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my possession that will in any way
assist in unmistakably establishing the 
cause of the disease, or a remedy for 
it.

Very truly etc.
J. W. Kerr.

copy

Seaford, Delaware
April 23, 1888.

Mr. Erwin F. Smith,

Dear Sir:- In reply to yours
of the 10th I have to say that there is at
least twice the acreage of peach orchard
in Sussex Co. to-day, that there was in 1880,
and the planting of new orchards continues
with increased impetus.

The first orchards for commercial
purposes were planted near Seaford
about 1855. In fact I have the honor
of having, when a school-boy sold the first
baskets of peaches for shipment beyond the 
borders of the state, at the Seaford depot
the first year that the Dela. R. R. was
open for traffic from this point.  I received
for them two dollars and a half
per basket in gold, at the depot. The
orchards from which these peaches were
taken was a small family one, consisting
of about one hundred trees of the 
leading varieties, and finer fruit I have
never seen.  It was planted about the
years 1847 or 48, on the farm on which
I now reside, and lived to produce excellent
fruit for nearly thirty years.
        