Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-07
1'RUCKA LITTLE LATE
But Virginia Rusrs viii Not Suffer
Much Less Because Thereof.
ApvrcEs ARE ENCOURAGING.
Reports from Each County Received
NJ the once OF Commissioner-cf-
Agriculture Whitehead-Eaect OF
the Recent Rains.

For the past several days the clerks
at the Agricultural Department nave
been kept quite busy receiving and COM
p,,ing reports from correspondents IN
Tidcwater Virginia az to the condi''oh
OF truck up TO May LIST. These commun'-
cations were sent In response TO CIR
cuiar letter issued by Colonel THOMAS
Whitehead. Commissioner OF Agriculture
and they are Of gratifying tenor. as
rule. They come from the bes'-pos'e"
men ufon this subject In the counties
IN ridewater. and the Information they
contain In most reliable From these
REPLIES II is ascertained that trucking
has been retarded and Is late but ua'
the Yield viii be bountiful In most sec
t,ons. and that the output will bring In
about the usual amount OF revenue
Here are the reports. as received from
each county:
am n,eased 10 state that the prosper
a. now very fattering for the truckers
:, ,h,s county. owing to the severe
oo,a weather and heavy SHOWS oil rep
ruary the farmers were pacA"aiu IA
their work; but with good weather IN
March all spring crops were set IN ''"e'
and the farmers now have their WORK
well up.
The acreage of onions. berries, rouna
.ra sweet-potatoes is far in excess OF
.,aous wears There was a great loss
., .eed sweet-potatoes by the February
NAY suffered from
rot IN the hot. bed, but, as more SEED
~, rsual was housed last fall ana
beds enlarged, It Is believed that mere
,yuI he no difficulty 10 getting plants
cot early. Some have already commences
20 plant at this early date ana by Nas
10Th. N tho weather continues soo"' WIZ
half OF the crop will be out
The berry crop IL Unusually p,om
Only q few blooms were killed Dy uie
frost Of the 18th ultmo. ana Dy May
nth TO Goth the early varieties VIII pe
going to market 49,,
po,na potatoes are coming up, ara
farmers are having their usual triais
with tho beetle. They are TOO $40" "
adopt the improved methods for sprayine'
and must suffer thereby. Pease are look
ing we'll and will be ready 10 harhe'
ty May 18th. Peaches, apples pears,
and other fruits have come throueh ,no
winter IN nnc CouuidcH, 49,
bids fair for large crop. corn Is very
n.arly all planted. Oats are not grown
extensiveIy-only for home consumption |
Now. with everything propitious ior me
crops along every line. the FARMER enu
trucker can only wait ana nope that
prices Will be obtained that Will amply |
reward him for his toll
CHARLES CITY.
There is practically no trucking zone
in this county for market. There are
few places here aad there where sone
uatermelons and Irish potatoes are raised |
10 send to Richmond. There Is grow
inc sentiment towards these industries
ali along the Peninsula counties, work
ing inward from the sea-coasf. rms
IS the last county reached from the truck
ing section and so II has not attempted
as much as the others. And, again. the
Charles City lands pay better In wheat,
oats and grass than most lands In the
eastern section. and so are more APT 10
be kept In these and corn.
ESSEX.
The acreage devoted to early peas this
wear In comparison with last year Is
less by 60 per cent. There is an increased
acreage OF Irish potatoes by 20 per cent.
A decrease of acreage of the watermelon
crop of one third Cor 80 per cent? Is re-
ported The tomato crop was of large |
contracts have been made with canning |
houses, and the outlook Is for very |
small crop, unless the peach crop should |
be destroyed soon enough to plant seed.
II IL now time 10 plant. but seeo Tor
this crop could be planted as late as |
the 18th of May for late packing. The
prospect for u big crop OF peaches is
good The truckers and farmers are
backward with their work but not more
so than the season. The pea crop is
looking well. No damage from late
frosts Is seen so far. The prospect for |
"A prosperous trucking season is rather
poor.
ELIZABETH CITY.
The acreage devoted to truck in Eliza
beth City county this season Is about |
the same as last year The recent good |
weather has been very favorable for |
planting and getting work in good shape. |
Such truck Is up Is looking well. |
No frost has occurred this month to |
injure fruit or vegetables. The severe |
winter greatly damaged the early cab |
bage crop. The earliest planted peas and |
potatoes were also badly hurt by cold. wet |
weather in February and March. yet |
everything at this writing promises abund- |
ance.
GLOUCESTER
The acreage devoted to truck this year
Is larger than last. The truckers are
not as forward as usual with all their
truck, but they are more hopeful at
this time than they were at this date
OF last year.
The truck IS looking quite well, and
the frost OF April 18th did not injure
1t materially. The truckers think their
prospects are good for more than usual
crops. and IL they can get a good market
and good prices. they will be satisfied.
The rains Of April 2Sth and 18th
have 6ope much for the truck. also.
for the grass, wheat. and oats. Farmers
are backward In planting corn. ] think
the potato Qrish and sweet crop Will be
large. The pea crop Is not as large as
usual. Watermeions and canteloupes will
be raised In greater quantities than last
year.
ISLE OF WIGHT
The low price OF peanuts. which Is our
staple money-crop. has forced our people
TO cultivate truch this season more
largely than during any previous year.
The acreage planted in potatoes Qrish)
is. probably. % per cent. larger than last
year. and this increase comes not so
much from old growers OF potatoes as
from new men and new sections. The
principal truck crops raised I'm my county
are potatoes Qrish), watermelons. canta-
loupes, and few crops OF strawberries
and cabbage. The potato crop is generally
planted In February. but this year plant
ing was delayed until March, making
our season two weeks late The crop
was planted with extra care. was ma
nured with heavy applications Of CONNER
cial fertilizers land farm-yard manure In
many instances). and having escaped in
jury from cold and rot must with a pro-
pitious season, produce an abundant
yield.
Watermelons are planted extensively
along our water-courses, of which there
are many IN the county. and as a rule
the crop is remunerative.
There IL poor prospect for profitable
prices from truck this year The Atlantic
seaboard from Virginia TO Florida is full
OF potatoes. melons. and Strawberries
and the whole section will this season
market their crops nearer at the same
time than they usually do. while Mary
land and Delaware will not be far behind
us Consequently. do not think there 10
good prospect Of q prosperous year for
the truckers OF Virginia.
JAMES CITY.
1t IL the opinion Of the truckers Of this