Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-01-11

" the fenlnsula HORTICULTURAL Society
began here this morning, with very
general attendance of members. The
president, DIR. Henry Ridgely of Dover
delivered his annual address, as follows
III gives me very great pleasure tc
meet you again, and TO drink in the
varied information which will be given
by many gentlemen of scientific reputa.
tion who have honored us with theiI
presence. We have too, among us, men
OF the highest intelligence, whose views
and experience on matters connected
with agriculture and horticulture are
well worth listening to. Were l per.
mitted to do so l could name gentle.
men living on this Peninsula, practical
tillers OF the soil, who have shown by
their successful efforts in every one the
varied branches of horticulture, that
they are the peers of the best horticul-
turists in all this broad land.
with such men now sitting before
me, shall not attempt, this morning, to
make any dissertation on fruits or yege
tables. | came here not to instruct but
TO be Instructed. But there are some
other matters which have never been
discussed at any annual meetings,
which will remember to bring before
you now and which may perhaps be of
service to our community.
PEACH CULTURE DISAPPEARING.
"The culture of the peach on the central
and upper portions of our Peninsula
will soon-very soon be thing of the
past. The terrible disease which is fast
destroying that most luscious and
wholesome of all fruits, marches on
with slow but certain strides. The crop
which we gathered during the past
season yielded little profit to its growers,
What would have been the result had
our land been covered with orchards as
it was few years ago? A full crop
would have been almost curse rather
than blessing, as it is.
WHAT SHALL SUCCEED THE PEACH?
"What crops shall we substitute for
the peach when it has passed away I?
That is the question for us to consider.
Some have substituted the pear, but it
cannot now be grown largely with any
profit, as the price has already gone
down TO very low point l have been
growing them for,30 years or more and
can speak OF what I know. | once sold
my whole crop of Duchess pears for So
per basket. Now / must content nv.
self with 90 cents per basket. have
sold my Bartletts for So and $3.50, and
year after year | sold them to our
Dover packers for from 81 to $3.50,
with no middle man co come in between
us and claim share of the profits. but
now we are glad to get 30 or 40 cents
and give the baskets In the bargain.
II cannot believe that the pear can be
substituted for the peach, although in
the hands of such skilful and thorough
fruit growers us DR.. Maxwell of Mary
land and Mr.. Walter Morris of this town
it may. But such men are few and far
between.
"Dr. Maxwell, in a very able report
on pears before this cociety at a recent
meeting says that failure has been the
rule-success the exception. The pear
require more attention than any other
fruit
HOW ABOUT THE APPLE?
"Shall we fall back on the apple as a
substitute for the peach2 The great
trouble with apples is that they decay
so rapidly that we are compelled to sell
them as soon as they are picked or they
VIII rot on our hands. The apples from
the Northern and Western States will
Keep all through the winter, and they
can ship them to Europe or hold them
for better prices. The peculiar soil and
climate OF our Peninsula gives US an
advantage In growing apples, and their
production is more profitable. But they
must be properly cultivated. do not
wish to be prophet of evil, but | pre-
dict that If all attempt to substitute the
pear for the peach is continued to any
great extent, great disappointment will
follow, and / think the same NAV be
said of the apple.
WHEAT AN IMPORTANT PRODUCT.
Notwithstanding the discouraging
outlook regarding the cultivation of
wheat in all parts of our land, it seems
almost necessary that this product
should continue to fill an important
place in the work of rotation that has SO
long been essential for successful farm
ing. How are we to get along without
the straw, which contributes SO much to
the comfort of our animals and to the
required fertility Of our farms?
CORN GODS NoBLEsT PLANT.
"The same conclusion must be reached
:or our other great staple, corn, the
noblest plant that God ever gave to man.
AS food for man and beast, how can it
be dispensed withP And yet, with the
present ruinously low prices, are either
one Of these important staples worth
growingp When farmer hauls 100
bushels of corn and 100 bushels OF
wheat TO market and cannot get 800
for both together-as has been the case
with many an honest farmer during the
present year-it seems almost time to
call a halt in growing both of these
cereals.
"This question is of importance to a
large portion of this Peninsula, and l do
not know of any body more competent
TO solve this great problem iii it can be
solved) than this one now in session be.
fore me. We know that our farms are
rapidly depreciating in value. The ten
dency to rural depopulation is very
noticeable in this country. The census
OF 1890 shows an actual decrease in the
population of 455 counties, chiefly in
New England, New York, Ohio and
several other States, and many farms in
these States have been abandoned.
DEoADENoE IN THE EARTH.
"The beginning of agricultural de.
preston in the Eastern States dates
from the time of the opening of vast
helds in the west to the production of |
wheat and corn. Improved means of
communication between the east |
markets and the western fields cheaper |
freight rates and the application Of