The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-12-15
Market Gardening in Florida.

Market Gardening in Florida.
The prize essay seritten By A. Airer, Of Drayton
Island, florida, for a premium offered by the
Editor Of the Florida Agricuturist, for the best
article on Market Gardening in Florida.
Gardening is the most ancient OF
all arts. The first gardener was the
first man, it has been represented as
the inclination of Kings, and the
choice of philosophers, we have
learned in this Yves tern Continent,
that it is also the preference of the
sovereign people, An occupation so
ancient and so productive ofpleasure
and profit, is entitled to respect, and
is worthy the devotion of all who
have control Of even the smallest
portion of mother earth. The soil
and climate of this State, OH whose
wilderness OF beauty the light of an
almost tropical sun, loves to linger.
supply active people with unparalleled
scope for developing all the products
of nature. Raising vegetables for
northern markets, is q new business
tor the people OF this State, and yet
the increase Of gardening in all it's
branches in this State is marvellous,
and still our people have made but
a beginning. It's success is still dis
puted by some aud doubted by others
and we must admit there are failures
in ialsing vegetables, and / should
like to know in what business there
is not. The occupation OF a market
gardener is laborious one, and re
quires more time and attention than
great many are willing to give it.
Raising vegetables here is very differ
ent from market gardening in the
North. low many have we seen,
fresh from the North, with northern
experience after one trial become
discouraged and denounce vegetable
raising in Florida from the fact that
they would not listen to experience
but rather ridicule those that offered
Information. There are great
--sasaru uAg..sables slsNC s.sn.s.-
raised here with profit, on account of
being SO far away from market, they
will not bear shipping, but four years
of experience teaches me that there
are enough that will bear transpor-
tation and pay we'll. In raising veg
etables there are three things essen
,ial, what 10 plant, when TO plant,
and how to plant. Almost al the
vegetables raised in the northern
states will grow here to perfection,
but | shall only write OF those that
bear transportation and have proven
profitable.
CABBAGES.
Cabbage has proven TO be 2 pro-
titable crop to raise, and is perhaps
the most reliable, as it is not injured
by trosts and always sells we'll in
southern markets in winter, and
northern markets in spring the
prices realized the last two years,
ranging from 81 to 81 a barrel. AL.
most all kinds do we'll here, but l
would recommend FotIer's early
Drumhead and late Flat Dutch; the
former for early, and the latter for
late planting, Cabbage requires
good strong soil and should be well
tertilized; TO raise large cabbage
without good soil and working the
plants well is al imposibility. For
an early crop the seed should be
sown III September and for North>
ern markets can be sown from Octo-
Der to December SOW the seed in
seed beds, care should be taken to
keep them well watered, transplant
as soon as the plants are large
enough, in rows four feet apart and
three feet in the row, this should be
done just before or after a rain. SO
soon as. the plants commence grow
ing they should be worked, cabbage
should be hoed often, each time
drawing little fresh dirt to them,
when they commence to head, hill
them up. After they are we'll headed
you want them to stand for awhile
before marketing, take a four tined
fork and run it i'll the ground under
the cabbage, lift up on it until You
break the roots loose on one side, it
will stop growing and the head will
not burst open. Cabbage should be
shipped in well ventilated barrels,
this is best done by chopping holes
in the sides, using gunny bags or
sacks for heading, this enables you
to fill your barrel heaping full as