2210 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



of the small-fruits raised in Kansas, with strawberries 

 second in importance. The acreage of blackberries 

 and dewberries increased from 2,044 in 1899 to 2,682 

 in 1909, when the production was 2,535,918 quarts, 

 valued at $201,134. The acreage of strawberries 

 decreased in the same period from 2,304 in 1899, to 

 1,719 in 1909, when the production was 2,119,048 

 quarts, valued at $178,094. The productions of other 

 berries of importance in 1909 were: 616,035 quarts of 

 raspberries and loganberries, valued at $56,446; 138,772 

 quarts of gooseberries, valued at $12,460; and 67,005 

 quarts of currants, valued at $6,023. 



Among the vegetables, the potato is by far the most 

 important. In 1909 the acreage devoted to potatoes 

 was 79,025 from which were produced 5,647,049 

 bushels, valued at $3,471,488, more than the value of 

 all the other vegetables. The more important of the 

 other vegetables, their acreage, and value of their 

 products in 1909 follow: sweet potatoes and yams, 4,883 

 acres, valued at $373,432; watermelons, 3,317 acres, 

 valued at $131,527; tomatoes, 1,237 acres, valued at 

 $84,937; sweet corn, 3,653 acres, valued at $75,499; 

 cabbage, 1,007 acres, valued at $55,812; and onions, 

 243 acres, valued at $29,753. Other vegetables grown 

 were asparagus, green beans, cantaloupes and musk- 

 melons, pop-corn, cucumbers, lettuce, green peas, 

 rhubarb, and turnips. 



The acreage devoted to the growth of flowers and 

 plants increased from 75 in 1899 to 161 in 1909. The 

 total area under glass in 1909 was 781,498 square feet, 

 of which 728,421 were covered by greenhouses and 

 53,077 by sashes and frames. The value of the plants 

 and flowers produced in 1909 was $273,715, as com- 

 pared with $79,765, their value in 1899. 



The acreage devoted to the growth of nursery prod- 

 ucts increased from 3,449 acres in 1899 to 4,003 acres 

 in 1909, an increase of 16.1 per cent. The value of the 

 nursery products in 1909 was $948,493, as compared 

 with $447,053 in 1899. ALBERT DICKENS. 



SOUTH ATLANTIC STATES. 

 Delaware. 



Geographically, Delaware (Fig. 2508) is divided into 

 three counties, New Castle in the north, Kent in the 

 center and Sussex in the south. Geologically, there are 

 but two distinct regions, Piedmont, and Atlantic coastal 

 plain. New Castle, the northern county, lies partially 

 in the Piedmont region and partially in the coastal plain 

 region, the northern portion being hilly and of a rolling 

 topography and the remainder gently rolling with a 

 gentle slope to south and east. The remainder of the 

 state has no elevations of any consequence, the surface 

 varying from slightly rolling in the north to flat, nearly 

 level lands in the south. All along the eastern side of 

 the state, many inlets and short navigable streams 

 indent the coast. A narrow stretch of marshlands 

 borders the coast from north to south. The greater 

 part of the state lies below 100 feet above sea-level and 

 the southern half lies below the 50 feet contour. 



The soils of the state are well diversified; yet for the 

 most part they are fertile and especially adapted to 

 fruit- and vegetable-culture. The soil types of New 

 Castle County vary greatly, while those of the other 

 two counties are rather uniform. The principal soil 

 types of Kent and Sussex counties are those of the Nor- 

 folk and Portsmouth series, viz., Norfolk loams and 

 sands, and Portsmouth loams and sands. 



The climate of the state is mild, the temperature, 

 except in the extreme northern part, seldom falling 

 below zero in winter. The close proximity of Delaware 

 Bay on the east and Chesapeake Bay on the west has 

 a decided modifying effect upon the climate. Injurious 

 early fall frosts are practically unknown, while it is 

 seldom that late spring frosts are limiting factors in 



PHILADELPHIA 



crop-production. The rainfall is approximately 40 

 inches a year. The distribution of this rainfall varies 

 from year to year, but it is not often that the state 

 suffers from excessive droughts. 



The leading horticultural crops are tomatoes, aspara- 

 gus, apples, peaches, grapes, pears, strawberries, canta- 

 loupes, watermelons, peas, sweet potatoes and white 

 potatoes. There are many kinds of vegetables grown 

 for the city markets, but the above-mentioned are the 

 principal ones grown on a trucking scale. 



Delaware was formerly noted for its peach-produc- 

 tion, which industry began in 1832. The high-water 

 mark in peach-production was probably reached in the 

 late sixties and early seventies. With the advent of the 

 yellows and other peach diseases, the industry began 

 to decline and reached its lowest ebb about 1910. 

 Since that time a new interest has been aroused, better 

 methods of culture are being practised and the business 

 is rapidly centering into the hands of specialists. 

 During 1914 and 1915, thousands of young peach 

 orchards have been planted. Varieties have been 

 standarized and most of the old-time favorites have 

 disappeared. The principal varieties grown are Elberta, 

 Belle of Georgia, Champion, Carman and Frances. 

 The old-time varieties, such 

 as Crawford's Late, Craw- 

 ford's Early, Moore's Favor- 

 ite, Reeves Favorite, Old 

 Mixon, Stump, Mountain 

 Rose and Smock have dis- 

 appeared from the com- 

 mercial orchards. In the 

 future horticulture of the 

 state, the peach is destined 

 to play an important part. 

 The apple is probably 

 the leading tree-fruit of the 

 state. The apple industry 

 is largely centralized in the 

 central part of the state; 

 but practically one-half of 

 the farming area of 

 Delaware is suitable 

 for apple -culture. 

 The industry began 

 in central Kent 

 County only a com- 

 paratively few years 

 ago and it was not 

 until about 1900 that 

 the apple crop of the 

 state began to attract 

 attention. Delaware 

 is especially suited to 

 the production of cer- 

 tain varieties of win- 

 ter apples of high 

 quality and the grow- 

 ers are specializing 

 in those varieties. 

 Early apples do well 

 and a large and 

 profitable business ia 

 carried on in growing 



10 SO 30 



2508. Delaware, showing the 

 three counties. 



Yellow Transparent, Early Ripe and Williams. The apple 

 is destined to be a close rival of the peach and probably 

 in a few years will surpass the latter in production and 

 value. Unlike the peach industry, the apple industry 

 has been in the hands of specialists from the very 

 beginning and to this fact can be accounted its steady 

 growth. The farmyard apple orchard plays but little 

 part in the economics of Delaware apple-production. 

 The principal varieties of late apples are Jonathan, 

 Stayman, Paragon (Arkansas) , Winesap, York Imperial, 

 Nero, Rome and Grimes. Of these varieties, the Stay- 

 man is especially adapted to Delaware conditions. 



