The Van Buren press., 1895-11-30
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE TRUCK FARM.
Some Hints In Regard to Marketing Early
Products.


In taking for my subject, marketing
the products of the early truck farm, l
would first suggest that a proper
diversifying of crops is of the utmost
Importance, that shipments may be
made in carload lots by fast freight,
instead of relying upon the express
companies to move the crop. 1t is only
for extra early goods to be moved by
express, while fancy prices are to be
obtained, and which can not be main
tanned long, and are not to be relied
upon for continued shipments. There
fore, it is advisable that every COM
munity of truck farmers organize for
the purpose of shipping to the north
ern markets their products in car
load lots. Where it is impossible to
make up carload of any one line of
vegetable, let the planting of such
vegetables mature in the same season
be grown in such proportions as will
readily make up a carload of mixed
vegetable. In this way, the minimum
allowed by the railroad company on
what they will ship out at carload
rates can be reached by presenting the
matter properly to the railroad COM
pany, the minimum can be reduced to
one-half for first shipments of 10000
pound rate to start the first ship
ments on, and charge by the hundred
pounds for the excess loaded above
the 10000 pounds at car rates. OF
course, you are charged with 10000
pounds, even should the goods loaded
be only one-half that amount, so that
where you only have, say, 5000 pounds
OF wax beans to go out in single
day, have LOCO or 2, 600 pounds of early
squash and the same of cucum-
bers, a few hundred pounds
of straw berries and thousand
pounds of radishes or early sweet corn.
Later in the season, you can increase
the tonnage with tomatoes, canta-
loupes and, lastly, watermelons By
keeping in line your assorted products,
and have unloaded in good condition,
at from one-third to one-half cent per
| pound for transportion, gives a wide
margin on expressed goods, that de-
| liver at from two to three cents per
pound for transportation. There are
the coarse and heavy goods, such as
watermelons, squash and Irish pota-
toes, that can be used to help make a
profit on beans, peas and Strawberries.
while the one might not more than pay
freight,e they have got your paying
goods in'for profit to you of two and
three cents per pound, where the man
shipping against you, by express, will
1 nf crat 8
baskets, boxes, etc.
| Transportation-In connection with
the truck farming industry will come
into use the canning factory the vine
gar and pickling packeries and the
melon cider as the last resort for the
later products of the truck farmer, so
that the avenues of our resources for
truck farming will lay with the ex-
press companies the freight lines of
mixed cars, then straight car lots, until
they are no longer profitable, when the
evaporators and eanneries take up the
remainder OF the crop. When organi-
cations can be formed and run through
on these lines, then will truck farming
in the south begin to assume the pro-
portions her natural advantages have
given her to feed those in the colder
regions for months in advance of their
own growth.
Now, the next question that con-
fronts the truck farmer is, who to en-
trust with his goods? His name has
gone out to commission men, and he is
flooded with solicitations for consign-
ments, giving highest market quota
tions on all kinds of vegetables that
are then on the market. If you know
Of one good, reliable commission mer-
chant, ship to him, with instructions
to wire you when the market is going
to pieces with excessive arrivals of
goods in your line. Beware of COM
mission merchants that are slow in
making you returns-it is always a
bad omen. 1t is not necessary, in max
ing up carload from different ship
pers, that they should be consigned to
one house. Each shipper can use his
houses stencil and notify them
of the shipment he makes; al
though it is better that they
all go to one house, thereby avoiding
the competition on the same line of
goods. Where you diversity your ship
ments on consignments to different
houses in the same city, you are set
ting up a competition on your own
goods, in which you are the greatest
sufferer
1t is good plan to have telegraph
ing code in use in an association, where
a whole message is conveyed by a
single word. Forty and fifty-word
messages in that way are conveyed at
the cost of a ten-word message. The
seasons are so short in which-a profit
exists for long-distance shipments, that
the wires have to be used freely to
avoid losses by getting into glutted
market
Another matter sheuld be borne in
mind, to make your first shipments
fully upsto the standard In quality of
your output for the season. Try to
establish a reputation on your brand
as being hrst~class In every particular,
and your goods will be sold on arrival
Notify your house by night wire on
the departure of every carload, giving
contents and number and initial of
car, that your merchant can be ready
to place your goods on arrival. Where
straight carloads of watermelons are
wanted, have price for your goods,
f. o. b. on track, by the ton, or by the
hundred, stating average weight OF
melons. Where purchaser is unknown
to you, and price has been agreed
upon, with authority to draw through
| hank shin Your car ON shinner's nrder