The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-12-12
TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS 4
YEAR AT TRUCK FARMING.

Ia The Progressive Farmer of Nov.
28th appeared very practical article
by Mr.. T. J. Merriam, of Battle Hill,
Ga, on "Con ditions Necessary to
Cheap Cotton Production" Our read
eEs doubtless enjoyed Mr. Merriam's
letter and it is probable that they will
hear from him again through our col
umns. 1t may interest them also to
learn that Mr.. Merriam with his part
ner makes from S., 900 to $lO,O 900 ayear
at truck farming. In a letter in the
last issue of Farmers Voice he gives the
fundamentals to his success and, as
the Voice says, 1T would be difficult
to find crowded into briefer space more
OF wise suggestion than the following
narrative OF experience and observation
contains" Mr.. Merriam says:
''In complying with your request for
short sketch Of the methods which
have contributed to our success in
truck farming, I wish to say that do
not regard our success as at all pGe-
I>nomenal, but believe that it can be
duplicated near any good market in
this country, and there are many
which are as good, or better, than At
lanta. We had the advantage Of &
good location for cur garden, 20 ssar5
with, and the fus ther advantage of b8
ing without any capital, besides few
hundred dollars. say advantage be-
| cause have s2en so many instances
where people went to gardening with
plenty Of capital, but without knowl
edge OF the business, and sunk evs rY
cent they put into il. The discouraS-
Jog IF ct from the l1ss of money
eeems to paralyz9 the energies ard
warp the judgment SO that nothing
succeeds; therefore unless a man
knows his business thoroughly and
right where to put every dollar to
make it profitable, he had better be
without capital, and start small. This
is what we did. We started small, and
instead of trying to have large gen
eral garden all at once, we made q
specially of one or two thinge; we
studied these special crops, both with
reference to themselves and our mar
ket, and we made them extra fine.
This gave US control Of the market
along these lines. and better chance
to sell other things as We gradually
worked into them.
There are so many minute points
| which contribute to success in any
| business that is is hard TO tell which
ara the most essential. A few that
know have helpad me are Fns6,
have a congenial, honest, hard work
| ing partner. He attends to the sales
department cf rha business, and kee ps
the books (our books cost US SID.
Second. / have been exceptionally
fortunate in my success in dealing with
men, both white and black, in bringing
out the best there is in them, getting
them enthusiastic about the work, and
making my Interests theirs. This
consider one of the main points for
have seen a mans business entirely
wrecked for no ocher reason excapt
that he could not manage help.
'.TGird. We make it point to know
what we are doiog. We make study
OF every crop, its needs, the soil bes
adapted to it, and the fertilizers re-
quired to give the bsst r. suits. Their
we study every piece OF land We have
and try to have the conditions jus
right to make it do It's best. The fail
ure of a crop is more often caused by
it's treatment than from outside c3ndi
tions. Mistakes are caueed by ignor
ance, and ignorance is the cause o
failure nine times out of ten in any
bueiness."