Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-02
For the Jo
Truck Farming.
kENAssy1L1E, n. G., June 81. 1856

kENANsyILLE, n. G., June 81. 1859.
Dear Journal =
Knowing the interest you take in all
agricultural matters, have taken the lib
erty to address you in regard to affairs In
Duplin county, especially in regard to truck
and fruit raising The people of this coun-
ty have gone into truck farming quite ex-
tensively this year, but with poor success,
and [ am sorry TO believe that many have
become disheartened by their failure, and
will not try again. But shall make an
other effort in this new enterprise.
I will give you few of the principal
reasons, which, in my opinion, caused the
failure OF the present year. First, the very
late and cold Spring, unprecedented iI my
experience for the last ten years, was the
place, our people have much to learn to
adapt truck farming and fruit raising to
our soil and climate. We have begun this
work almost entirely from information de-
rived from works written for more north
ern lattudes and for different character
Of soil from ours. We have to experiment
for ourselves, and exchange the results of
these experiments through Agricultural AS
soc1ations and publications.
And again, we do not have the right
kind of commission merchants who under
stand the selling of our produce. This
has already been suggested in letter pub
lished in your valuable paper. 1t is a
matter of greatest importance to tho truck
farmers of the Cape Fear section to be
united and act together for their own wei
fare.
In the next place, the subject of manur-
ing is not we'll understood with us. We
should by experiment find out the soil best
adapted for each kind of vegetable, and
then the quality and quantity OF manure
required for it. Mistakes are moro fire.
quently made by manuring too highly than
the reverse, Just as man suffers more from
eating too much than too little.
My observations lead me to state that
home raised seeds are much better than
those purchased from northern seed hous-
es Myself aud several neighbors tried
experiments this year especially IN garden
peas, snap beans and rhaspberry plants. =
Those raised from our own seed matured
from eight to fourteen days earlier than
the others, and were more productive.
J. am making this year series of expert
ments with home made manures. compost
and tho Leading manufactured fertilizers
on different soils, which l think will be
important. | am under obligations to the
different dealers in fertilizers in Whining
ton and several manufacturers at the North,
for liberal donation Of their articles to
enable me to try these experiments. The
result of my trials will I've made known to
the public at the Fair of the Cape Fear
Agricultural Association next Fall.
[ found the most profit from raising the
right kind of radishes from our native
seed, the Wilson Albany strawberry, early
apples and peas, and the early rose pota-
toes, the Clinton, Concord, Delaware, Nor
ton, Virginia, and especially our great
Scuppernong grapes. These latter will
never fail, and require the least work and
care. find much uncertainty in cultiva
ting other vegetables and fruit than the
above mentioned.
am glad to mention the great improve
ment over last year in the transportation
OF truck. It gives me pleasure to say that
Col. Fremont, the able and energetic Su-
perintendent of the Wilmington and Wei
don Road, has come up to all his promises
in this matter. With us there has been no
delay in the prompt shipment Of our pro-
duce and no damage has rest led from de-
lays or rough handling.
Very truly,
LOUIS FRG.L1cH.