
          110

"In the early morning * * * we start for Dover, the State capitol,
and the centre of the finest peach district in the world. * *

"The rapid advance in the price of real estate has, within a
few years, made many fortunes.  Twenty years since the ruling
price was from 3 to 10 dollars per acre in the 'forest', graded according
to the value of the cord wood and timber. * * The land is
generally now valued at one hundred times its original cost, and
the profits of a well-managed peach orchard will pay the advanced
price in a few years.

* * * *

"At Dover is a large distillery and three canning establishements,
capable of preparing 25,000 cans of peaches a day. * *

"From Dover the railroad carries a daily average of ten thousand
baskets, while three large steamers ply between its port at
Mahon and New York City during the season and are unequal to the
freight.  Today, hundreds of baskets are left on the wharf to perish,
or to be sold to distillers at a very low price.  Yet the
loaded wagons still come to the landing, and a mile away we see
clouds of dust indicating the speed by which the driver hopes to
get on board his last load.

"The trees in this vicinity [Dover] are large and endure to a
great age.  An orchard outside the limits of the town  planted upward
of half a century since still bears fruit.  We measured one
patriarchal tree bending under its load of delicious Early Yorks
that was forty-seven inches around the trunk, while its branches
spread over a diameter of forty-two feet"- p. 5/8.
        