The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-08
Father Of the Strawberry Industry
in North Carolina.

Father Of the Strawberry Industry
in North Carolina.
this section of country planted for mar
ket. The outcome has proven the adapta-
bility of the soil and climate to the sue
cessful cultivation of Strawberries.
Our first venture was successful. We
had fine crop. which sold well, some as
high as 81 per quart, and one shipment for
$3.50 per quart, in New York. The entire
crop averaged so cents per quart.
Then strawberries were regarded as a
luxury to be enjoyed only by the rich,
now it is a staple crop and considered a
necessity even by the masses in the
Northern cities.
Our only means of transportation at
that time was by express and charges to
New York were $3.50 per crate of forty
five quarts. / give no other rate because
at that time all our stuff went to New
York
Encouraged by our success at Wilson
and finding that we were too near Nor
folk, Va, we began to move further
South. Land was very cheap then and
we purchased property along the Will
mington and Weldon railroad until we
at nearly every station between Whining
oton and Goldsboro. and one below Will
mington on Wrightsville Sound, where
berries ripened just after those at Char
lesion, s. c. Thus we were between the
two great strawberry sections of the
South, filling the interval between Char
lesion and Norfolk. This with the adap-
liability of our soil and climate to the
TIL IT,
made a reputation for North Carolina
strawberries.
Our neighbOrs seeing the results of our
efforts began to go into the business, I'M
til almost every farmer within ten miles
of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
is a grower of Strawberries and the
three acres of 1873 have grown into five
thousand acres in 1902.
Naturally the increased production de-
manded increased transportation facili-
ties. And now instead of one or two ex-
press cars and a few crates by open
freight we have special express fruit
train and three trains OF refrigerator
cars daily, besides many crates shipped in
ventilated cars. The increase has been
from few hundred crates in 1874 to
321, 391 crates from various stations along
the Atlantic Coast Line in North Caro-
lima in 1901.
Our transportation facilities have been
greatly improved within the last five
years, but have not yet reached perfec-
ton. The refrigerator service is fur
nished by Armour's Fruit Growers Elk
press and has given satisfaction in the
main. They have built four icing ste
tions IT. this State and are now erecting
the fifth.
The chief complaint against transporta-
tion is about delayed deliveries at the last
end OF the line. There has been consid-
cradle reduction of the rates but they
are still too high and out of proportion to
what the grower gets.
Our railroad officials are clever gentle
men and We have sufficient confidence in
them to believe that they will take care
of themselves and leave enough for the
grower to live on provided he is economi-
cal.
In the beginning of this great industry
we confined our shipments to two or three
markets. but with the growing demand
for North Carolina strawberries and by
the use of refrigerator cars we have es-
tablished a system of distribution that
makes it practically impossible to glut
the markets with first class fruit. Our
records show that our berries went to
fifty-two different points in the United
States and Canada the past season. We
do not get, nor do we expect fancy prices
for our fruit any more, but the demand
has steadily kept pace with the supply.
Formerly everything was shipped and
sold on commission. Now good portion
of the crop is sold at our shipping sta
tions to parties who have had a taste of
cur fruit and have come long distances
to buy. Berries sold at this station, Wal
lace, last season as high as So per crate
of 81 quarts. OF course this is high, but
quite few sold at this price and large
quantities as high as IS per crate.
The introduction of this industry has
enhanced the value of farming lands. ad-
jacent to the Atlantic Coast Line in North
Carolina, at least so per cent. In some
instances much more. This writer bought
tract near one of the shipping stations
twenty-five years ago for SIS per acre.
The same land cannot be bought for $50
per acre now.
A large part of land is peculiarly
adapted to the successful growth of
strawberries and most of it well. drained
and MANFRED will make fine fruit There
are few shipping points which have
rich lands and yet undeveloped and only
waiting for enterprising settlers.
The cultivation of strawberries is no
childs play. 1t requires work and atten-
ton every month in the year and is con-
sequeDtly expensive. 1t costs about 800
per annum to properly fertilize and Guilt
vate an acre. When planted in the sum-
mer the expense is less as they yield a
crop in about nine months after being
set. An acre will yield from 3,500ito 5000