Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-08-08
An EXPANDING INDUSTRY.
The Agricultural Department Pre-
pairing a Comprehensive Re-
port on Truck Farming.
THE POINTS COVERED BY THE REPORT.
= Distinct Agricultural Industry that
Has Expanded From Year to Year
Until Now 1t is One of the Most
Far Reaching i'm the Coun-
try.


Washington, Aug. 4.-The agricul-
tGral department. is preparing to pub
fish a report by Edward G. Warde. Jr.,
and Edwin S. Holmes, Jr., on truck
farming and the transportation of
fruits and vegetables in the United
States. The report covers the fol-
lowing points:
Scope of tMe report.
IA description of the ~transporta-
ton of fruits and vegetables from
southern truck farms to northern
markets.
PA description of the California
fruit industry and the movement of
California fruits to interior points
and Atlantic seaboard cities.
3-Freight rates and refrigerator
charges IN perishable products in all
important sections of the country.
Reviewing the general growth of
these interests the report says:
Distinct Agricultural Industry.
Truck farming in the United States
has been recognized as a distinct agri-
cultural industry for a period of
about forty years.
The Increasing population of the
cities and d consequent demand for a
greater quantity and larger variety
of vegetables at all seasons of the
year, the changed conditions and the
surplus of labor in the south after
the close of the civil war and the
building of many thousands of miles
of'new railways have given this indus
try an impetus which has caused it to
develop with remarkable activity and
large areas throughout the entire
country are now devoted almost eX-
clusively 10 the growing of what is
known as garden truck.
Affects the Southern States.
This is the especially true of all the
southern states where, from late win
ter until early autumn, thousands and
thousands Of acres are under cultiva-
ton to supply northern markets with
fruits and vegetables, there being
hardly a northern city of any size
which is lot receiving its out-of-sea-
son garden truck. The southern
planter has made new use of his
farms.
Many of the improved facilities
which have been adopted by the
freight departments of our roads are
directly attributable to the handling
of perishable agricultural products.
Routes have been shortened, through
schedules adopted, motive power in
creased and by the use of ventilation,
refrigeration, speed and quick deliv-
cry, the railroads are enabled to place
the truck in the northern markets in
as good condition as when it left the
southern farm, even when it neces-
states a journey of many hundreds
of miles.
Seasons O~bliterated.
Such a thing as Il particular season
for any kind OF vegetable in our prin-
cipal markets is at this time prac-
tica1ly unknown, and it is now posi-
BILE to draw upon the different sec
tions of the country and receive at
any season of the year nearly all the
standard varieties of vegetables. In
the late autumn and early spring,
Florida and the southern states fur
nish the supply for the northern mar
kets until the advancing season
(Which moves northward at the rate
of about Is miles a day. natures the
crops through the eastern n GEN.
trail states; these states supply the
midsummer and autumn markets un-
til the frosts of winter once more
compel a return to the south, where a
fresh crop is at the command of the
market.