Evening journal., 1909-05-18

Nv earliest recollection OF peach grew
ing IN New Castle county Is that there
was only here and there man that
thought II worth while TO grow peaches
for market. In the carly forties there was
a man named Simon Spearman. who own
ed a farm near the Eagles Nest Landing.
afterwards owned by Presley Spruance
and later by william c. spruance, who
had tho FIRST peach orchard that 1 had
any knowledge OF, and about 1891 a man in
Philadelphia named McCrody owning a
farm near Blackbird now owned by tho
Misses Mccoy, OF Smyrna, had orchards.
They put out peach trees on the farms,
over 100 acres. while other people looked
on In amazement.
In 1876 they came into freeing" and
for a few years there was peach business.
can't say how profitable It proved TO be.
but early developments indicated that Il
was oncouraging FOR other people were
taking notice and following in their wake
I remember in 1886 whom my father lived
IN Cantweil's Bridge two large farms in
that vicinity, that Of Or uer and that Of
g r. shailcross. Both had large orchards.
the fruit from which they shipped to Phil
adelphla at "a great Inconvenience by way
OF Delaware City and Port Pom. recall
that John Apnciton on tho James Rogers
farm adjacent to Cantwelrs Bridge also
had o lareo orchard About tho same time
Major Phillip Reybold had entered cx-
tensivolv into tho peach business IN Sas-
safras Neck Md. and was shipping them
by steamboat through tho canal. Even at
that early stage Of tho business. however.
thcre was danger that the market would
be ovorsiocked. After the market broke
down ono day In Philadelphia. Major Roy
bold. who was thorough business man.
watched for the next boat and hca6ed her
on down the river and had hcr cargo
thrown overheard and the boat sent back
10 The orchard while they cleaned Up the
market IN Philadelphia. Aside from these
few large orchards. the average farmer
had only a few scattering trees. nearly all
OF which. think, were natural fruit. buf
some very fine. ! am not an authority or
the growing Of peaches but I have heard
Il said that tho peach seed planted Is an
uncertain quantity for II YOU should plant
the seed OF every peach from ono tree. you
would have no certainty Of getting two
alike. I know that some fruit that has
never been grated Is very fine. and other
natural fruit IS too mean to be nt for use.
In 1850 ! went with my father to Della
ware City to bank and got my frst sight
OF Major Rcybold. who in those days was
known far and wide for his Importance in
tho business community. while waiting
at the bank for father 10 get through with
his business. there was continually paes-
Ing regular peach wagons built for tho
purpose. loaded with fine peaches and i
think Of the late White Heath Cling var
icty which was one Of tho finest pro-
serving yaricties ever grown. but there
are only a few Of them on the market
nowadays I learned later that these fine
peaches were grown by tho Ciarks and
lie Reynolds and al that time a great
many fine peaches woro grown In the
vicinity OF Delaware city. But the farm
crs about Cantwells Bridge were taking
notice and catching tho fever They set out
orchards very sparingy. except John Ath-
erly. whom I omitted and should have
named with Dr. Ulher and shallcross Il
is a fact that an these early growers were
Philadolphians. except Serrlck Il. Shall
cross. and be was Pennsylvania. About
this period, 1850. Daniel Corhit. James v.
Moore. Joshua Fonlmore John Appleton.
had only small acres Of orchards and
would haul all their crop to tho boat with
one-horse wagon that would carry 25 or