1879.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
217 
disc harrow not only does this, but it cuts and 
breaks up the long litter, and reduces it to frag¬ 
ments. This harrow consists of a series of thin, 
sharp-edged discs, which revolve upon axles in a 
different direction from that of the movement of 
the implement. Each disc thus not only cuts into 
the soil, but it throws up a small furrow of light 
soil behind it, this latter effect being assisted by the 
concave or saucer-shaped form of the disc. The 
result is very satisfactory either when sod has been 
turned down (and this comes under the head of 
manuring), or when coarse manure is to be spread; 
the soil, too, is left in a very favorable condition 
for sowing or planting. These short hints may be 
found seasonable at any time, because the making 
and use of manure is a work of every day in the 
year in one way or another, or should be. 
-••«>-«*>-- 
A Bun Through the Peninsula. 
Editorial Correspondence. 
During the past year we have published Editorial 
Correspondence setting forth the advantages of 
Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and other Western 
and North-Western States for those seeking new 
homes. There are other regions of country in the 
East and South, which likewise hold out induce¬ 
ments to those who may desire to engage in fruit 
raising, gardening, or general farming, and who re¬ 
quire a warmer climate than is found in the far 
West. One of these regions is the Peninsula 
bounded by the Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic 
Ocean on the east, and the Chesapeake Bay on the 
West, and commonly denominated “ the Penin¬ 
sula.” It comprises the entire State of Delaware, the 
Eastern shore of Maryland, and two counties of Vir¬ 
ginia. The area embraces about6,000 square miles, of 
which 8 /*ths constitute the State of Delaware., 4 /»ths 
the Eastern shore of Maryland, and 2 / 9 ths are within 
the limits of Virginia. The climate is mild and ge¬ 
nial. The soil is easily cultivated and the seasons are 
early. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York are 
within easy distance, and lands formerly comprising 
large plantations, are now being divided, and can 
be purchased from $10, up to $100 per acre. The 
population of this Peninsula now amounts to some 
300,000. It is claimed, owing to the above reasons, 
that there is room here for a population of fully 
1,500,000. During the month of May, we made 
a pleasant trip through this region of country, and 
were favorably impressed with what we saw, especi¬ 
ally in Delaware. The accompanying map shows 
the route we travelled. The native inhabitants 
appeared desirous to have Northern people settle 
among them, and the latter,—those with with 
whom we conversed,—appeared well pleased with 
their new homes. 
Inducements for Manufacturers. 
Leaving the main line of the Philadelphia, Wil¬ 
mington and Baltimore R. R. at Delaware Junction, 
near Wilmington, we soon reached the venerable 
city of New Castle, which, as an inducement to 
manufacturing interests to locate within her limits, 
exempts manufacturers from all taxes for a period 
of ten years. The Triton Cotton Mills, the Tasker 
Iron Works, Steel Rolling Mills, Flour Mills, Cotton 
Warp Mills, and other industries are in full opera¬ 
tion. A few miles further south we entered 
a tract of rolling country, dotted with hand¬ 
some residences, and herds of Hereford and 
Shorthorn cattle. Fine crops of wheat and 
com are also raised here, and large orchards 
of apple and peach trees meet the eye in 
every direction. Buena-Vista, the former 
home of John M. Clayton, Secretary of State 
under President Taylor, was pointed out. It 
is now managed entirely by its owner, Miss 
Douglass, a niece of the deceased statesman. 
The Great Peach Region. 
From Bear Station, fine farms are seen on 
both 6ides of the railroad. Reaching Kirk¬ 
wood, we entered upon the great peach dis¬ 
trict, 100 miles in length, and having an av¬ 
erage width of 30 miles. The land is rolling, 
and has a red clayey subsoil with a sandy 
loam. At Mount Pleasant, the eye rests 
upon a level country, extending from bay to 
bay, covered with farms devoted to peaches, 
strawberries, blackberries, apples, etc. One 
of the farmers stated to us that corn here 
yielded from 40 to 60 bushels per acre, and 
wheat from 25 to 30 bushels per acre. Ex¬ 
tensive hedges of Black Thom and Osage Or¬ 
ange are to be seen. Four miles west of this 
station lies Wheatland, the former home of 
Major John Jones, a great agriculturist in 
his day, who was one of the founders of the 
United States Agricultural Society, and was 
also very active in having the Department of 
Agriculture established at Washington. The 
farm is now owned and cultivated by his son, 
John A. Jones, who has invented several ag¬ 
ricultural implements. 
Shipping Peaches. 
Nearing Middletown, we passed the Fair 
Grounds of the Peninsular Agricultural and 
Pomological Association. The annual exhi¬ 
bitions here are largely attended by people 
from the surrounding country. Middletown, 
34 miles from Wilmington, is in the center of 
a rich farming district. Though wheat, corn, 
and cattle are raised here, the peach crop is 
the main industry of the farmers. The fmit 
is shipped to Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, 
Buffalo, Toronto, New York, Boston, and 
Other places. While New York is the main point 
of destination, the shippers make serious com¬ 
plaints against the charges of the commission mer¬ 
chants of that city. The prices from Jersey City 
to the stalls in New York are beyond all reason, 
they assert. The cars for the transportation of 
fruits are built upon passenger springs and trucks, 
are well ventilated, and fitted up with strong 
shelves, upon which the fruit is securely stowed. 
Fruit loaded on the cars will stand transportation 
over 1,000 miles, or from 50 to 60 hours of continu¬ 
ous running, if gathered in proper condition. 
Leaving Middletown, we passed several estab¬ 
lishments for preserving fruit, by evaporation. The 
road lay through one continuons series of peach 
orchards, until we reached Townsend, the junction 
of the Kent County and Queen Anne’s Railroad. 
This is the highest altitude of the Peninsula, being 
96 feet above the tide level. The land is of a heavy 
clay, and well adapted to grass and wheat. Near¬ 
ing Green Spring, we entered upon an area of small 
fruits, and thrifty cherry orchards of “ Early Rich¬ 
mond.” Here connections are made with the Kent 
County and Chesapeake Railroads; the former 
running to Chestertown, the county seat of Kent 
County, and the latter to Easton, the county 6eat 
of Talbot County. 
Fine Fruit Farms. 
It is a matter of regret that time would not allow 
us to visit Kent Co., Md., where, in the vicinity of 
Chestertown, are located some of the oldest and 
finest fruit farms of all this region. Not far from 
Chestertown are the orchards of the late Col. Ed¬ 
ward Wilkins, by whose death, last December, the 
country lost one of its most intelligent and enthusi¬ 
astic fruit growers. His orchards were, at one 
time, the largest on the Peninsula, and consequent¬ 
ly the largest in the world. Near by are the cele¬ 
brated orchards—largely in pears, of Mr. Emory, 
and those of Mr. Blakiston, and others, which we 
should have been glad to visit had they not been 
outside of our prescribed route. Comparatively 
little of the fruit from this district goes to New 
York and other northern markets, the bulk of it 
being taken by the canning establishments at Balti¬ 
more. The operations of Col. Wilkins were on so 
large a scale that he ran his own steamer from the 
wharf at his orchards to Baltimore. Those who live 
here, claim that it is one of the garden spots of the 
Peninsula. Considering the fact that the inhabi¬ 
tants are confined, in their season, to Oysters, Soft- 
Shelled Crabs, Terrapin, Canvas-back, Red-heads, 
and other Ducks, with no end of fish, while there is 
a profusion of fruit, we must say that they manage 
to survive in spite of their surroundings. 
. Dover. 
Passing Brenford and Moorton we reached Dover, 
47 miles from Wilmington, and the capital of the 
State. It is a very pretty place, of some 2,000 in¬ 
habitants, having a post-office which cost $70,000, 
and several other fine public buildings. Not far 
from the town are seen the handsome grounds of 
the Fairview Park, an agricultural society which 
gave its first exhibition last year. Among other in¬ 
dustries we visited here were the canning works of 
Messrs. Richardson & Robbins. They have about 
$175,000 capital invested, and put up fruits and 
meats to the value of about $250,000 annually. As 
many as 180,000 pounds of poultry have been con¬ 
sumed in the canning operations here within three 
months’ time. Twenty-four years ago, Mr. Richard¬ 
son, who is a Massachusetts man, started the enter¬ 
prise in a small way by canning peaches with the 
aid of a cooking stove. The tomb of John M. 
Clayton is pointed out to visitors in the Presbyterian 
Church-yard. Dover is the residence of Judge 
James Alexander Fulton, whose “ Peach Culturist ” 
is the standard work on the cultivation of the peach. 
An Old Subscriber. 
Near Wyoming Station, a few miles from Dover, 
we visited the farm of Mr. A. H. Carey, who has 
been a subscriber to the American Agriculturist for 
a score of years. Mr. Cary went from New York 
State to Australia, and after remaining there thir¬ 
teen years among the mines, came to this spot some 
thirteen years ago. He now has a most flourishing 
farm of over 400 acres, which embraces about 75 
acres in peaches and apples, 15 acres in pears, 30 
acres in blackberries, 10 acres in strawberries, and 
12 acres in raspberries, mainly “ The Queen of the 
Market.” He has also several head of Jersey cat¬ 
tle on his place. The adjacent fruit farm of Mr. J. 
G. Brown, formerly of Pennsylvania, will likewise 
repay a visit. It consists of 400 acres, of which 
209 are laid out in peach trees. Fifty acres are dg» 
MAP OP THE PENINSULA. 
