The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-25
TRUCK CROPS IN A BAD WAY.
AN OFF YEAR WITH EVERYTHING
AGAINST THE FARMERS.

The Early Crops IA Total Loss and the
Truckers Have Had no Returns
with which to Plant AEain-The
Wet and Freezing Weather
Wrought Havoc on the Truck
Farms.
Savannah and Chatham county truck
ers have not had a very encouraging year
so far and the prospects ahead of them
are not the brightest they have had.
The severe winter weather which has
prevailed at times has been somewhat of
a backset in many respects. and the win
ter crops which often prove successful,
have this year been an entire loss. For
this reason the truckers did not get in any
early money with which to pay in part
for their spring planting, and they have
had TO so down into their pockets and
draw on their reserve fund to start the
ball rolling.
To begin with. there will be no cabbage
in this section. The December cold snap
killed all the plants In the ground and the
replantings Jared the same way at the
hands of the next edition OF Jack Frost in
JdlAel y OAAtE IlluOI crops WHICH were
being tenderly nursed at the same time,
went the same route.
The spring planting began in the latter
part Of February when the worst Of the
cold weather had passed. But the cold
weather is not the only damaging ele-
ment, and the heavy rains which pre-
vailed alohg about planting time and
just afterward, have done a great deal
for the delay and destruction OF crops.
The potatoes are now above ground in
many places. but the crop will hardly be
gathered this year until about two weeks
after the usual time. 1t is estimated that
about % per cent. of the seed potatoes
have been destroyed in the ground from
the rot caused by heavy and continued
rains, and in many places. the truckers are
finding 1t necessary to replant entire crops
Especially is this true where the potatoes
were planted in the lowlands.
Beans will probably be gathered from
May to 10. which Is some later than US
ual. The first planting is just above
ground, while the second and third plant
lngs nave not yet shown up. The bean
crop will probably be a large one, but
hardly so valuable as 1t has been in some
years past.
Green peas Is the great early crop of the
Savannah truckers, and in some years they
have shipped them north as early as
March o. where they brought as high
will do well If they have them in the
market by April %. The crop, however, is
a good one. and has suffered no great
damage from the elements.
Cucumbers are not yet above the ground.
and this crop, too, will be some later than
usual The tomato crop is always a small
one here, though some truckers devote
considerable attention to it, The recent
cool spell did not do any ma
terial damage, though it raised
many a doubt Nnd fear in the
minds OF the planters. Many of them kept
their crops covered for two days and
nights, but uncovered them on Saturday.
There We're two very light frosts, but
they were not heavy enough to destroy any
OF the vegetables. bingham county re-
ports that the frost did some little dam
age there. but 1t was not large in extent
The worst recent damage suffered has been
from the rains, which have rotted a large
portion of the seed potatoes in the
ground, and this has been heavier than
at first supposed, as has been found by re-
cent investigation.
New York dealers are quoting Florida
strawberries, fair to good, at rs cents to
81 quart, and fancy strawberries. at
$l.25 to $l50 quart. Fancy Florida to-
matoes are selling there at So to "a per
crate, while the smaller ones bring from
rs cents to $1.25. Florida beans are SELL
ing at $l2 to SIS per box and cabbage AT
81 to 81 per crate. This is an examine Of
what the cold weather has done in this
line, and those of the truckers who have
any early stuff are exceedingly fortunate