The population of the county, according to the State enumeration of 1905, was 107,267. This was an increase over the report of the national census for 1900 of 3,408. Of this number, 41,014 lived in the cities of Newburgh and Middletown. In 1880 the county ranked eleventh in the State for population, ninth in the value of its farms, and third in the value of its farm buildings. It was second in the yield of hay, second also in corn, and third in wheat and potatoes. In the dairy department it stood right at the head, being first in cows and also in the average yield per cow. Even in its production of wool the county had fourth place.
Samuel W. Eager, the early and conscientious historian of Orange County, speaking of the agricultural aspect of the county in 1847, says:
"The soil is above medium character for all agricultural purposes, and while the agriculture of the county is above mediocrity, the soil may be considered worn out and exhausted, as respects growing large or profitable crops of wheat, without manuring too expensively. That article must be purchased of the western farmer, who yet drives his ploughshare through a strong and virgin soil. That this crop must be abandoned for the present, and the land employed to raise grass, or other grains, is a dictate of common sense, and we trust our farmers are wise enough to see it, and not struggle in an unequal contest against the easy culture and large crops of the West."
While this advice was doubtless justified, statistics show it was not followed. The wheat crop of 1874 was greater than that of 1840, and the yield per acre was better under the improved culture. No attempt is made to compete with the vast wheat fields of the far West in the production of this great staple grain, which in fact is only grown to a very limited extent in this county to-day.
Small fruits, peaches, apples and other orchard fruits are extensively grown in some parts of the county, especially in the upper river section, about Newburgh and Cornwall. The peach industry began in the Newburgh district about 1880, and in the Pine Island section about 1895, and for a time some fine crops were gathered when the winters were not too severe. But of late the orchards are less promising because of the devastations of the San Jose scale, which, together with the severe winters, make peach growing a precarious business in this section. The leaf curl and peach yellows are other discouraging features, and it takes an intelligent and industrious grower to succeed in the business. He must spray and spray, and also dig the borers from the base of the tree trunks diligently.
Among the largest peach growers in the Warwick, New Milford and Pine Island districts are E. G. Stiebeling, 6,000 trees; J. B. Rhodes, 4,000; J. R. Feagles, 4,000; Harvey Vail, 6,000; E. D. Waterbury, 3,000; J. C. Drew, 2,000; G. W. Hyatt, 6,000; W. S. Layton, 4,000; Henry Demorest, 4,000; Barry Walch, 3,000; Henry Patton, 2,000; Thomas Willing, 2,000; H. F. Wheeler, 2,000; Knapp & Husted, 1,500; George Benedict, 1,000; J. E. Sanford, 2,000. Florida District: J. O. Gable, 3,000; H. D. Jessup, 3,000; Charles Jessup, 3,000; John Houston, 2,000; E. Lovett, 2,000. Chester District: E. N. Demorest, 2,000. The largest fruit growers in the Middlehope section are E. D. Barns, Nathaniel Barns, Nat. C. Barns, John W. Bingham, W. J. Fowler, V. J. Kohl and many others. Barnyard manure, muriate of potash and ground bone are the fertilizers used. It is found by these growers that the peach can only be grown upon high, dry land with profit. The flavor of the fruit produced here is like that of the lower Ulster and northern Orange section, of high quality, and it brings the best price.
Red raspberries and strawberries were very successfully grown in different parts of the county some years ago, especially about Cornwall and Newburgh, and the northern river section. And both these popular fruits are still produced to a large extent. Among these small fruit enthusiasts there were the late Rev. E. P. Roe and N. P. Willis, of Cornwall. North of Newburgh was the home of Andrew J. Downing and Charles Downing, his brother, whose standard work on "The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America" has been the recognized authority upon nomenclature and description of fruits in America, ever since it was written.
THE ORANGE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This society is one of the oldest and best known organizations in the county. It had its beginning at a meeting of citizens called pursuant to law by Lebbeus L. Vail, county clerk, to organize a county agricultural society, and held in the Old Stone Court House at Goshen, September 11, 1841. Of the persons who attended that meeting the names of the following have been rescued from oblivion: John Caldwell, Jesse Bull, Nicholas Dederer, Blooming Grove; William Sayer, Cornwall; Alexander Thompson, Crawford; Aaron Van Duzer, Charles Monell, John Wilson, Hezekiah H. Strong, Phineas Rumsey, James W. Carpenter, Goshen; Hamilton Morrison, Samuel Wait, Jr., John Wait, Gideon Pelton, John A. Smith, Montgomery; Frederic J. Betts, Charles Downing, Henry Robinson, Newburgh; Leonard Lee, John R. Caldwell, New Windsor; William Hurtin, Israel H. Wickham, Wallkill; Jeffrey Wisner, Warwick.
At that meeting a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and at the adjourned meeting, held at the same place, October 13, 1841, the organization of the society was completed by the election of the following officers: President, John Caldwell, Blooming Grove; Vice-presidents, Captain Henry Robinson, Newburgh; John R. Caldwell, New Windsor; William Sayer, Cornwall; Jeffrey Wisner, Warwick; Lewis H. Roe, Monroe; Hulet Clark, Minisink; James D. Bull, Hamptonburgh; Richard Sears, Goshen; Gideon Pelton, Montgomery; David C. Bull, Crawford; William Hurtin, Wallkill; William S. Little, Mount Hope; Thomas Van Etten, Deer Park. Recording secretary, John Wilson, Goshen. Corresponding secretary, Joseph W. Gott, Goshen. Treasurer, Charles Monell, Goshen. Executive committee, Frederic J. Retts, Samuel Wait, Jr., Leonard Lee, Phineas Rumsey, Alexander Thompson, Charles Dill, Thomas W. Bradner.