The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-03-05

IS this, among a people who have
been accustomed to using liquor
freely, and with a large negro
population and vote, which of
| course IS opposed to restricting
liquor? The negro is the real
+ cause Of this. Even the unscrup-
ulous politician finds it safer to
put liquor out of the negro's way,
even if he has to put himself to
some Inconvenience. In conse-
quence party politics is largely
laid aside at an election on local
option. Is liquor wholly prohibit
ed? Probably those who are adj
diCted to the habit find a way to
get it. l have not seen a drunken
man since l have been here, and
the barroom in the country hotel
that sink of iniquity and school
for loafers-does not force its of
fensive head in the face of the
wayfarer like myself. l am told
by drummers that in the towns
where local option has been long
est in force their trade has ma
terially increased and their collec-
tons are much better. Further
inquiry shows that there has been
a large increase in bank deposits
both national and savings banks.
The arrests for various crimes have
materially decreased.
The whole of these counties are
very flat, the lower counties from
four to eight feet above sea level,
the upper ones about seventy-fve,
and the rise is very gradual.
These lower ones thus have an ex-
cessive amount of water, and their
corn, potatoes and strawberries
have to be ridged up. They grow
many strawberries. Seaford, in
Delaware, last summer shipped
fourteen cars of them daily, with
other places not far behind. Sweet
potatoes are largely grown, with a
good many white ones, both first
and second crop. Tomatoes are
coming to be more and more a
leading crop. Doubtless Delaware,
Maryland and Virginia will be the
places where tomatoes for canning
will be most largely grown. Their
long season enables them to grow
a large tonnage, and they are not
restricted to early varieties, which
are small yielders. As we reach
the highest levels we find many
growing melons, both musk and
water. Corn and wheat are staple
crops from one end Of this territory
to the other.
At Berlin, i'll Worcester county,
is the large nursery of, G. Har-
rison x Sons, They began less
than twenty years ago with few
acres. By economy, industry and
fair business dealings they have
built up one Of the largest nur-
series i'll the country, consisting of
oyer one thousand acres. They
are the introducers of the rosy"
peach, which bids fair to rival the
alberta in popularity, North from
here we begin to find orchards of
peaches, pears and apples. The
Delaware peninsula was formerly
the great peach section. While
many are still grown and there are
some fine orchards, the most pro-
htable orchards in the state are on
the mountain slopes in Western
Maryland. The San Jose scale is
abundant and has destroyed many
trees. The thorough work done
by the experiment station in
augurated by Professor w. P.
JOhnsOn-nOW assistant editor of
The American Agriculturist" -
when he was State Entomologist
has put the growers in command
OF the situation. am glad to re-
port that predatory insects, includ-
ing a large number of ladybugs,
have been quite abundant the last
season feeding on the scale.
The upper counties raise a good
deal of hay, and a goodly number
OF COWS are kept, In the lower
Opac +Ia,r mo Co,,e,,;o,,o,,, l.. Al.