces
a peach; so profuse bloom does not
always promise large crop. This year
the unusual bloom raised hopes in the
hearts OF the peach growers of a crop
similar TO that Of last year. but the
blossoms are gone, and In many localities
have left behind them no embryo
peaches.
In New Castle county, north of Middle
town, all varieties are killed and there
will be comparatively no peaches Ex-
perienced growers say few slight late
frosts are to blame, with the wet
weather and cold easterly rains of April
In some localities there II not a crop upon
the trees now, and the June fall will
carry away what is left Further down
the country the crop is hurt badly, but
will not be such an utter failure
as that in the northern part From
Middletown last year were shipped
200 600 baskets. Probably 100, 900 will
cover the shipments this year. From
Camden, Del, near Wyoming Station, to
Milford, in Kent county, the peach cen
tire, the fruit is greatly injured. There
will only be about half "a crop. Along
the Delaware Bay Shore and banks Of
streams is where the most damage has
been done. Around Smyrna the crop is
greatly injured. Out Of the 30 900 trees
belonging to the Cumminses there is not
one good. Ali have been damaged by
yellows or early frost.