Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-07
nrss essential to the successful cuItiva-

In view OF tUe KtuCIdi UEaUSt1t N~
preston which still prevails, and th'
prospect for an unusually large fruit crop
do not anticipate prosperous truck
ing season. At the same time this should
be no occasion for discouragement tt
truckers. who, by the practice OF fru
Rality, diligence. and perseverance, may
be able to support their families com
fortably, and will--at least. 30 far a
Eastern Virginia II Commemorative the
problem OF agricultural success.
KING WILLIAM.
Truck-growing In this county II confined
to the country bordering on the Richmond
and Danville railroad for convenienc.
Of transportation. Consequently. II il
limited. There IL more truck planted this
year than last, but In consequence OF the
late spring II more backward. bu'
is looking well and Ii not affected
by the frost on the 18th instant.
NORFOLK.
As near as can be ascertained. the
area In potatoes. berries. peas, beans
etc. Is as large usual. We estimate
that 5000 acres are In potatoes within
twenty miles OF this city. The berr,
crop, newly set, We believe, Is larger
than usual: but the bearing beds maS
be of little In area. There does
not seem TO be any visible reduction ~
area: nor Is there visible increase.
The season Is a full month later than
usual The crops were put In In good shape.
the ground well-prepared and In good
order. but the growing weather "cometf
nor TO date. and everything Is away
behind Farm work is well in hand
but the season Is a full month behind
Fruit OF all kinds has escaped the frost
and promises a full crop. kale has
all gone. IL was a good crop; rather
smaller area than usual, and brought
fair prices-75 cents to $50 per barrel
Spinach Is one half 10 two thirds gone
and sold at 81. q to $3.50 per barrel. Let
tuce is coming on nicely. Kaddish is now
being shipped In large quantities The
pea crop was the only one that was In
jurcd last winter to any great extent
and large area Of spring peas was
sown In February and March. These
are looking well. a larger area than
usual of beans snaps has been sown,
and they are now up and looking well
The cabbage crop. set out in November
and December. In the open air, came
through the winter In good shape, and
is now growing rapidly.
In fact. the damage by frost was less
than 10 per cent, excepe in case OF peas.
No damage is reported by frost on the
18th OF April. The outlook is good for a
full crop OF truck Of all kinds. The
prospect for price IL not so good. In
these late seasons the result is that the
truck crops from Charleston TO New
York come into market so nearly AT the
same time that a glut Is the invariable
result.
NORTHAMPTON.
The season has been very backward.
and has caused less acres to be planted.
Still. there is an increase Of 20 per cent.
of the white potato. The crop is just
coming up. and the rains OF the last
few days will be beneficial There are
less potato-bugs than usual, owing to
the constant war farmers have made on
them with improved outfits for spraying.
The garden-pea crop Is not so large on
the Eastern Shore as heretofore. Kale and
spinach have been Sold prices being bet
ter than last year. Cabbage Is looking
well, the acreage has been decreased
and this will in all probability be the
best crop OF the year. Strawberries are in
full bloom. The cold. wet weather has
retarded them, but the yield promises
to be heavy Blackberries have been win
ter-killed badly. and the supply will be
short. Asparagus will pay up TO the end
of this week. but New Jersey Will come
in at that time heavy. Peaches are all
safe. and the crop promises TO be large
but we will know more about this when
the June drop Is over The sweet-potatoes
will be shortened by the severe winter
rotting the seed, and this disease has
continued in the beds, SO that there will
be a shortage of plants.
Grass Is looking well. so Is clover,
especially the scarlet, which Is valuable
acquisition 10 forage and a reIOvator or
the soil. There is no other plant that
can fill its place. All the fruit trees
promise abundant crops; so 1t looks as
IL we will have a bountifuI supply from
nature, which means a shortage In cash
at the wind-up of the year. and II will
be well II farmers maks their expenses
meet this end.
RICHMOND.
Our county does not raise any OF the
early truck. The truck crops principally
raised here are English peas. tomatoes,
and watermelons. The acreage of these
will be about the same as last year, and
l think our farmers. as wei as / can
learn. are about as well advanced as for
the past two seasons. The peas are all
up and looking fairly we'll The tomato
crop is almost all raised under contracts
for canneries. and although our farmers
ing their seed, they will be in ample time.
l think. Last season many crops came
in too early and were burned up by the
drought. The watermelon crop has not
been full planted.
The acreage devoted to truck, such as
Irish potatoes, garden peas. beans. Gu
cumbers. melons, etc, this year In Surry
county is. / think. less than last year
say 80 per cent. of that of 1894 The
cause was, In part unfavorable returns
last year, and In part the extremely cold
and backward spring. which did not offer
the opportunity to prepare land and plant
cropy in time. All teamwork has been
backward this spring. causing oats and
potatoes 10 be planted late. Ploughing
is not finished yet. and corn will not be
all planted before May 9Th.
Peas, potatoes. beans. cabbage. and such
other market-garden crops as are yet up
are looking green and thrifty, the hot
weather since the Goth OF April being
favorable. 1t IL noticed that the little
fiee-beetle is sucking the young plants
I'm some fields. and causing some crops
to be more backward. The potato-beetle
is out, also. on time to take the young
potatoes while they are tender. Despite
several quite severe frosts In April espe-
cially the 18th and 10th, vegetation escaped
with only slight harm. Fruits appear to
be unframed, and the prospect is good
now for a very large crop OF apples
peaches. and pears here this year Blu,
cold weather In May may change this by
causing the fruit to fall off the trees pre-
maturely. The outlook for profitable
trucking season Is fair as to quantity. but
sorry as to pecuniary gain. Everything
will be- too late for the best prices.
WARWICK.
Notwithstanding the very cold whites
and late spring both man and beas
are doing well. The farmers have made
pretty fair progress. They have moi
failed to appropriate every good day &
a good advantage. think the acreags
devoted to Irish-potatoes and early peas
is as large this year as ii was last. The
big frost on April 18th did not do any
damage to peas potatoes. or fruits. al
they were not far enough advanced &c
be injured. With good seasons We looi
forward to good crops.
YORK.
The season Is very backward. and al
planting is later this year than last
In consequence of this the acreage de-
voted 10 truck Is not so great. / would
say. as compared with last year. 1t Is
about So. taking 100 as the average. As
the planting was backward hardly any
truck was up to be affected by the frost