Thomas County cat., 1890-05-22
STRAWBERRIES.
BUREAU OF SOUTHERN NEWS.
J. T. PATRICK, General Manager,
N

Raleigh, n. &.
1t has been said that God might Lave
made better berry than the strawberry,
but. He never did. One thing is certain,
no berry has SO strong hold upon the
human sense of taste as the strawberry.
Whether it grows in the valley or on the
mountain; in grassy meadow or In old
field; in the home, or in the market gar
den; whether ripened under the suns S
kisses and wild breeZes OF nature, or un-
der the more careful culture of well kept
fields; it has the most delicious flavor Of
all berries; and humanity smacks its lips
over that flavor in the last one and wish
es for more Only few days since we
saw person who had never eaten "a
strawberry. Until within few years a
very large portion of the people of the
South never saw a strawberry; there are
still many who never tasted one. But
this condition is rapidly passing away.
1t has now been demonstrated by sue
cessful trial. that this paragon OF berries
may not only be produced all over the
South, but also produced with gill
edged profit. A story has been told of
the man who. bound to eat Strawberries
enough for one year, began in Florida to
eat them in April; and moving north
ward as the crop ripened, closed up the
happy undertaking in northern New
York in July. Such lingering sweetness
long drawn out, and strawberry short
cake three months long is not only pos
sible but common to the citizens of New
York. Their last berries come to them
from their own state. But whence do
they get the first? Those for which they
pay one dollar basket, or five cents a
piecei There can be only one answer:
from the South. The sentimental phil
anthropist of the North may lie awake
nights over the mistaken idea that there
Is q race problem in the South; but he
makes no mistake when he carries home
to his tea table his baskets of luscious
strawberries, which both races in the
South have worked together harmonious
" to produce and send to him. The over
jealous editor who never goes, or sees, or
knows beyond the smoke of his own pipe
may write savage editorials on South
ern policy which ought to be; and yet.
he is put into good humor with himself
and all mankind besides, when com
mon sense Southern policy. seeking his
money rather than his brains. makes it
possible for some fair maid, at country
fair, to serve him with a dish of soul
satisfying strawberries and cream. The
loud mouthed country saving politician
may damn the South because she don't
vote to suit him, but she'll just fill his
capacious mouth with strawberry short
cake and tell him to shut up. Yes, my
dear friends at the North, in spite of her
multitude of sins you will still buy the
berries which the South raises for you;
and pay for them too. And that is just
the point we wish to press upon many of
you, who can't stay where you are and
don't know what to do anywhere else.
The profits of raising strawberries. DR..
Mckay, of Mississippi, one of the most
successful fruit growers in the South,
writes thus: 1T was not generally be-
lieved that our southern soil and climate
were we'll adapted to the growth and per-
fection of the more tender and delicate
small fruits The first efforts to grow
them on liberal scale met with ridicule
from even the most intelligent fruit grow
ers, and the fruit commission merchants
of distant cities. In 1875, having one
acre. good stand, in choice shape. | be-
gan picking about the Goth of April, and
shipping to Chicago. St. Louis. and Gin
cinnati; and when | closed my last ship
ments. which were sent TO NickSburg
about the middle of June. l had gathered
and shipped 32uo quarts. netting me over
5000. This success removed all doubts
and silenced all sneers, as to the adapta
ton of our soil and climate and the car
rying quality of the berry. when gather
ed at the lght stage and properly han
died and packed From a few acres.
probably not over ten. in Milan. in Ten
nesSee, to Lake ManShac. Louisiana
forty miles above New Orleans. its cul
ture has increased until It is now estim-
ated at full 1000 acres along the line of
the Illinois Central railroad. The writer
having increased his TO about thirty five
acres: the net proceeds being diminished
with increased culture In spite of in
creased culture and competition, We know
of men who are still growing rich from
the culture of strawberries. Remember,
that in this business. the first sales bring
the largest profits. The South makes the
first sales.