The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-04-15
FRUIT PROSPECTS.
Tlere Will Be Fair Crop of Peaches
In Tidewater Counties. Fair Promise S
Of Large Crops of Other Fruits.

of Large Crops of Other Fruits.
Prof w. G. johnson, State Entomologist,
and Prof. G. o. Towns nd, State Pathologist,
having Just completed tour of the State,
visiting the commercial fruit-growing CEN
tres, are in possession of facts to enable them
to make definite statements relative to the
prospective peach crop and other fruits.
They make the following report:
"Owlng to the very discouraSing report Is
that reached US shortly after the Februa ry
freeze, aud the many conflicting statement 3
that were published afterward, we have
deemed it advisable to make personal ex-
aminations OF the orchards, in order that
those packers and shippers who are depend
Ing upon the Maryland crop for their fall
trade may not be misled and deceived.
"In Western Maryland it is safe to say that
the crop is total failure, at least from a
commercial standpoint. We have found no
live buds whatever in Washington county,
and practically none in Frederick. Indeed,
in some Instances the wood is apparently in
jured. so that the growers are cutting their
trees back in order to give them Il better
chance for new growth.
''On the Eastern Shore and in Southern
Maryland the same conditions hold true, as
far as the buds are concerned. except in
those orchards bordering tdewater. One
orchard ut the mouth of the Patuxent on
Cedar Point has Il good stand of live buds;
those further inland have practically none
In unparnl ba q that thn nrIs
that lie along the water front, aud have
therefore been protected, have suffered less
than those inland.
In Caroline county the crop is Il CONNER
cial failure. Mr.. John W. Kerr, Of Denton,
one of the best informed fruit growers of the
state, says he found only u few live buds on
two varieties, not commercially planted as
yet, ont OF one hundred and thirty-seven
varieties growing on his place. He stated
that the conditions found near Denton would
held largely for the county in general, and
that the crop was complete commercial
failure. Our observations also confirm Mr..
Kerr's report. At Ridgely, DR.. F p. Herr
stated that there would not be enough to
supply the local trade This same condition
is also true of the inland orchards OF Dor
chester, Talbot, Queen Anne's and Kent
counties.
1T should also be noted that wherever the
buds have suffered from the cold it is the
more valuable yellow varieties that have
been injured most, while the red varieties
have been n little more resistent For in
stance, even along the water front, Reeves
EIhcrta, Crawford's late and Crawford's
early have not resisted the cold lis the Sinock,
Mi>on, Hale, Rivers. Salway and the like.
"From the present indications. it is safe to
state that the bulk of the commercial crop
will come from the tidewater sections OF st.
Mary's. Anne Arundel Baltimore. Kent
Queen Annes, Talbot and Dorchester couI-
tie, the main belt being in Kent and Queen
Anue's. along the bay front, and the Chester
and Sassafras river courses. as far inland as
Chrstertown and Georgetown The area.
therefore, which promises Il fair commercial
crop is extremely limited as compared with
the total peach area in the State
an regard to the other tree fruits, but lit
tie damage has been done to apple and pear.
Pears have been Injured slightly in some seq
tions, but not sufficiently to reduce the crop
to any appreciable extent. In short, it may
b. stated that the present outlook is for
iull crop of apples and pears. Plums and
cherries, on the other hand, have suffered
considerably from the cold. The japanese
varieties of plums have not been as resistent
Ne the natives. The crop will, no doubt, be
nuch reduced by the cold, but in making
tnis report We are not anticipating any Of the
evils that may befall these crops yet by frosts,
storms, insects and fungus diseases.
The outlook for the strawberry crop is
very promising all over the State, and grow
ers are preparing for a fair Yield. Black
berries and raspberries have suffered con
-iderably, but the indications point to an
average crop.
ION the whole, the prospective fruit crop
in general is very promising, and Maryland
Can congratulate herself that she has any
peaches at all commercially, considering the
reports of the disastrous results of the cold
wave throughout the peach growing belts of
the East and SOUTH