The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-03-17
STRAWBERRY CROP
Average Along Atlantic Coast
Line Largely Increased.
Prospects are Very Bright---crcps are thought
10 be Fully a Week Earlier Than
Last Year.

Editor q. W. Whitehead, editor of the
Carolina Fruit and Truck Growers
Journal, has been making q careful study
If the truck prospects along the line OF
the. Atlantic Coast Line, and gives the
results in the latest copy of his paper:
within the next sixty days, and pos
siblv within six weeks, Strawberries will
begin to move from this section in car
load lots, says the Journal. The indica-
lions are that the season will be fully
q week ahead Of last year and the first
car load shipment went toward last sea-
son on the 2Sth Of April. The vines are
I'm good shape and everything is faVora-
BE for some fruit of an extraordinarily
high grade quality. From experience and
observation our people are yearly learn
ing the Importance and value of grading
loser, packing better and picking more
carefully. These are things that count
much for the grower as well as for the
dealer when the returns come in, and
only those who have had more or less
experience in the growth and shipment
Of berries can just exactly appreciate
the Importance that attaches to this
feature.
Starving has been the order of the
DAY HOW - SoliIt IiIIIt Lliilc, anu Tie
fields are already beginning to present
something Of q beehive aspect. Tho
crate factories are all running in full
blast, and taken altogether the outlook
is quite favorable for a good years bust
ness Just ahead. The increased acreage
win increase the volume of business, and
to those who are familiar with the past
seasons operations this statement can
best be appreciated. Year after yeSr
it is being demonstrated that this terri
tory produces the finest grade and quality
Of strawberries produced anywhere in
the United States, and can be gotten to
the great consuming and distributing
renters of the Northern, New England and
Middle States quicker, and at a time, too,
when nature calls for something of this
character. The vegetable and Irish po-
tatO crops throughout this territory are
also up to the average, and bid fair at
this writing to make a good showing
during the coming season.
asparagus has already begun to move
from the Charleston section, and lettuce,
radishes, etc, are beginning to go for
ward from different points on the At
lantic Coast Line in North Carolina. all
Of which are bringing good average
prices.
Reports from Missouri, Tennessee and
Texas would Indicate that between the
floods and freezes the strawberry crops
of those sections have been practically
ruined. Some estimate the damage at
- per cent; others say 80 per cent. will
cover it. If that be true, then the coun-
try must look largely to the two Caro-
lin3s and Virginia for STRAWBERRIES this
season, as the eastern shore of Maryland
crop is very much short of last year.
The strawberry and vegetable acre
age in the two Carolinas continues to
increase with each passing year. How
remains to be seen. In strawberries the
acreage increase this year will be about
10 to 10 per cent. over last years in
crease over 1901.
showing the vast army of people
We would state that while the total
acreage foots up 6,474 acres, the number
of growers has reached the stupendous
employ from 80 to leo hands during tho
picking, packing and grading season, and
it ia a safe estimate to say that fully
5000 people are employed during the
shipping season to move the crops. 1t is
thus easily to be seen what an enormous
amount of money is paid out in this
section every year that goes into daily
circulation. Add to this the sum totaI
OF the amount returned to this section
from the berries and vegetables sold
and the wonder is tina We are not the
most prosperous and independent people
on the globe. Indeed, the figures are
astounding"