The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-25
ON THE TRUCK FARMS.
THE VEGETABLE SHIPPING SEA
SON ABOUT BEGUN.

SON ABOUT BEGUN.
the Weather Favorable for Crops and
Farmers Frightening Up-The First
Savannah Peas In Market-The Vege-
table Acreage as Large, If Not
Larger, Than 1t Was Last Year
Farmers Trying New Markets
Northern Commission Men on the
Lookout.
Last week was a very favorable one to
the trnck farmers, and they we're wearing
much brighter countenance in the mar
ket Saturday than they have worn for some
time, and the vegetables offered for sale
looked fresh and vigorous.
The first home green peas of the season
have made their appearance in the market,
and while the prices ruled high the peas
found ready sale at IS cents per quart.
Peas are looking remarkably well, aud
shipping to the north will begin about the
middle Of April. The crop is equally as
large as that of last season.
Snap beans aud cucumbers are looking
well and the early potato crop shows every
indication of handsomely repaying the
farmers. Bears and potatoes will be eady
Tor nor thern shipment very soon after the
shipping of peas begius, and cucumbers
will not be long behind the beans and pota-
toes.
THIS YEARS ACREAGE.
Inquiries among the prlnc pal growers of
vegetables for the home aud northern mar
ket say that the acreage this year is fully
equal If not in excess of last seasons plant
ing, and there has been no falling OF in the
pea and potato acreage, which
crops paid very handsomely last
spring, especially the early potato crop.
The planting season here was retarded by
rains about three weeks later than last
spring. but as the rainfall was general in
Florida, and northward along the South
Atlantic coast, and in the sou bern interior
where early vegetables are grown for
iorthern markets. Savannah truck grow
ers will not lose by comparison with those
OF other vegetable producing sections, but
Savannah shipments will follow closely
upon the Florida shipments as usual, the
northern markets being correspondingly
later in getting their annual spring vegeta-
bles.
TRYING NEW MARKETS.
There is decided disposition among Sa-
vannah truck gardeners to ship fewer vege-
tables to New York, lston and Phlladel-
phia, which cities, except he few interior
Georgia markets, have been getting the
bulk of the vegetables grown in tnis section
in past years. T ey ex Oect to ship to more
western cities, such as Pittsburg, and also to
interior cities of New York and Pennsyl-
vania. This will also havo q decided ten
deacy to decrease the vegetable traffic by
ocean steamers, and increase the shipments
by rail. In fact, the fast vegetable trains
Of the Coast Liue will also haul great deal
more of the Savannah crown vegetable to
the old markets, such as New York, Boston
Philadelphia and Baltimore This step
has been decided upon by reason of the fact
that vegetables sent by quick rail transit
last season were received in much better
condition, and found reader market at
better prices, whereas there were some
losses by delayed voyages where the prod
ucts of the truck farms went by steamer
and in some instances the vegetables were
in such an unsanitarv condition that no
market could be had for them, and they
had to be taken to sea and dumped over
board.
COMMISSION MEN STIRRED UP
The New York vegetable commission
merchants are beginning to hetray soms
uDessineSs at the disposition of Savannah
shippe rs to try more western points for the
sale of vegetables, the railroads having
offered the inducement of pro rata freight
rates to new fields, and one of tho largest
commission dealers of New York has
addressed very urgent letter to his Savan-
nah patrons of former seasons, in which he
calls attention to the fact that it is best to
continue shipment to the old and long
esta ,lished houses and not trust to new
concerns. He adds that ''if the vegetable
growers would make up their
minds to accept results of the
first shipment, whether good or
bad. and continue their shipments to houses
that have served them satisfactorily in for
mer seasons, they would be gamers in the
end"
The complaint of DELAYED receipts of
Florida vegetables is alluded to as deterior-
ating the market price of conSignments, and
the writer cites the fact that steamer due
last Saturday week did not arrive until last
Monday. aud the vegetables and oranges
which comprised the consignment were in
much worse condition than if the steamer
had arrived on time.
SHIPPING POOR VEGETABLES.
There is no doubt that many truck farm
ers no not take the pains in selecting aad
asserting their vegetables for northern ship
ment that they should do, and of course
they have no one but themselves to blame
il they do not get fancy prices for illy-as-
sorted and badly handled shipments. One
instance is cited in New York last
week where some Florida beans and peas
commanded So a crate while some crates
received by the same steamer brought but
81 SO each. 1t would oe hard to convince
the shipper that there should be a difference
OF 50 80 per crate on vegetables going out
on the same vessel with those which COM
manded s. per crate, but the consignee in
accounting for sales said those Of the low
price brought their full value.
Agents Tor the northern commission
houses are expected here this week to look
up their old patrons and solicit their ship
mentS for the coming season, AID within
the next three weeks, with continuance
of the favorable weather of last week, the
vegetable shipping season will have fairly
begun in this section.
THE CENTRAL'S OPERATIONS.