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Odessa, Del., April 3, 1888.

Erwin F. Smith Esq.

Dear Sir: - In reply to yours received yesterday,- what
is known as the peach district of this New Castle Co., is the lower
section extending along and south of the Del. & Chesapeake canal,
embracing about one-third of the area of the county. In parts
of this section or district peaches were grown for market as
early as 1840,  the acreage gradually extending until the
maximum was reached in 1875, since when it has
steadily decreased.  There is no <s>data</s> certain data to
determine the number of bearing trees for any given year, but

1. Judging from and estimating the shipments made in
different seasons, & taking the average crop yield for those
years, I would say the highest number was 1,000,000
bearing trees in the section indicated [1870], and as the
usual "set" is 100 trees per acre, it would give 10,000 as
the number of acres in bearing trees.

2. In 1887 this estimated number had decreased to less
than one-third the maximum number of trees in <s>blossom</s>bearing
for reasons , in part, stated in answer to question 4.

3. In this section or neighborhood of which Odessa is the
centre the cultivation of peaches on an extended scale commenced
in about 1852, and in the subsequent few
years probably not less than 100,000 trees were planted
on and near the navigable streams leading into the
Delaware Bay.  In 1857 all orchards in this section
showed more or less  indications of disease, the trees
being generally short-lived, producing premature fruit
and showing unmistakable symptoms of the yellows.  The 
above has reference to orchards planted previous to 1857.
The trees planted in and after 1858 being generally healthy
long-lived and comparatively free from disease. But
I have never known an orchard in this section entirely
exempt from disease since 1856.

4. Much depends on the nursery stock, the locations
and adaptability of the ground, the manner & mode of
cultivation, but in my judgement more on the
Seasons and weather conditions.

In this latitude the peach buds during the winter
and before commencing to swell are considered on the
danger live with the temperature at zero - at 10 degrees
below zero they are all killed and the bearing wood
more or less injured- at 14 degrees below zero the
bearing wood under the bark presents a discolored
sickly appearance, much the same as
the wood from a diseased or premature bearing
tree [This is not constant!]  The extent to which
        