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Odessa, April 6, 1888.

Erwin F. Smith Esq.

Dear Sir: -

When I mailed communication of
the 3rd instant I was not then aware that you were one
of those engaged in making a scientific examination
of the Peninsular orchards, and it has occurred to me
that probably the answers given to queries received did not
fully convey the information desired.  If so, I will as far as able
cheerfully give any additional information if you will
designed what is wished.

It may not be inappropriate however, to here add that
there is, especially in the lower districts - of the Peninsula,
an erroneous impression as to the cause of the rapid
decrease in the number of bearing orchards in this
section since 1875.  While it is true for reasons stated,
as for others, that trees are not now as healthy
and long-lived as formerly, the low prices for fruit
then prevailing induced many growers to regard the
business as overdone, and in consequence many
good [?] orchards were taken out, others sown in
grasses, which, for want of cultivation, soon ceased
bearing and died out.

As stated in former letter much depends on
location and soil.  There are sections in this district
when orchard never did well [where are
they? Find out ], the trees soon showing indications
of disease and decline, while in others they have
been grown continuously and successfully for
30 years [where are they?]. The experience of Messrs
Reybold and others in the neighborhood of Del. City is
often cited as an evidence that when orchards
once fail they cannot again be successfully raised;
and yet along the line of the Sassafras river
in Md. there were bearing orchards of the same time
[No! 10 yrs later] and [illegible] as the Del. City district previous
to 1856 and along that river are now [illegible]
some of the best Maryland orchards [now full of yellows-
See my Field Notes for Aug. 1887]. The same is also true
of parts of New Jersey that were in bearing at the 
period above named.

Our friend D. J. Cummins of Smyrna has a farm
in this county situated on the Del. Bay on which
orchards have been continuously grown since
1852, the same ground now in bearing trees
        