Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-10-10
The State Of yitioulture.

t59 -NtAS ~ AAtesh nSo AOh IStsUAp SiapcS Auui-
ing the season Just closed has no,
been very encouraging to Southern
growers, except probably the Flori.
dams and growers Of Southern Geor.
gia, who were the earliest shippers
and got the cream Of the market
Large quantities Of grapes were
shipped from Southern localities, in.
Guiding the Piedmont section of this
State, which did not yield expenses
md consequently, some 6 overs be.
came completely disgusted ,&sh the
business Of shipping craps to n North os,tt..a-
ern markets. The universal cry is
for lower transportation rates, and
some unity of action between fruit
growers. Probably the newly
formed horticultural Society, which
was organized at.Pendleton, may in
fluence turn in the tide affairs in
time for next years business. Where
there is no competition in the ex-
press business, the one company's
exhorbitant exactions can be avoided
only by the adoption Of refrigerator
cars, which afford cheaper rates, safe
transit and nearly as quick time.
There are always more ways than
one to abate the evils that beset the
grape growing industry. No busi-
ness of great magnitude ever reached
tho pinnacle of success without first
encountering and overcoming serious
obstacles, without meeting with
checks and hindrances, which, when
mastered, placed the business in a
more open plane, and upon surer
and firmer foundation. We have a
splendid country for grapes. Black
rot and downy mildow have been
conquered, and we can raise grapes
to perfection. How many sections
of the South can say as much F.? Now
if we can raise grapes of the best
quality by the carload, why can't
we put them on the tables of the
millions of people at the North at
prices that even the poor people can
afford to pay? The chief barrier is
high transportation. Another draw
back is shipping each man for him.
self in small quantities to different
commission merchants, many of
whom are careless and reckless spe-
culators, if not dishonest men. A
refrigerator car should 60 from say
Seneca every few days in the grape
season. Walhalla, Anderson, Green
vile, Spartanburg can fill it at fre-
quent regular periods, each shipper
paying his proportionate share of
the charges according to quantity
shipped. Let these cars of fruit 90
regularly to certain responsible
houses, or to some one reliable con-
Germ, who will thereby find the bust
ness large enough to deserve and re-
ceive their special attention to build
up a regular trade with regular Gus
toners. There must be a concentra-
ton of the business. The grape
crop Of the whole State scattered
broadcast in handfuls bet ,ycen do
zen commission mel c,.,.nts in as
many different cities, and with no
regularity whatever, does not make
even a small ripple Oh the great
commercial sea of the crowded
North.
There arc numerous questions and
minor, but important details that un-
derlie the successful handling of our
grape crop, if growers will pull to-
gether. But without friendly co-ope-
ration and mutual good will the story
will be tho same evcry year.
We sec no reason for discourage-
ment. We have the soil and the eli.
mate for regular annual enormous
crops of grapes of the best quality.
Other more Southerly sections, as
Florida cannot stand up in compcti-
tion with the Piedmont in. grape
growing. The people of the North
want the Luscious fruit we raise if
they can get it ripe and fresh. We
are weeks ahead of the Northern
growers in time of ripening. Let
us set about and remove the him
drances that impede our progress.
The future is full of hope for our vi.
| ticultural interests Cotton .Plu7,t
The top Of Roam Mountain, 6,394