The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-11
CROPS In NEED OF RAIN.
THE DRY WEATHER SERIOUSLY
FELT BY TIE FARMERS.

]
/ The Strawberry Vines Drying Up.
The Pea and Potato Crops - The
Potato Acreage Very Large Florida
Truckers Praying for Rain to Save
Their Early Vegetables-The Out
look for the Savannah Truck Crop.
The long-continued dry weather is begin
ming TO attract the serious attention Of
truck gardeners around Savannah, and if
rain does not fall soon the strawberry vines
will not be very fruitful, as the paintings
are not doing well on account Of the lack #
rain. The first planting Of peas is begin
ming to show tie need Of showers. Some
peas, Of what are known as first planting,
are five TO six inches in hight, and second
paintings are up.
The warm, dry weather has been most
severe on cabbage, and the worms are play
ing havoc with the crop. Cabbage wants
rain and cold weather TO mature the heads,
and it has had very little of either. AS
result the cabbage crop bids fair to be
failure this spring.
Truck farmers have been planting pota-
toes this week, and by the close of next
week the bulk Of early paintings viii be in
the ground. The early rose is the favorite
potato, and nearly ali the crop put in is of
that variety. although few Jackson white,
another popular tuber, has been planted,
and more will be planted next week. This
potato is little later than the early rose,
and takes the place of the latter when the
bulk Of that variety has found its way into
the northern market.
BIG POTATO ACREAGE.
The true kers are planting much larger
acreage of potatoes and peas this year than
ever before, and less ground will he given
to beans, which were, for the greater part
of the time, a drug on the market last year,
and while a few first shipments brought
good prices the market soon went to pieces
and beans wouldn't bring freight. Truckers
do not propose TO have last years experience
repeated this season. They will plant fewer
beans, and by a system Of more intensified
culture get them in an early market in good
order. and by the time beans farther up the
coast begin TO reach northern markets the
crop will have been exhausted here.
The opinion among northern commission
dealers in southern vegetables is that peas
and potatoes will command good prices this
year, as the long drought in Florida is be-
ginning TO tell on the crops in that state. A
MORNING NEWS reporter was permitted by
Hart Bros. to read letter to them from
Mr.. Crawford, southern travelling agent for
a large northern vegetable and fruit COM
mission house of the north, written at
Mlcanopy, Fla, last Wednesday.
FLORIDA TRUCKERS WANT RAIN
Mr.. Crawford says that orange, peach,
pear, and plum trees are in full bloom there
He says that they haven't had rain in that
section for sixty-eight days, and if rain
does not soon visit South Florida truckers
will have no cabbage for shipment. Mr.
Crawford suggests to Hart Bros. to advise
their patrons engaged in truck farming to
plant heavily in peas and potatoes, and to
put in less beans. He says the truck farmers
of South Florida are planting beans now,
and are putting in too many.
The fogs, with the consequent precipita-
ton of humidity in the shape of heavy
dews, have in great measure compensated
for the lack of rain here; but the ground is
now as dry as bone, and truckers are
praying for a good rain. The drought has
revived the talk about artificial irrigation.
A trucker, in discussing the OUTLOOK yester-
day. said that truck farmers will in time
have to avail themselves of the never
failing supply of artesian water which
underlies this entire section and in the
harmony OF nature must have been placed
there for just such beneficial USES A deep
artesian well on truck farm means just
as much or as little water as crops need
dependent upon the judgment and industry
of the planter; and ground properly titled
will also solve the problem of properly
caring for a crop in times of long wet
spells, so that the ground in dry or wet
weather can be kept in just such condition
as the crops demand.
MAI. RYALs' FARM.
A gentleman WOO has made the round of
the truck farms in this section says that
Maj. g. NJ. Ryals has the best prospects
of any. He has about 100 acres under Gull
tivation, and his first planting of peas
are said to be very fine.
The hot house vegetation is we'll advanced
among the truckers tomatoes and cucum-
bers looking well, although in transplant
! ing cucumb9rs the chances are that where
one transplanted plant will live a half a
dozen will die, and many truckers plant in
| small cans or boxes not that in setting out
| the plants the roots may not be disturbed,
but the earth can be lifted out of the can
or box without breaking it. and set in the
fertilized hill in the open field.
The open weather thus far has been
| almost unparalleled at this season. Rips
strawberries have been plucked from open
fields in the last two weeks, and on Christ
mas day large and luscious strawberry
Tipened in the open air, was worn as a bou-
tonnaire on the street by gentleman as q
| souvenir of strawberry dinner on Christ
mas day, from berry patch unprotected
I from the weather.