Milford chronicle., 1910-02-04
PEACH SITUATION ON
DELMARVIA PENINSULA
Committee Of Horticultural Society
Has Made Exhaustive Inquiry.

The peach crop ofthe Peninsula
will be reviewed and the exact con-
dition Of this once great industry
will be known in every fruit grow
er's home on the Peninsula in few
weeks.
Everybody outside Of Delaware
has conserved the idea that the
peach industry has been wholly
abandoned, but Notwithstanding
this, there are many peach orchards
and there will be a peach crop this
year-probably good one.
An investigation has been going
on for several weeks to get at the
real condition of peach-growing on
the Peninsula which made peaches
famous.
W. C. Dawson, one of the PENN
sula 5 most progressive and ablest
fruit growers. was appointed by the
Peninsula Horticultural Society as
chairman Of a committee on peach
es, to investigate the conditions and
publish a complete report in the
society 5 year book, soon to be
printed by order Of the State OF
Delaware.
As usual Mr.. Dawson set to work
with a will and his report is full OF
interest and actual conditions. In
his opening, in speaking OF the
peach crops Of the past, he says:
During the summers, every rail-
road and every steamboat line was
taxed to its utmost in transporting
the fruit to various accessible mar
kets, and the local banks were
flooded with money that came back
TO US in exchange for the peaches.
Now we find that apples are taking
first place and peaches falling to
third or fourth in point of interest.
Chairman Dawson then relates
the work of the committee on peach
es. how, in order to secure its in
formation, the committee adopted
the plan Of sending out several
hundred question blanks, covering
the peach situation, and out Of the
many inquiries sent out, replies
were received to forty per centum,
which makes the committee very
thankful.
Consequently, the committee
finds
That the peach acreage has fallen
of more than one half.
That a conservation estimate
places the acreage at fOrty-hve per
cent. OF ten years ago.
That during the past few years
more trees have been pulled out
than planted.
That during the FIVE years ending
in 1908, the Delaware Railroad
moved 5000 baskets.
That during the next FIVE years,
ending with 1908, the total was 81
I64 5o8 baskets, a decrease Of ,,
4So, 3qS baskets.
That the year 1909 shows the to-
tai peach movement on the Della
ware Railroad was II 474 baskets,
the severe weather had
killed the crop.
That while these figures do not in
clude water shipments. they are
given more particularly for compari-
son.
That in striking an average ofre-
suits, a decrease of income of$2oo,
900 per year from ten years ago, is
shown.
That the invasion of the SanJOse
Scale caused the destruction of mum
berless trees before it was learned
how to successfully combat it.
That at present we feel positive
that we know how to keep this scale
in subjection, and If everybody
sprayed as should be done, the scale
would not be a source of very great
menace" " Either the homemade
Or the bought mixture will do the
work if the spraying is done thor
oughly.
That the 'yellows is more seri-
Gus than the scale. It is not so
thoroughly understood and there
has been no remedy found but the
axe.
That other sections Of the United
States have the yellow" and are
continuing to grow peaches pro-
itably.
Chairman Dawson then goes on
in his forthcoming report to show
other reasons for peach depletion.
He says:
Without doubt, the awakening
Of our people to the fact that our
of soil and climate are
50 particularly suitable to the pro-
duction of other crops of fruit and /
has had much to do with !
he curtailment of peach growing.
This is fortunate, as it has influen- |
ced us to diversity our products, and |
not todepend too much on any one.
The effect this has upon peaches is
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