The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-08-24
MARKET GARDENING.

valley to devote greater effort ant
attention to fruit-grOWing arc
market gardening. In failing to d.
this they are losing one of the grand
est opportunities Of their lives
Most of our farmers run too largely
to wheat-growing. Necessity has
forced them into this branch OF
agriculture and it seems difficult tc
| pull them out Of the rut. When
Utah was ''a thousand miles from
anywhere" wheat-raising was not
only profitable, but undoubtedly
essential. The staff of lite could
not be dragged across the plains in
quantities sufficient for the wants
of the community, and if it could,
the people didn't have the money to
buyIt the other side of the Missouri.
We had to raise wheat or go without
bread. Gardening was reduced to
secondary Importance or neglected
altogether. Circumstances have
changed greatly within the past
dozen years and conditions are re-
yersed; but we are going on in the
same old way, growing grain and
forgetting the main chance The
railroads have helped things won
derfully, and in no respect
more than in this mat
ter of agriculture. Utah can
produce many times as much
grain as she consumes, but ordinar-
lily it is simply nonsense for her 10
attempt to compete with the vast
wheat-felds of California, Oregon,
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Dakota.
There have been two or three occa~
siOns, when, through the failure of
crops west and unprecedentedly
low rates Of freight, this Territory
has been able to sell some of her
wheat abroad but in average years,
and with reasonable freight tariffs,
graIn-groWers both east and west
can successfully compete with the
Utah farmers for local consumption.
In garden "truck," however, and in
several of the fruits, the Salt Lake
valley can not only supply but cons
troll the trade Of the interior west.
Our market includes Nevada, Idaho,
Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.
Little fruit can be grown, outside Of
this Territory, within the vast
scope Of territory EN- braced within
the States and Territories mentions
ed, and as for vegetables and garden
products generally, this valley has
few equals in the temperate zone.
Wherever our garden products go
they find a ready market, and there
is a demand for them everywhere
on the lines Of railroad leading out
of here. Dealers are unable to sup
ply the call for them, and when re-
ceiYing shipment announce the
fact as something that will attract
and please customers. AS to the |
profits to be made from market |
gardening, or small farming, there !
is no dispute among those who have !
tried it. More money is to be made |
from ten.acre field, well-tilled and
worked for all there IS in it, than |
from the average l60-acre farm cul- /
tivated as at present. There are
gardeners within the limits Of this |
city who get more money from
their acre-and-a-quarter lots than
the ordinary grain-grower does
from his fifty, sevsnty-fye or one
hundred acre farm. In the matter
of the harder fruits, as ap-
pies, peaches, plums, pears,
and the berries generally, Salt
Lake valley can have but one COM
petitor in the west, aud that for only
two or three weeks in the early part
of the season. California can put her
fruit into the market before ours
ripens, but when ours is ready,
it is so much superior in quality
and flavor that the California article
sells only when that from Utah
cannot be obtained. Instead, how
ever, of endeavoring to supply the
home market, much less go beyond
our borders for trade, we buy fruit
the year, round from California.
The apple orchards in this city of
orchards are neglected and per-
mitted to go wild and to decay, and
Michigan supplies us with apples.
Our climate, long seasons, clear skies
ond hrioht ann combine tn hrinU