The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-12
THE GARDEN OF GEORGIA.
Growth of Truck Farming in the
Southern Part of the state.

rohI VALLEY, ia. June IU-fEom InlS
point extending along all the numerous
lines of railways that interSect the section
Of country between here and the Florida
boundary, wherever the land is sufficiently
elevated and fertile, fruits and vegetables
can be raised in the greatest perfection and
profusion. OF curse, the lime districts
and those localities abouading most in hui
mus, where clay underlies the surface, pro-
dlce the best results; but outside OF the
Hat pine barrens whenever proper drainage
can be secured, grapes. melons and berries
VIII thrive with a little assistance Indeed,
light and porous soil seems peculiarly
adapted to the scuppernong grape, which
Is the most certain of all varieties.
The western tier of counties on the line
OF the Savannah, Florida and Western rail-
way, however, and Houston, Macon, Lee
and Dougherty on the Southwestern road,
Pulaski, Dodge, Telfair, Wayne and Glynn
on the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia,
Mitchell on the Townsville and Albany
line, and large area on the Georgia South
ern and Florida, undoubtedly constitute the
principal and most eligible truck csnters of
Southern Georgia. The lower the latitude
the earlier the production.
The present year will be virtually an off
year for the truck business in consequence
CT the disastrous nine weeks drought which
dwarted, and. in many instances, blasted
outright. were so late and inferior in guam
tlty and quality as to entail certain loss to
shippers, and, therefore, only in exceptional
cases, we're not marketed at all. 1t was
simply for the nonce failure in the crops
But such seasons are rare, and the past
shows healthy increase in the growth of
truck farming and fruit growing, which
augurs well for their future success.
Not that the shipments have been
entirely cut off by the drought. On the
contrary, from Brooks the present season
800 crates of Strawberries have been
marketed, and many wagon loads of Irish
potatoes. From Quitman. Valdosta, Bos-
ton, and many other points cucumbers,
squashes, beans, tomatoes, ETC., have been
forwarded, but in comparatively small
quantities.
Last year Quitman alone shipped 10000
crates of vegetab' es, exclusive of melons,
and Valdosta :, ZOO. Strawberries, especially,
are daily growing in favor as a market
product, and pay handsome returns.
But the whole business is unquestion-
ably still in its infancy, and
can never rise to the dignity of a perma
nent and lucrative industry until the rail-
roads sufficiently appreciate its import
ance TO allow living rates of transportation,
and reliable agents in the northern markets
can lie found to handle advantageously and
make just returns for the produce con-
signed to them. These are the two grand
objects, for the attainment of which every
energy of our numerous agricultural and
horticultural associations should be directed.
very large portion of the region above
described may emphatically be styled the
POOR MANS PARADISE.
Especially is this true of the elevated table
lands around Cochran, Eastman, Chauncey,
Scotland and McRae, and in Berrien,
Lowndes, Brooks, Thomas and parts of
Clinch Ware, and Mitchell counties.
Here the wool industry alone, If protected
by proper "dog-law," would soon increase
immensely in magnitude. and enrich the
farmers with little or no outlay IN cash,
aside from the first purchase of stock.
Sheep run at large and keep fat the year
round on the wlregraSs and succulent shrubs
that abound in the bays" and swamps
They only need to be folded together and
looked after, especially during the yeaning
season when the lambs are liable to fall a
prey to buzzards, hogs and wild cats. In
all the above region, with exceptional
Instances near the large towns,
| land scan be bought at from
| 81 to IS per acre, and very frequently has
been almost cleared to hand already by the
turpentine manufacturers and lumber cut
| tiers.
ANY luuusJTlOuS young ldn, UT SCuruy
immigrant with shifty wife, who is able
to secure fifty acres of good pine land
within easy reach of a railroad, with proper
effort, by his own exertions can achieve in
| dependence and even affluence. Let me
BLAZE THE WAY
for him: The first thing is to secure the
| modest homestead of fifty or more acres,
which can often be done by getting bond
| for titles, and the payment of moderate in
| stallments at prescribed intervals on the
purchase. Next, if unable to do better, put
| up a substantial double log cabin with
your own hands. and a log stable and
| large garden inclosure Then invest in
| good plow horse, a half-dozen head of cat
| tie, dozen sheep, few chickens, pigs and
| turkeys, and take in and fence as much
| land as possible. Break up the same both
| ways with narrow scooter plow, and plant
in corn the first year. sowing field peas
| broadcast about the last of June between
the rows. TIE following spring set out an
| orchard of lie Conte pear, and peach trees
| of the carly varieties, and begin to start a
| trawberry patch, and devote one-fourth of
an acre, at least, to sugar cine. Plant
| largely in sweet and Irish potatoes,
cantaleups, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes,
| squasheS cabbage, etc., for market, enrich
ing the soil withthe dropplngs Of the cattle
and sheep and reliable commercial ferti-
| lzers to the extent of your means. Depend
upon it, the judicious use of these plant
stimulapts, if tne grass and weeds are kept
down, and the earth frequently stirred mot
too deep in a light soiD, will fully double
/ the yield in vegetable or staple crops.
Now, for two or three years, while the
orchard is growing, the stumps rotting, and
the land sweetellng under cultivation, let
the young farmer exercise patience, look
| ing diligently into - co"dit:on of
his stock and increasing the number
| OF sheep and cattle as fast
as possible, at the same time bending
every energy to the raising and markell i G
| of vegetables, cantaleucs. melons and
| potatoes, which, managed carefully, ought
to meet all current expenses.
Sooner thea can be i'm agined-certainly
iu four years--the sheep and cattle will |
| double or treble their number. The wool,
male lambs, butter and poultry afford
neat revenue, the land under the cowpen-
ming, or as the natives express it, cup
| peningn-process will be growing richer,
the sugar cane will yield the family las
suming that ere this several TOW heads"
have appeared upon the scenel, their
'sweetenipg, 4" with barrel or two of syrup
probably, to spares and pater famllias
ard his little crowd are now
fairly on the road to prosperity and indie
pendence. Where in any field of enter
prise can such results be obtained at 50 lit
tie outlay of money! 1 repeat, that truck
! farming