Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-10
ABOUT MARKEr eARDENING.

Professor L. II. Bailey writes that mar
ket gardening is now Of more Importance
than ever before in the history of this
country. For some years the quantity of
vegetables eaten per capita has been rap
idly on the increase in every state, and is
still increasing without any indication of a
check Modern transportation has much to
do with this, as remote localities where
there is little gardening are brought into
patronage; still, even without this agent, it
may be said that the increase Of vegetable
consumption is unparalleled.
Horticulture is now getting to be the
really big thing Of this country, continues
Professor Bailey, and our people are realiz-
ing this fact and are wheeling into the in
dustry, which is right But it should not
be forgotten that the business of market
gardening or truck farming (call it which
you like), should be conducted on correct
principles. We enter horticulture with two
objects in view-making money and making
fun; each helps the other, as in any other
business. Success hinges upon the man
and his surroundings; brains are most i'm
portant here as elsewhere. No tilling Of
the soil requires greater care than garden
ing. Investigates pass by no information
as trivial until you have studied it. Look
after the business yourself; do so hope
fully, ambitiously, and be prepared to meet
difficulties, but stick to it; grow better
crops than any one else; find the
best market, and you VIII succeed. Locate
accessibly to good market. Get
competition freight rates, and hes
itate to locate where there is but one rail-
road, or where the station is far away, or
where you cannot have several possible
markets. Try and have good highways, SO
that visitors will be enticed to drive to
your place and so advertise your business.
In handling your market products truck you
viii need much cheap labor, so locate, if
possible, near manufacturing town where
there are many children. Obtain good air
and natural drainage, and it is well to have
a variety Of soils. Generally, it is better
to buy than to rent farm, and usually it is
more profitable to purchase an improved,
or at least fertile farm, rather than one
that is run down. Do not bunch your
work, but distribute it so as to cover the
whole year. Farmers, as rule, are prac-
tically idle one-half the year. 1t is mighty
good business that will support such
methods; if you can not farm it during
the winter do something else. Be neat in
all operations. Make your place attractive;
give Il a good name by producing only the
very best of everything in your line. Be
energetic and progressive. Marketing is
one-half of success, therefore study your |
markets thoroughly; learn the conditions
and demands. Failure is often brought |
about by ignoring such small differences as
the color, size or favor of certain varieties |
that please the public taste; or for some |
other reason, or for no reason, except be- |
cause it is fashionable, it becomes popular, |
e. g, one market wants branched celery |
while another demands a tall, straight |
stalk; some markets prefer red onion
while others viii take only the white va
rieties; and so it runs with almost every
thing you might grow.
Find your market before the crop is
ready. Send the produce to market in the
neatest and most attractive condition. Be
honest Secure the same customers each
year so as 70 establish reputation In
each city, if you are shipping your pro-
ducts, have one reliable dealer with whom
you can safely trust your goods.