The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-06-21
GnoUeEsTER COUNTY FARMERS.

SEEs& r. EEE AtdNIG IN M n
There seem to be two opinions in Glouees-
ter county, says the Philadelphia Record,
as to the profits of its farms. In the north
ern end it is said that there is little money
ia the business; but in the southern per-
ton the farmers say that they are doing
fairly well. This difference of opinion
may, perhaps, be attributed to the fact that
the upper part Of the county sends most of
its produce to the Philadelphia markets,
to which it is hauled by teams, while the
farmers Of the lower end ~patronize the rail-
roads largely and ship their stuff, not only
to Philadelphia, but to Newark, New
York, Boston and other cities as well.
The county raises an enormous quantity
of truck. Probably no other county of its
size in the United States produces so many
sweet potatoes, and in the southern end the
yield of white potatoes is immense. Early
tomatoes are also cultivated extensively, as
are watefmelons, straw berries, c~itrons, eel
cry, c~abbages, asparagus. egg plants and
other vegetables that are in popular de-
mand.
BY the liberal production Of sueh articles
Gloucester county farmers come in compe
tition with the South. and their prosperity
largely depends Upon circumstances not
within their control. If there is an early
Spring in the South, and its vegetables
come along in good season, they are gener-
ally pretty well ont of the way before New
Jersey throws her stuff upon the market.
Prices are then good and the farmers make
money.
If. however, there is a backward Spring
in the South, or other causes SO operate as
to bring the produce of the tw sections
into the market at the same time, the
slump in prices il awful, and the farmers
feel like throwing mp their land at once.
The production of the county last year was
unprecedentedly large, and the prices real
lied were so low that the farmers feel poor
and straitened yet.
This sharp competition, with the conse-
qnens reduction in prices, has had its nat
ural effect onfarm values. They have fall
en- of at least one-third from the figures of
Is years ago, according TO the estimate Of a
real estate man of Woodbury.. At a sale
Of some farms belonging to the B. J. Lord
estate two of them brought about the mort
cages upon them. There is little demand
for farms about Woodbury., and the price
of enc sold not long age was as low as s47
an acre. As an offset to this, however, it
should be mentioned that another farm,
well improved and in good condition, lately
brought S1e1 an acre, and there are plenty
Of farms valued at from 800 to $50 an
acre.
In the lower end of the county, where
the farmers are dependent upon the rail-
roads for transportation, the quality of
stuff shipped to Philadelphia and more
northern points is enormous. Swedesboro
alone, during the busy season, loads a long
freight train requiring two engines every
day, and other shipping stations do a
rushing business. The New Jersey South
ern and the West Jersey railroads offer
reasonable freight rates through to New
York. and the extension of the Williams
town branch of the Reading to Mulliea
Hill has opened up an extremely rich and
fertile portion of the county. which will
contribute largely to the New York mar
kets. Farms are in good demand in that
portion OF the county and bring good prices.
Sheriff Frank B. Ridgway says that he has
sold out very few farmers, and throughout
the county there seems to be a disposition
to hold on to the land, in the expectation
that better prices will rule soon.
Though SO near Philadelphia Gloucester
county has received comparatively little of
its overflow population. Quite a number
OF city business men have their homes in
Woodbury.. and there is considerable build
ing at Wenonah, Glassboro, Westsille and
other places, but it is insignificant compared
vita the suburban growth N the other
side of the Delaware river. Eventually,
however, the outward rush froufPhiladel-
phia viii sweep for miles down the West
Jersey Railroad, settling up the country
and putting up prices. Gloucester county
will boom then.