Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-03-13
THURSDAY. MARCH IS. 1890


The loss OF the peach crop In Della
ware win be real disaster, not only ia
the peach growers Of the State, but to
the people Of nearly all the Eastern
States, who were becoming accus-
toned to depend upon the Peninsula
Tor this delicious fruit. Tho greatest
loss, however, falls upon the growers.
To the consumers peaches are more OF
. luxury than necessity. They can
consume greater quantity Of other
fruit which cold snaps do not go easily
reach. Ever since the Reynolds gave
boom to peach growing on the Pen
insula, the industry spread rapidly and
soon extended all over Delaware and
the Eastern Shore OF Maryland.
Farmers forsook the old and-bys,
wheat, corn and oats, and took 10
peach growing, and although the crop
was uncertain, some years q large one
and some years scarcely any, II paid on
tho average score OF years better than
anything else farmers could raise. So
encouraging WAS the industry at any
rate, thai there were but few enterpris
ing farmers who did not 60 into it.
and there were many who devoted all
ueif land 10 H.
All through II has been a paying
success, notwithstanding hero and
there year, of failure. Looking mat
ters ialr In the face the present year Is
to be numbered with the years OF fail
ure. While this 10 TO be regretted It
cannot be helped, and the heroic
farmer will be looking around for
other branches Of agricultural indus
try that will fill in the gap made BY
the loss Of the peach crop. An old
adage says "it is no use crying over
spilled milk" and this applies with
special force to the peach growers this
Ispring. But alter all there ia never O
loss that does not bring correspond
Ing profit In some respect. The de-
struction OF the peach crop did not
come In the month OF May or June,
when It would be too late to engage at
something else. 1t does not hang on
hair before the growers, Turing them
on and then disappointing them. Thus
carly In the spring the destruction ID
rendered certainty, and the grow ers
are saved from all doubts and fears.
This Is much better than If the de-
struction had come In June. Farmers
have now q chance to plant more corn,
more potatoes, SOW more oats and raise
more truck and small fruit and the
force engaged In canning and shipping
can turn hand and help on the
farms.
But even here we are met with
another dark picture. Farmers can
Int ltttln for 81
they DO raise il. IBIS G Is true s to a
large extent, but only go far as 1t APP
plies 10 cereal crops and stock raising.
1t requires no argument to show that
they are among the Improbable in
dustries. BY an unavoidable force OF
circumstances the western states and
territories of this great nation have Sc
cured monopoly of raising ceie,l
crops and stock, but they have not Ia
teriered with fruit raising, trucking
and dairying.
These Industries are still left in the
hands Of the farmers OF the East The
climate and the soil of Delaware offer
advantages In trucking and small frui,
growing that no other section offers,
and some sections are admirably ad
apted to dairying. To these branches
OF agricultural Industries the farmers
Of Delaware will have to turn their
attention this year. They may not
pay as well as peach crops, but they
Will pay better than nothing, and will
help TO bridge over the chasm of q
years peach failure. There can be
, nothing gained by trcttlng and repin
Ing and the brayest hearts are already
pushing on to other fields OF oonflc
and will gain the victory.