Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-30

on the subject; The anticipated great
peach crop of the Delaware Peninsula |
has rapidly faded to very moderate pro-
portions by reason of the ravages of the
mysterious yellows, and the unusually
large June drop. The estimates of
100000 baskets made in June dwindle
down to less than 100000 baskets in
July, and there is every indication that
it will be less than this before August.
The origin of the yellows and the pre-
vention of them have engaged the minds
of growers since their first appearance
10 years ago. To-day as little is known
as then. The United States government
has had an expert employed to investi-
gate the disease, but the only thing ac-
complished in three years has been the
publication of couple of illustrated
reports.
THE DREADED FELLOWS.
The yellows attack tree slightly at
first, but the next year it breaks out in
great force. After tree blooms out
full Of embryo peaches, suddenly all
the leaves become yellow and the trunk
is filled with short sprouts. The peaches
drop off before they attain any size,
prematurely ripened. The territory af-
fected heretofore has been principally
in upper Kent county and lower New
Castle county, Delaware. This year its
area is tremendous, covering nearly
every county in the peach belt.
John r. Nicholson, prominent
grower of Kent county and one of the
best informed of the peach men on the
Peninsula, has recently been over the
greater portion of the peach belt. AS a
result of his observation he says: 1.-THE
ravages of the yellows have been very
great. In Duck Creek hundred from
80 to 80 per cent of the trees are af-
fected. East Dover hundred is the least
affected. Some few growers have large
crops. attribute this to the fact that
| when the disease first made its appear
ance we at once pulled out all trees that
were in any wise affected But many
large growers in Duck Creek hundred
did not take the same view of the
yellows that we did. They said that it
was purely an incident of one season
and would disappear. 1t did not, and
this year they have no peaches.
"Over in Maryland, in Kent, Talbot,
Dorchester and Queen Anne counties,
orchards are actually worse than they
are in Delaware. The yellows has
reached down into lower Maryland
where, prior TO this year, 1t was never
heard of before. Governor Biggs, who
owns thousands of trees, is complaining
He has very few peaches on his trees.
81 think that an effort should be made
to prevent sending premature fruit K
market II is unwholesome, and the
honest growers of the State should ge
together to stop IL, as it is bound to re
suit in injury TO them In the future"
GENERAL TALE OF WOE.
Another large grower is w. Fl
Ridgely of Dover, who has orchards IL
Kent and Sussex counties, Delaware
and Kent county, Maryland In speak
ing OF these great ravages generally, HI
singled out Magnolia, one of the mail
centres IN Kent county, and said tina
there would be no fruit about Their
worth speaking of.
Congressman John w. Causey
Charles Barker, Theodore Townsend
Isaac Truitt and John ]. Rosa, tn
: largest growers about Milford, whicl
town is in both Kent and Sussex coun
ties, all are practically without fruit
| and do not expect to gather over fe,
hundred baskets. Mr.. Townsend, VIII
) was in the city yesterday, said: "Ther
, are no peaches in Sussex county. TIL
! yellows did very little damage TO vi
= Our trouble was the June drop and
: frost that occurred late in May. Owe
: in Maryland, out of the big crop ez
/ pected, there will be but a very sma
. realization"
Secretary of State David T. Marvel {
) Georgetown found the same conditio
: of affairs. He spoke generally of Ii
/, devastation that had taken place in Ne
4 Castle and upper Kent: ''In times pa
\ the yellows is very often in few tire,
!. of an orchard, but now whole orchard
4 are affected and are willing away. w
A have no yellows as yet IN Sussex count
e and our lack of crop is due to 9th,
G causes. II looks to me as if the peac
belt is changing"
J. MARKET RESULTS.
J. 1t has been over two years since the
y was peach crop of any consequence
1t and many of the farmers have had ma
e. row escape from financial ruin. AlreaC
e large sums of money have been e
'e pended IN erecting canneries in antit
patton OF q big crop. The products
m these cannerieB have in many instanc
'
u opened, and as the Gamers will be u
able to deliver the goods there will
is many tight places to pull through.
is The Pennsylvania railroad has ma
extensive preparations to handle I
crop, and has gathered together hu
dreds of cars and fixed them up for CT
III rying fruit.
GREAT FALLING OFF IN THE YIELD
e. LAUREL.
". LAUREL, July 27.-The peach blie
st. is spreading with alarming rapid
ii, throughout this Peninsula. MANY
r. the varieties are maturing five and
81 weeks ahead of time. Farmers who h
in in the past two years mortgaged to tn
in last penny thought some weeks ago Il
a they would soon be free husbandn
ed again. Now they have fears that u
tn may be. sunk deeper in debt.
yield, which promised well until t
ait weeks ago to exceed six million basil
its will now be numbered in the thousan
ses Reports from over the Peninsula b
lal up this assertion. The cause for
Der present alarm is an unusual one. I
le- maturing is the great bugaboo. Sol
nd times it is found that on a tree one Ii
will be full of beautiful red, ripe,
premature fruit, while the remainder
the tree is full of green fruit. This CO
r. plant is general. Many of the larl
70, growers say it would be impossible
his find single basket of perfect fruit
y their orchards.
rid. THE DECREASE IN JERSEY.
ide BELvIpERE, N. j., July 81
9 a crop of premature or forced peaches
his through Hunterdon and Warren co
23d ties will be immense. The dry weat