The Dawson journal., 1883-05-24
Special to The Constitution. ]

Vegetables.
Special to The Constitution.
At McRec's, May 6-About six miles
out OF Valdosta lives Mr. Geo r. McRcc,
the first largest and most successful truck
farmer in Georgia.
So great is the interest in the new indust-
ry of truck growing and so important has
it become, that determined to spend Il day
with Mr.. McRee and from his experience
and observation of ten years, gather for the
readers o. The Constitution what seemed
to beinteresting or instructive. In general
the truck business is an experiment with us.
Here is Il man who can speak as Mr. Conk-
ling would say from q the arduous demon
stration of deeds done"
Through a large gate, into a wooded
pasture in which sheep and cattle are
grazing through another gate into
smaller grove in which several horses are
pastured-and through smaller gate into
handsome flower yard, up broad walks to
q comfortable house, with broad halls and
piazzas, well furnished and hospitablc
locking Before you reach the house you
are met by Mr.. McRec, a man of middle
age, showing plainly in presence and man
ner his Scotch origin. His deliberate.
positive dencanor gives assurance that he
is a man of force, while his studious and
thoughtful face shows that he has not been
in the habit of reaching conclusions hastily.
Beyond this there is none of the furtive,
haggard look of the man who is harrasscd
by debt or anxiety. You have before you
evidently a man who has been through all
that and is now at ease, and disposed to
smile at his scars.
BRIEF HISTORY OF TRUCKING IN GEORGIA
The first track farming in this section"
said Mr.. McRee, was done by Mr.. faley,
my heighbor, now president of our asSocia-
ton, and myself and perhaps few others,
jus; 5 years ago. Fruits and vegetables
were already being raised in Florida The
brother of Mr.. Elliott who is now on the
Savannah, Florida and Western railroad,
was planting in Florida and urged his
brother, then in the railroad business in
Illinois, to come down and help him to get
rates for his truck. When Mr. Taylor
reached this section he urged Mr. Haines
to build up a truck business along the line
of his road Mr.. Haincs agreeing, NJ.
Taylor was put in the field. | was then
planting cotton and was very much d,scour-
aged. | thought | saw future in the
truck business and planted a few acres
in cucumbers, peas and tomatoes.
We were soon required to prepay the
freight on all we shipped. We had been
promised this would not be required, but
the truck from Florida had mel such poor
sales the roads were forced to make us pre-
pay. This virtually broke the business up.
We reasoned that if veterans like the
Florida grower, beating us to market by
20 or three weeks, could not make their
tuck bring the freight charges. there was
no use in our wasting any of our mony by
preparing freight. So we let our crops rot
Oh the ground. had the finest cucumbers
that ever saw before or since. and had
made one shipment. When | heard how
Florida truck was going begging | quit.
One day went to Savannah and happened
to see some of the Florida truck on its way
to market 1t was slouchily packed, of all
quality, and altogether not worth handling
A great light broke on me | hurried
home, selected several crates of cun;,e GU
ctlmbers, packed them neatly and them
forward. They sold readily at high rric ),
and / then discovered the secret of success
ful truck-farming, viz, offer only your be
truck for sale. Destroy or use at home nil
that is poor. Pack neatly and value vo.l~
reputation with the commission merchants
did the business grow rapidly this
year,"
Not the vegetable business. For years
the man who planted cucumbers was the
laughing stock of his friends 1t was only
By repeated demonstration of the profit in
1t that others would come in. 1t is now
pretty general and has spread over the
whole of south Georgia With melons it
was different. The first year G years ago)
Nj. Talley and planted 10 acres each in
melons and made 10 car loads each. We
were afraid that this would glut the mar
kets, 50 | agreed to ship to Savannah and
supply the eastern cities while he shipped
to Atlanta and supplied the northwest |
cleared $ 800 on my II acres and think
hc did the same. We doubled acreage
next year Others began planting and the
melon acreage in Lowndcs has doubled
year after year until now about {, 800 acres
in the county are down in melons and
nearly all the south Georgia counties have
taken 'up."
COTTON FARMING COMPARED WITH TRUCKING
Eight years ago" said Mr.. McRce 81
was cotton planter. | was perhaps
better farmer than the average, and vet |
was able to barely come out even at the
end of the year. My land was getting
poorer every year, and was getting older,
a7,l hnfh fhoraf,,.o loo, III