Milford chronicle., 1906-01-12

UlI OA MaAlA 81 - HN-A---1
has not been successfully applied ID
any artificial way as has the fertility
so that it is only where the natural
supply is abundant, together with per
feet surface drainage, that the best re-
suits can be obtained. Lower Delaware
has the perpetual water level only
few feet below the surface and having
such a large percentage of sand mixed
with the soil it gives the best drainage
possible.
DELAWARE'S FRUIT BUSINESS.
There are very large areas of easily
drained land thataTe especially adapted
10 the strawberry, raspberry and dew
berry. The gum swamps Of the western
sIope of the peninsula make the ideal
spot for successful berry culture
lone of these swamps was cleared in
1903 by 0. A. Newton, of BridgeviIle
It was planted to corn that year and
in the spring of 1904 to Candy berries.
The sale from this plot Of one and one
half acres including the ditch banks,
amounted to S67s. netting almost $500
nOf course, like ever crop the farmer
can grow, there is always an element
Of uncertainty to the individual grower
While it may be truly said that the
strawberry crop of Delaware, taken as
a whole. has never failed either in
Weld or in satisfactory returns, yet the
failure of one grower or another to
realize anything like satisfactory re-
turps is not at all uncommon. OFTEN
the cause for this failure is hard to
find. but for ever grower that drops
ont of the race there or dozen or more
new ones. and new growers are often
the most successful-fOr one reason
tbev probably have new land and the
strawberry does CERTAINLY have dis
tinct preference for land new to itself.
FRUIT KILLED OFF BY PESTS.
"Of the various pests that have ap-
peared to trouble the strawberry
Grower the white grub comes first.
Next the weevil or flea, which cut OIL
the blossoms of certain varieties, most
Iy of the Sharpless type. This has
been overcome in Delaware by dropping
ont varieties found to be subject to Its
ravages. On this account, the Sharp
less. Jesse and Starr are not grown fol
market TO any extent. Leaf rust hai
also forced us to drop some otherwise
. promising varieties, replacing then
, with sorts that are as nearly imune a
pessible. The strawberry root aphis j
nrobablv our worst enemy because e.
: little is known of its habits. This pes
comes and goes apparently witheu
= cause that can be seen, thus diseourag
ing all attempts to combat it.
PESTS DIscOURAGING RASPBERRY
CULTURE.
: mWben we come to speak Of raspbel
, ries, we cannot report SO favorable
condition. A few years ago Miller rasI
: berries seemed likely to rival In
strawberry in importance as none
crop. But the ravages Of the cluO roc
p which is a lumpy growth on the roots
"a has made this crop so uncertain ths
= the production is no1g only a small pal
, of what was grown few wears ago.
IF FEW BLACKBERRIEs BUT FINE DEW
/. BERRIES.
% 1.-THE same unsatisfactory condltlo
II exists with the blackberry, no goo
n substitute having been discovered Il
Of the Wilson early which has bgure
II largely in the berry crops OF our Sta'
or A good blackberry is certainly neede'
D. "Grapes are grown in different par
er of the State and largely in the vicihl'
" of SMYRNA. The varieties grown a.
D. the Moore's Early, Concord and Nial
,e ara and there will be an increase
D. acreage for this CROP