The Smyrna call. (Smyrna, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-10-08
OF INTEREST
TO FARMERS.
Crop Statistics of Delaware
Sent Out.
THE REPORT is A GOOD ONE.
This State Rivals Other Section
of the Country.
MONEY MADE BY GROWERS


Peach Crop, But. in Wheat
Corn and Garden Vegetables
We More Than Held Our Own
The Census Department has is
sued, in bulletin form, the latest
statistics of agriculture for the State
of Delaware. 1t states that the
soil, especially in the northern part
of the State, is rich clay loan
suited to the growth of nearly all
kinds of crops. Much of Sussex
county is sandy and better adapted
to the culture of fruits, melons and
sweet potatoes than to general
farming. New Castle county has
the largest area of good land and
its farms are more highly improved
than are those of the other two
counties in the State. The average
value per acre of the land in farms
in New Castle county, exclusive of
buildings, is $45. 2o; in Kent county,
$1,000 and in Sussex county $I2. :
So. The reported gross incomes of
the farms (the values of the pro-
ducts not fed to live stock) are, on
an average, 5000 in New Castle,
$7.2I in Kent and 81. SIS in Sussex.
Information About Our Peaches.
Disease and unfavorable climatic
conditions have in the last twenty
years materially reduced the mum
Der of peach trees, notably in New
Castle and Kent counties. This
loss has been balanced in part by
an increase in the number of other
orchard trees. The frosts of 1890
almost wholly destroyed the peach
crop, and seriously injured other
orchard fruitsH hence the small
value of all orchard fruits reported,
$263, ,I27. The only peaches grown
were in the region bordering Della
ware Bay, which partially escaped
the frosts. The total production
was 975o bushels from 2,44I $50
trees. Delaware is one of the few
Atlantic States that have not prac-
tically abandoned the cultivation of
wheat. In 1899 it harvested 49,
74o acres, producing 1870, $40
bushls, with value of $I,247,o55
The acreage and yield were larger
than reported at any previous CEN
suS.
Corn Figures.
The value of corn was greater
than that of any other crop or pro-
duct. The acreage was 1872, ,o25,
and the value $r,725,452. Next
after corn and wheat as sources of
farm income were vegetables, in
Guiding potatoes, sweet potatoes
and onions, which had a value in
1899 of 81, IA, ,22I. Poultry and
eggs had a value of $I,o84, 1872;
dairy products, $o92, ,8o7; hay and
forage, 5000, ,848, and animals sold
and slaughtered, $500, ,664. There
are 9687 farms in. Delaware, with
an aggregate area of 1906, 228
acres, of which 754,oIo, or 1917
per cent, are improved. The
farms constitute IS per cent. of the
total land surface of the State,
which is I,254,4oo acres. The
value of all farms June I, 1900,
was $34,436,o4o, of which amount
$40, ,667, 22o, or 81 per cent, repre-
sent the value of buildings. The
value of implements and machin-
cry increased from $51o, 27oin 1850
to s., $50, 500 in 1900. Live stock
increased steadily in value from
81, ,84o, 28I in 1880 to So. 1913, $40
in 1890, but in the last ten years
has declined I'll per cent, and is
now worth $4,III,o54.
Dairy Changes.
The titles to the 47II farms are
vested in $3.50 owners, an average
of T. farm to each. OF the 3s7c
owners 1887 possess one farm each
the other holding the titles of from
to IS farms each. OF the 8687
farms, 1866, or GIG per cent, are
operated by whites and aI8, or 8. 4
per cent, by negroes. Of the lat
ter class of farms 2o7 are operated
by owners and IS by part owners.
The dairy farmers have the great.
est average value of farm property,
and of all the larger groups oi
farmers their gross income repre-
sents the smallest per cent. of the
capital invested. The dairy
changes in the last 10 years are
quite noteworthy. The milk pro
duced In 1880 was 1o.6oo, 361
gallons, or $685. gallons per COW
in 1899, I2,68I.268 gallons pei
COW. The total production of milk
increased 1876 percent, and tn,
average COW 1874 percent. Th'
total value of the dairy produce o
the State was $685., 1907.
Kaige of Garden Products.
! The number of peach trees il