The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-10-03
DELAWARE
FARMERS.

washington, ~. T., Oct - Inc Cen
sus Department has, issued In bulletin
form. the latest statistics Of agriculture
for the State Of Delaware.
1t states that the soil, especially in the
loam suited TO tho growth of nearly all
kinds of crops. Much of Su sex County
is sandy, and better adapted to tho cuI-
ture offruits, melons and sweet potatoes
than 10 general farming.
J New Castle County has the largest area
OF good land, -nnd its farms are more high
! ly improved than arc those OF the other
two counties in Tho SintG. The average
value per acre of the land in farms In
New Castle County, exclusivso Of build
ing, Is S45. 90; in Kent County, s10.6 and
and Sussex County, Sl2 o2. The reported
gross incomes of the farms(th values OF
tho products not fed 10 live stock) are, ON
nn average. $40 80 per acre in New Castle
H.2l, in Kent and a 5o in Sussex,
Lisease and unlavorably climatic con-
ditions have in ths last 20 years materiaI-
ly reducei, the number OF peaah trees. no.
'ably in Now Castle and Kent Counties.
This loss has been balauced IN part by an
increase In The number Of other orchard
trees. Tho frosts OF 1895 almost wholly
destroyed be peach crop and seriously
injured other orchard fruits; honcc the
small valuo Of all orchard fruits reported
1868 1877. The only peaches grown were
n The region bordering Delaware Bay.
" aich partially escaped tho fros;s The
t,tal production was YF5o bushels, from
2iil $50 trees.
Delaware Is ono Of the few Atlantic
Sta cs that have not practically abandon
ed he cultiva ion Of wheat. In 1899 1t
harve ted us 740 acres producing l,S7O.570
bushels with value OF sl.247.c53. Tho
acreage and yield were larger Than report
oil at any previous csnsus.
The value OF corn was greater Than that
OF any o;her crop or product. The acre
nge was 1y!.o25, aud tho value 81, 1s5 4522.
Next after corn and is wheat as SOURCES
of farm income wcro vegetables include
ing pot at oes, sweet potatoes and onions.
WUlCn Huu u Nhiu5 III 1907 VI sA''' 'S''
Poultry and eggs had II value OF sl.0Sl'
'y2; dairy products. s9.G. So7: hay and for
nge, S959 SIS. aud animals sold and s'augh
tered, se2LG64.
lhero are 06S7 farms in Delaware with
IN aggregate arsn Of OG6 2?S aores, OF
which 75l 0l0 or 10 7 per cent, arc improv
cl. The fl, me constitute t5 per cent of
tho total land surface of the State, which
j., 1894 40 acrea.
Tho average vaius OF farms Juno 1890
WAS S34 l36.040 of which amount SIC 6j7.
30 or 81 per cent. represents the value
of tho buildings Tho valuo Of imple.
men and machinery Increased from 800
a7D In 1850 to 81 l5o 500 in 1890. Live
stccE increased s'endlly IN valus from
;l.Sl0 aSl in 1850 to 81 1851 IN 1890 but
II tho last ten years has declined 81 par
cent. aud is now worth n lll.0Jl.
The titles to the 575 farms nre vested
in 357O owners, an average of l.3 farms to
each. or The $3.50 owners .oS7 possess one
farm each the others holding tho stiles OF
from 2 to s farms ench.
OF the 1857 farms, 1919. or 0l.6 per cont,
nr operated by whites aud SIS, or S.4 per
cent by negroes. OF tho latter ella s OF
arms a97 arc operated by owners and 81
ly Fart 0wu.rs.
Tho dairy farms have the greatest aver
r 60 value of farm property, and OF al lhe
I,rger groups of farms taoir gross income
tho smallest per cent. ofLhe
c ,pital inves ed.
The duiry changes in the last 10 years
nre quito noteworthy. Tho milk produce
d in 1s 50 was 1O, 639 1862 gallons, Or 32S 5
gallons per COW; in 1922. l2.6sl,:6s gallons
or $50 gallons per cow. ho total pro-
.luciion of milk increased ls.j por cont,
aud the average COW 1874 per cont. The
total vnluo of tho diary produce of the
: tate was So S07
The II, mher of peach irees In 1890 was
4G percent. loss than In 1891. and the ro
orted product In 1899 was only 81 per !
,,nt of that Of ten years before. In tho !
II wears since 1850 tho number OF apple |
trees Increased 66.6 per cent: ch.rry
rccs, 46.7; pear trees. 1880; plum and
prune trees, 1884. The yields of these
'ruits show still larger proportionnto In
,rcases.
olp 1889 the total value OF garden prod /
,r's including small fruits sold, was
|2.9O, $50 Nearly :hreefourths of the acreage
). mi>ccslau"u,ss vegetables was devoea
% tomatoes mud tho receipts from their
:als com prised ovur one half the alnonnt
,,nized from all such vegetables.
The amount expended in 1889 for labor
including tho value OF board furnished
gns 81, ,O76. 96O, all average Of slll.O7 por
arm, Tho expenditure for fertilizers tho
nmc year was S5s9, ,0io, an increase ofi7l
,er cent, over the amouut expended ten
ears before