Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-05-24
Frril-Growing aud Fruit Preserving.

Notwithstanding the immense quantities
of fruit which are being shipped yearly
from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to
the Northern markets, it is evident that
this great business is really only in its in
fancy. The rapid extension and consolida-
ton of transportation lines, offering uII-
parrelled facilities for reaching distant mar
kets, must necessarily have the effect of
largely stimulating in the South the raising
both OF fruits and vegetables for Northern
shipment, and prove ii source of great
revenue to those who are enabled to EN-
gage in it. 1t is a recognized fact in New
York, Boston, and Philadelphia that very
soon their truckers and gardeners will be
largely "run out" by the competition they
will meet from growers in the South who
can put their products in market weeks
earlier than they can be raised near those
cities. LII Baltimore, for instance, last
spring, there were green peas in the mar
ket thirty days earlier than they were ever
| known betorc-the first supply coming
! from Florida, followed in succession by
crops raised near Savannah, Charleston,
/ Wilmington, and Norfolk. There is no
reason why many vegetables and fruits
should not be raised and marketed in this
way. Peter Henderson, widely known as
an extensive and successful market-gaI-
| deDer near New York, expresses his sur
/
engaged i'll, pointing out the advantages
which growers III the South would enjoy
| and the case OF forwarding the productions
of their gardens, especially those which aIe
no. liable to injury by transportation.
| What is true OF vegetables is equally true
Of fruits, and the immense extent of the
peach trade shows the practcability of such
operations. The transportation companies,
finding so large source of revenue in this
traffic, are glad to make arrangements
such as insure certain and speedy con-
veyancc for all the fruit Offering, and with
view to this trade new roads are cOn-
stantly being projected and built.
We do not recommend, OF course, any
large ventures i'll Uncertain schemes. The
people OF the South are III no condition for
this, and the owners of the soil are gener-
ally an educated and reading class, aud
too sensible, therefore, to be drawn into
undertakings, the success of which is
doubtful but there can ke no objections to
experiments on moderate scale, which
will demonstrate the feasibility Of the
system Of fruit culture and marketing we
are now considering. When individuals
are not possessed Of means sufficient for
this, combinations can be entered into,
which may be able to accomplish, 10y co
operation, what private means cannot
effect. An illustration Of what may be
done is found i'll the expressed belief OF
Mr.. Saunders, the distinguished lorticultI,-
rist, now in charge Of the Government gar
dens at Washington, that Virginia is to be
the great g'1pe-Towing region Of this
country as soon as its capabilities and ad-
vantages Of soil and climate are understood
and appreciated; and another III the sue
cess OF Mr.. Leightod, a frliit-grower near
Norfolk, whose pehr$, unsurpassed for
beauty, size and flavor, are the wonder Of
ponologists, and are marketed and known
all over the NOnh.-Ameticdl Farmer.