Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-08
FARM AND GARDEN,
Market hardening al the south


A correspondent of the Columbia Her
aid says As the culture of cotton is 10
be materially lesseneI in Tennessee, it be-
comes an interesting question what crops
are to take It's place SO as to bring notonly
AS much money from other parts, but IL
possible to be more remunerative, and TO
give employment to our surplus labor,
particularly near our towns and thickly
settled neighborhoods. Our large farm
ers viii grow more grain, raise more
stock Of various kinds, latten more beef
cattle, and in time will engage in butter
and cheese mlking-except near large
towns, has the cultivation Of small fruits
aud vegetables received the attention
they deserved What is said in the fol-
lowing article from the american Agri-
culturist, as to the advantages of early
marketing in the locality Of Norfolk, APP
plies with equal force to Middle Tennes-
see. There is to our mind three prin-
ciple points to note, as to locality lst
Nearness to railroad station. ID.
Near towns, so as 10 procure SUR
plus manures Sd. Sufficiently near
thickly settled neighborhoods so that
extra labor can be obtained at any
time. And then can our small land
owners, Tor renters,) if for a term of
wears engage in the cultivation Of vege-
tables and small fruits, with as much
certainty, and far more profit as the
raising Of corn As it takes about three
years to bring land up to a high garden
culture, no one renting should do 50, for
a less term than five years For early
marketing, we have from two to three
weeks advantage of the Cincinnati gar
deners. Ii is not my purpose in this
article 10 give statistics Of the CONNER
cial profit attending this branch Of in.
dustry, but to call the attention Of your
readers to the subject, that they may give
it Thought and investigation The fol-
IL the article from the American Agri-
cultmist
The cultivation Of vegetables at various
points in the Southern States had become
established before the war but like many
other kinds Of industry il was totally
Frustrated. 1t il now reviving, and only
needs capital and intelligent labor 10 make
il leading interest in those States. Thanks
10 the wide diversity of climate our country
presents, and the ready means oftransporla.
lion furnished by steam, the season of fresh
vegetables aud fruits IL, in our large cities,
greatly prolonged, If not doubled. New
York, for instance, draws its supplies from
a long Misunderstanding with far of
Bermuda, then, a little later, from South
Carolina, Georgia, Maryland and Delaware,
and finally southern New Jersey pOurs in
its products before the market gsrdens near
the city are able to supply the demand. A
gentleman, familiar with the subject, writes
us the following concerning the peculiar
advantages presented by Norfolk, Va, TO
those who would engage in market garden
ing. What is said about Norfolk will apply
to many other localities both south and
north of that point: THE advantages for
this kind Of farming which Norfolk pre-
sente, are somewhat peculiar and very
attractive. The season is about three weeks
earlier than that of New York, from which
il ie only twenty-four hours distant by the
regular steamers, and still nearer Philadel-
phia and Baltimore. Norfolk has the COM
mand of three Of the best markets in the
country, and il connected with them by
lines Of steamers and in part by rail. Il
can put all ats early products into these
markets in the best condition, and realize
very high prices for them. Then the soil
about Norfolk isa sandy loan, and natures
its products with great rapidity. A glance
at the map will show that the bay has
many arms and creeks running into the
land for several miles. These creeks are
navigable for scoWs and lighters. 40 that il
is very easy for a farmer having front
upon the water TO transport his vegetables |
many miles, and put them immediately on
board the steamer, within few hours Of |
the time of her sailing. This materially |
diminishes the cost Of marketing. Such |
rare natural advantages have been 10 some |
e Itent appreciated, and large business |
has been done. But the demand for early /
vegetables and fruits il 20 great. and the /
prices are 80 remunerative, that, with sufii- /
Cient skill and capital, the business may be /
increased many fold, 20 the advantage Of /
both consumer aud producer.
Owing 10 the desolations Of the war and |
uncertainty that has hung over Virginia |
politics, land is still! cheap in THE region. /
Il can be bought sufficiently near the city |
for truck farming from $50 to $500 an acre, |
according 10 the character of the improve |
ments upon It. Land can be rented for /
about ten dollars an acre, though the owns
srs generally prefer 10 sell. Cultivetors i
need both more skill and more capital 10 |
make their business paw better. The season
Of renting begins with the year, and the
plowing and other preparations for a crop /
commence as soon after az the weather win /
admit. The blowing ia performed in pleas
ant weather all through the winter. The
manure most used is Of the most expensive
Kind, street and stable manure, and much /
Of il is brought from Baltimore in vessels
This is applied at the rate Of about i've
fun cords 10 the acre. As this article costs
dollar and a quarter load 10 Baltimots,
and as much more for freight, it becomes a
very expensive fertilizer by the time it ia
delivered upon the field. Stable manure |
can be hao IN fofCluOhtn ana NOtloth ioi
about dollar and quarter a load the
cartiug to be done by the purchaser, but
the supply is quite limited. Guano is |
sometimes used for forcing, and bone-dust /
on special crops, which pays well, A good
article Of superphosphsie and fsh guano
would pay much better on these lands than
stable manure. Night soil, sea weed, and /
sea mud, which might be had easily, are
not much used. The great want OF this
whole region is more mannre and Of better
quality. |
The planting season opens early m heb
ruary, and peas are pat in as soon as the
soil is Fl, and early potatoes immediately
follow. These, with cucnmbers, tomatoes,
beans, cabbages, sqnashes and strawberries,
are the crops most large y raised. Melons
are grown q great deal, but are exceeding
4 ~fes.rc IN fha rwrN The 1