Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-03-14
WEALTH ON THE
EASTERN SHORE
A NEW YORK AGRICULTURIST
DECLARES LAND AS RICH
AS ANY IN AMERICA

| iNHihSA NUM- ~. ! ~ NiltliB III the 4NtH
York Tribune Farmer from the Eastern
Shore, says
This week finds me in region rich
in history and romance rich also in its
soil and products as well AS the abound
ing sea food in the bays and rivers.
The oyster industry alone with its fleet
Of boats in every cove, is yielding wealth
equal to that Of many Of the mines Of
the klondike. This was the home of
the diamondback terrapin. So plentiful
were they that there is still law on
the statute books prohibiting man
feeding terrapin to a slave whom he had
hired more than twice week Alas
there is little danger of this now, for
they are rare indeed
There are nine counties on the Shore
with Cecil on the north and Worcester
on the south in Maryland, with two
| Virginia counties farther south. These
two counties, while as low as those Just
north of them in Maryland. are of a
light soil. The abundant water makes
this land exceedingly productive I
was told that their annual crop Of
potatoes, including both sweet and white
was about 5000. 600 bushels Delaware,
with its three counties, near by, is a
| part Of this shore, and formerly be-
longed to Maryland
Many of the old families have gone
from the farms. and large proportion
of the best farmers are the descendants
of the Oyerseer class of slavery days
men who knew how TO make crop and
10 work. They rented at first and after
ward bought many Of the old farms
! The whole family worked They made
money educated their children. and to-
day are most prosperous farmers.
The whole Of these shore counties
are very flat. the lower counties from
4 TO : feet above sea level. the upper
ones about 20. and the rise is gradual.
They grow many Strawberries Sea
ford, IN Delaware. last summer shipped
Ia cars of them daily with other places
not far behind. Sweet potatoes are
largely grown, with good many white
ones. both first and second crop.
Tomatoes are coming to be more
and more leading crop. Doubtless
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia will
be the places where tomatoes for can
ming will be most largely grown Their
long season enables them to grow
large tonnage, and they are not re-
strlcted to early varieties, which are
small yielders. As We reach the higher
levels We find many growing melons,
both musk and water. Corn and wheat
are staple crops from one end of the
territory to the other
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 profitable 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 has put the
growers in command of the situation
Predatory Insects, including large
number Of ladybugs have been quite
abundant the last season, feeding en-
the scale.
Upper counties raise good deal Of
hay. and goodly number Of cows are
kept. In the lower ones they are CON
spicuous by their absence. and most of
AllN N0Aiio AAtkH tkit ~ siGAtn II NAAAtA
sells for 30 cents pound the year
around
There is a strip of country north of
Dover, Del, from the Chesapeake TO
Delaware Bay, about go miles across
and some 20 miles north and south,
which believe as fine farm land as
any in the United States. This may
seem strong statement but make
il Understandings
"A growing season extending from
March To well through October, with
mild winters: rainfall seven inches
above the average Of New York State.
vet with abundant sunshine. level land,
sandy loan, easily worked and adapted
TO all crops grown in this latitude. with
in easy reach of the best markets In the
world where will We find its counter
part Not in the much Wanted parties
of the Middle West. nor in California,
tar distant from our Eastern markets.
nor in our Empire State, with its short
seasons and cold winters.
what is land worth In the lower
counties, where the land is low and
restricted. TO few crops, and some of
it further north which is light sand and
uuimproved, from $40 TO $50 In the
section Just described, WIN NOT very
good buildings other than the houses.
about $50 All this land is rising in
value and will continue to rise as better
methods and men are coming to the
fore
lone reason why this favored region
has not come into greater prominence
is the effect on the people of the mild
climate and naturally favorable sur
roundings. Such never stimulate effort
A gentleman remarked to me last night:
If laziness was a crime our penltenti-
aries would be full. Any man who will
hustle can get rich here.
1T would have required little stretch
Of the imagination (eXcept the temper
allure was too low To have made one
think he was in Florida this morning
as we sailed up the Pocomoke river to
Snow Hill. the county seat of Worces-
ter county
Mr.. Frank Bonneville. of Salisbury,
accompanied by his son. has been here