Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-29

year, 70 arrange Wr.n CUmulIsalJu
merchants mere IUr the uandnng uI
-neIr truck next sprug ana summer.
UtL6rS, VINO plant more Ianu than their
OwE ulnlted means would justly, come
20 New Ork 30 get advances on Lner
crops, 50 that tley may De III readiness
Tor the preparation necessary in the
IaII.
A reporter saw several or these
"uuCA growers few DAYS ago. IAey
were from parts OF the southern coasu-
from me gulf and Atlantic Seaboards
ard were discussing their prOnls ana
4Csses on this years crops and the
Prospect for next season. OI.e had
come to make arrangements Tor plant
ing fifty acres III ASPARAGUS, auO.uer
cabbage. bOJn Wanted all advance OF
70 put out a MISSISSIPPI plantation OF
capltal-and neither secured 1t. The
cICps last season had not turned out
as well as expected, and some money
lad been lost or "Ieu UP" IN southern
lands, and the financial scare had made
investors Wavy about putting any more
l.:JHe! II, southern enterprises.
Inc southern coast, IICm tne Ohesa-
peake TO the mouth OIL the RIO Grande,
mas become within the last few years
one vast truck garden. The old COTTON
and rice plantations OF SOuuh Caro-
ina, Georgia, FLORIDA ana The gun
states have been cut up into vegetable
gardens. in North Carolina and Vir-
sulla vegetables have In many places
taken the place OF tobacco as a farm
plaoduct. Even III the IN, erlOr, Wherever
shipping facilities are reliable and
cheap, the vegetable farm is seen sup
painting corn ana cotton fields.
Along the coast there are great CEN
,ers OF the truck business. On the
gulf coast there are New Orleans, Gal
weston, Mobile, Pensacola and Tampa,
and on the ALlanIic there are Sanford,
| Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston,
| Wilmington and Norfolk. From these
Inherent centerS some kind OF vegeta-
bies are shipped to the north east and
west every day III the year. A few
years ago the vegetable season was
| well GOIIuSu. liz NEW 1OIhtI CUutu
| tell just when tomatoes or cucumbers
or asparagus would be available for
his home table Now these vegetables
are shipped from Florida in the dead of
winter. AS spring advances up the
coast, while yet the northern and east
ern states are wrapped in ice and snow
these vegetables dainties are poured in
the great clues of the north from Jack
sonyille, then from Savannah, then
| from Norfolk. BY this time the gar
dens of Delaware ana New Jersey are
| beginning their early spring ship
ments, SO that New Yorker may COM
mence eating asparagus, say in Janu
airy, and continue until July, by which
time his palate Graves other delicacies.
| Owing to the profits made by such of
| the earlier truck growers as Major
Ryals and Mr.. Schley at Savannah, Ga,
and the French gardeners around
| Charleston, S. c., there WaS d very
rapid development of truck gardening.
AS is usual in such cases, the business
was soon crowded. Vegetables became
too cheap for large profit Intensified
gardening was resorted to for the pur-
pose of lowering the costs OF production
and to raise the standard Of the pro-
duct. Under the present system the
gardens around Savannah, Charleston
and Norfolk are in almost as bign a
state of fertility and productiyeness as
the famous gardens of Paris and the
Isle of Guernsey.
Many kinds of vegetables have also
been abandoned by the most sue
cessful gardeners, who have reduced
the list OF their products down to such
vegetables as find ready and profitable
sale. The southern gardeners who
were recently seen in this city stated
that the only vegetable upon which
they made a profit last season was as
paragus. Even the cabbage failed.
This has nearly always proved a pay
ing crop. There was no money made on
cucumbers and tomatoes, as they were
too plentiful and cheap for profitable
sales.
But one who has not visited the !
southern coast the great variety crops !
can hardly be appreciated. Take a |
bit of the coast, for example, between !
Savannah and Charleston, and it Will |
be found that almost every vegetable |
known to man is produced and shipped |
to the north and east. The crop is !
shipped by water because of cheap
rates of freight. Savannah sends ship
loads weekly to New York and Phila-
delphia. Other shiploads are sent
weekly from Charleston. The vegeta-
are brought into these two cities from
The adjoining coast. Small steamers
and smaller sailing craft go up and
Il WI among the inlets and channels
IF the coast and bring in loads Of cab
oage, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans,
'Quashes, beets, potatoes, peas and
asparagus, and berries Of all kinds
which are then loaded into New York |
teamers and shipped to the markets :
t the north. All OF them are handled ],
S delicately and tenderly as babies.
'ome are put up with great care and I
With considerable artistic effect 1t
nay make difference between a good
rof1t and heavy loss if the vegetables a
re packed neatly or carelessly. 1t is !.
ot so much matter Of getting them
ito market in good condition as it is
get them before the purchaser in an
ttractiVe appearance.
At one time the profits were very d