Evening journal., 1909-07-16
Friday, July 10, 1909
DELAWARE AS A GARDEN.

TIE Colonel duPonts interest in the raising OF
Il potatoes as a Delaware crop does moth
inc more than turn the attention Of Deawar-
cans to the possibilities of the State as a big
truck garden his efforts will have reaped sub
stantial reward 1t will be recalled that Sena-
tor DUPONT proposed an increase IN the duty on
foreign potatoes. lie made the proposal at the
request of the potato producers OF the State
He has been severely criticised IN certain
quarters It was said that this trHng increase
of duty would mean an advance in the cost 'ot
potatoes TO Wilmington consumers. Yet when
the matter is examined we find that freight rates
have much to do with potato culture III this
State and the cost of potatoes
NC called attention TO the statement OF Mr.
Jenkins as to the comparative rates Tor shipping
wheat and potatoes. And as Mr.. jenkins says
the railroad company will be standing IN its
own light if it does not encourage the produc-
ton of potatoes in Delaware by giving the
farmers more favorable rates. When attention
was first turned to potatoes, probably lew per
sons not in close touch with the situation reale
lied that Delaware is a considerable producer
of notatoes and that i'm the near future such
vegetables will be planted in quantities never be-
fore equalled This State, at all events prom-
ses 10 have bountiful supply of potatoes, and
If the tariff as proposed by Senator DUPONT en-
couraees the Delaware farmers to engage IN po-
tato culture TO still larger extent we think lew
in Wilmington will begrudge the Slight advance
in duty. a..
AS we have remarked this question opens the
entire subject of Delaware as a truck garden
Our State papers arc well filled with the discus
sion started by the potato matter we trust
that the interest will be continued 1t has be-
come apparent that the days of Delaware as a
neach producing State of any considerable pro-
norton have passed The farmers must there
fore look to other crops and they are Iustihed
In making the experiment Of potato growing
although it is hardly an eXperiment-on larg
cr scale But the railroad company would DC
tbe greatest lever to lift Delaware into the front
rank as a truck producing State
We have no doubt that 1t the Horticultural
Society and the farmers organizations OF the
State seek the cooperation of the Railroad Com
nanv action beneficial to both will be taken. The
Delaware Railroad Company is one of the best
managed and richest corporations of its kind III
the country. Its stock is valuable and is in
creasine in value Mints of money in times past
have dropped into its Golfers from the farms OF
Delaware. In good seasons and in bad, wheth-
cr prices of fruit were high or low, the How was
steady into the railroad treasury. And any loss
of revenue from the failure of fruit crops has It
seems been made up from other sources. With
low rates on truck, on potatoes and other things,
with the energy that the Railroad Company
could put into a positive plan TO make of Del
aware a garden there would be practically no
limit to the development of the natural richness
OF Delaware.
The attack on Senator dupont because. of his
interest in agricultural Delaware may be the
means of a stirring campaign for the better de-
veopment OF the agricultural interests ot the
State.
1t is natural, however that the Senator
should take an interest in Delaware agriculture
as we'll as in manufacturing, because he has
been land owner and farmer himself for many
years.