Evening journal., 1908-01-09
LAND EXPERTS
MAKE REPORT
Conditions Of Soil in Lower
Delaware Told by the.
Government

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER. Del. Jan. o. f. E. Bonsteei
and o. L. Ayars. Federal engineers who
completed the soil survey of central
Delaware, known as the Dover Area. un-
der delegation from the United States
Department of Agriculture, declare in
their report that systematic drainage
would help central Delaware become a
great natural wealth-producer. The ex-
perts say;
1.-THE wide differences In texture be-
tween the soils, which have been but lit
tie modified since their deposition as
marine sediments. is due to the sorting
power Of water currents Of different We
locities, and the position of a heavy, silty
loan or clay in close proximity to
loose wind blown sand affords striking
example Of the selectve power OF the
contending currents, whose ever-chang-
ing force. direction and velocity. nave
made these conditions possible. thin
band Of rounded gravel underlies most OF
the area at from to 10 feet below the
surface and this is, in turn, underlain
by a stratum of fine sand, several feet
in thickness.
There is a growing tendency to a fur
ther subdivision of the older and larger
estates, and the number of small farms
is therefore, constantly increasing. The
larger farms are nearly all located on the
Norfolk silt loan and the Norfolk loan
while the newer settled western portion OF
the area is divided into smaller holdings
usually worked by the owner and his
family.
Scarcity Of Labor.
''The tendency toward the smaller
farms is necessitated by the scarcity OF
efficient labor. and will result in great
specialization of crops, with marked bene.
fit to the agricultural and general pros
perty OF the section.
Farm labor is both white and colorcd,
the former being very scarce and com
manding good wages, while the latter
OF efficient character is scarce, as the
best OF this class own and manage small
farms. The labor problem has become so
acute that steps have been taken by the
State Boards of Agriculture and by pri
vate individuals to secure relief from the
immigration bureau, and good induce.
ments are held out to prospective settlers
and homeseekers.
THE agricultural population Of cen.
trail Delaware are favored with ar
equable climate. free from the rigors OF
a northern winter and the excessive heat
OF a southern summer, with an abundance
OF FISH and sea food drawn from the bay"
continues the report. with lands level
easily titled and responding generally to
cultivation. They gain good living with
the minimum of effort. Even among the
tenant class. the average OF intelligence
seems high.
Peaches and pears are extensively
grown, the former producing fruit Of
superior favor but the yields are light
and the orchards are short-lived. Toma.
toes and sweet potatoes are the principal
truck crops. Berries, asparagus and all
truck and garden crops are successful,
the yields depending largely on cultiva-
tion and fertilization.
Dewberry Injured.
'Of the small fruits. the Lucretia dew
berry is important and is a very profit
able berry. Anthracnose has been very
disastrous to It, but little spraying pre-
vents this disease and the acreage is
rapidly increasing.
Tomatoes are the most important can
ming crop, and a large acreage is de-
voted to them, particularly on the sandy
soil types. The yields vary from four to
five tons on the poorer soils to ten or
twelve tons per acre on the better. The
tomatoes are sold TO local canneries,
bringing about s. per ton. Tomatoes. as
well as peaches and pears, are harvested
in baskets holding five-eighths of
bushel. and are drawn 10 the canneries
in especially constructed wagons. pecu-
liar to this part Of the country.
''The principal crop interests of the
heavier soils are corn. wheat and grass.
Some hay Is baled and shipped but
large amount is being fed to stock, which
results in a considerable saving to the
land"