18 PEACH CULTtTEE. 



The prospects now are that, in a few years, Sussex County 

 will rival Kent in the extent and value of her peach crop. 



The Maryland counties lying contiguous are also in- 

 creasing their peach areaj and, in consequence of the 

 completion of several branch railroads, peach growing 

 will receive a strong impetus. Their soil and climate are 

 in all respects well adapted to the production of this de- 

 licious fruit. 



The two Virginia counties on the eastern shore possess 

 equal natural advantages, but the want of railroad facili- 

 ties has heretofore prevented them from availing them- 

 flelves of such to the same extent as their neighbors. 



There can be no doubt that the Delaware Peninsula 

 alone has capacity to produce peaches enough to supply 

 the whole of the United States. 



The crop of the Peninsula for 1869 has been estimated 

 as high as four million baskets, but we think this too high. 

 It has certainly been three millions, or more ; perhaps 

 three and a half. This estimate is made principally from 

 actual statistics. The railroad carried 2,115,500 ; the 

 steamers, from Mahon, about 300,000 ; from other points, 

 probably 800,000 ; in all, 3,215,500. 



It is now, 1889, estimated that with a full crop we 

 have a tree-capacity to produce 10,000,000 baskets. 



Kew Jersey was the first to engage in peach culture ex- 

 tensively, and for export ; and, for many years, took the 

 lead. But, more recently, she has nearly abandoned the 

 business, except in a few localities. Several causes ha,ve 

 contributed to this result. One of these has been the 

 prevalence of the Yellows, which has ravaged her beauti- 

 ful orchards with remorseless fury. This fatal disease 

 seems not only to be epidemic there, but localized, and 

 chronic. Young orchards are attacked almost as soon as 

 they come into bearing, and are generally worthless after 

 the second crop. 



Another is, that the cultivation of small fruits, such as 

 strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, has been found 



