Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1909-06-11

Wal SdnQ 10 Il IltdNg Cldys IL 10
practically all easily titled because
of its character and its nearly level
position. The sandy lands, though
not naturally retentive of moisture
and fertilizer are easily made so by
the use of leguminnus green man
ures. which grow in great album
dance. Cowpeas and crimson clio
yer are especially valuable and cas-
| ily grown with inexpensive mineral
fertilizers, applied in moderate
amounts. When turned under they
furnish plenty of humus and nitro
geneous plant food to insure album
dant crops of such vegetables as
sweet and Irish potatoes, tomatoes,
cabbage, melons and corn, all OF
which are highly profitable and are
grown in immense quantities. These
lands are easily worked at any time
when not frozen. They warm very
quickly in the spring and are espec-
1 iallv valuable for market gardening.
They are also well adapted for the
| famous Delaware peaches and straw
berries, grown in great abundance
all through the peninsula.
The kindly soil is greatly favored
also by the long warm, moist season,
which is also aided by a vell-distrib-
uted rainfall, averaging 46 inches a
year In this climate such crops as
crimson clover, spinach, cabbage,
kale, and other hardy plants will
grow almost all winter, so that the
ground may be utilized for several
| months longer than land on equal
latitude farther from the sea. This
| feature is of special value to the
market gardener who can take adj
vantage Of it and secure two, three,
or even four crops in single sea-
son. Wheat, barley, oats and rye
are all grown toa greater or less eX-
tent, but as the land can be used
more proftably for Vegetables and
fruits, these crops are less popular
than formerly.
Though dairying, sheep swine and
cattle raising and horse breeding are
| less practiced than in other sections
this is only because crops are con-
sidered more profitable than stock.
! There is no reason, however, why
these branches of agriculture should
not be undertaken on a larger scale
than they are at present. They
would almost all be profitable
enough at least to supply local de
mands and in some cases be proiita-
bic also for supplying needs outside
of the State.
Poultry raising is less popular
than it should be, for the same rea-
son. Much of the land is admirably
adapted to egg, broiler and rooster
farming, and where streams are To-
Gated waterfowl would be extremely
profitable, because the breeding
stock could feed themselves for al
most the entire year, and most OF
the food for other fowls could be Sc
cured from the water and the pas
ture. Along the shores of the bays
there are many locations as admira-
| BILE for goose and duck raising as
the famous ones of Long Island.
| This branch OF farming is practically
undeveloped in Delaware.
LARGE acreages are devoted an
nuallv to corn, more especially
sweet corn which is raised to supply
the demands Of the city markets.
Under the influence of the Delaware
corn association great interest has
been aroused in the growing of I'M
proved strains of corn. The coming
autumn will see still greater in
ducements to corn growers to i'm
prove strains and increase yields. 1t
! is expected that there will be a boys
contest so that school children may
take advantage of the opportunity to
become vitality acquainted with corn
growing.
Through the influence of the
grange, a aourishing organization in
the State, leading branches of agri-
culture are fostered and home inn
provements encouraged. The grange
works in connection with the State
Department of agriculture, exercis-
ing a strong influence for good thro'
out the State. This autumn a series
of Womens' Institutes will be held
supplementary to the Farmers In
stitutes conducted, which the agri-
cultural department will continue
Jas in past years.