Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-09


mand gives evidence Of permaneney. or
course. various circumstances viii arise
to depress the market, sometimes TO the
great injury Of those who have staSed all
on its strength. as illustrated again and
again in the cotton. corn and wheat mar
kets. but farmers should never allow
themselves to be dependent upOn any one
of the products Of the farm for subsist-
ence or prosperity. Diversity Of crops
can alone save them from such crisis
and this we have always steadily adyO-
Gated. advising only gradual changes
from one line Of production TO another
after thorough experiment. But the peo-
pie did not cease 10 produce cotton. corn
and wheat because the markets were
sometimes bad: neither will the truck
farm business receive more than health
fuI check OF pruning to gather strength
for another season. 1t has shown itself
10 lie a needed and profitable industry,
but which must be conducted with full
knowledge Of the difficulties TO be en-
cOuntered. Chief among these We note
stand facility Of transportation and dis
tribution. If the former were fully ac-
cOmplished 10 leading markets. yet
want of the latter would prove
disastrous. because the industry
has already grown 10 proportions
no single market in the country can sus-
tain. This was experienced by the North
ern people around the great cities when
they began the cultivation Of fruits and
vegetables on a large scale. They often
found their markets glutted with their
hard earned produce, going, if at all, at
ruinOusly low prices, but they did not
despair. Then came the railways and
steamship lines and relieved them by dis
trlOuIiOu. Their products were carried
TO every accessible part Of the country. as
we OF the South well remember and enjoy
10 this DAY. But distribution with them,
as now with Us. was very imperfect. often
Cutting some markets and leaving others
comparatively bare for want Of expert
ence and cooperative understanding
among the producers. This was partially
overcome by the rise Of large
firms who made it their business
TO handle such produce, and who, Of
course. studied the situation and learned
10 avail themselves Of all the advantages
offered. But the steady increase Of the
industry demanded still further effort for
its accommodation, and the canning fac.
tories sprung up. whereby it was now
discovered that the surplus could be not
only transported without injury, but
could he preserved in a healthful and
nutritious state for an indefinite period.
and thus be made to supply the demand
even Of foreign countries. Following this
came the drying. or evaporating processes,
and now we hear Of no more wholesale
carting out to the manure heaps Of North
ern fruits and vegetables for the want of
markets or preservation.
This is the point at which our Southern
producers have now arTiyed-they have
followed their Northern brethren in pro
duction. accomplished much in the way
OF transportation. and even in distribu-
ton. but they have failed to make any pro-
vision against the inevitable losses that
must occur in the event Of failure Of these
expectations. The time has arrived when
the canning and drying processes as
means OF utilizing the surplus crops and
avoiding serious losses are felt TO be ne
cessities, the duty Of introducing and en-
cOuraging which appeals directly to the
capitalists and public-spirited men Of our
thriving towns and cities. such
manufactures not only pre-
serve and utilize the surplus
fruit productions. thus maintaining the
growth and prosperity Of our most i'm
pOrtant rural industry, but. they also
afford profitable employment for hundreds
Of people. perhaps otherwise unemployed.
while they add enterprise, thrift and
population to the cities and towns where
located. DRYERS or evapOratOrs should be
in use by thousands all over the country
where materials can be had for their
operation. and canning factories should
be set up at such central points as may
be designated by easy and cheap trans
pOrtati0n. both for receiving and export
ing. The city Of Savannah pos
sesses every advantage in this
respect. Three great states are large
~ tributary to her splendid
harbOr, giving water transportation TO all
foreign countries and other ports Of the
United states. and while her own imme-
diate vicinity Is peculiarly fitted by ma
tUre for developing the highest perfection
in fruit and vegetable production, her IA
vorable location gives her control of the
productions Of vast sections Of country
beyond. inferior only in means and facili-
ties for reaching foreign markets. Her
citizens should appreciate these advan-
tages and show themselves worthy TO &C.
cupy the ocean gateway from the great
interior. Her own growth, prosperity and
happiness depend upon it. Nothing
should be neglected that will add to her
thrift. and nothing can be 80 po-
tent an agent in her future growth
and prosperity as a cordial cooperation
and reciprocal business intercourse with
the interior great sections Of country pen
etrated BY her railroads. If those sections
seek her markets she must buy Of them
TO the utmost OF her needs: if they need
transportation on the ocean she must pro-
vide it, and if they need manufactures at
her convenient harbOr she must build
them. They will never ask her TO do these
things at a loss. but indifference on her
part viii surely drive them to form other
business connections and build up rivals
to share the greatness and glory that
might have been all her own.