The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-23
OUR FARMERS
EXCHANGE VIEWS
The Second Day of the Great Convention IS
Foil of Life and Interest
for All.

apart, placed on short pieces of pipe, con-
nected to the lines of pipe in an upright
position. This pipe is connected to a
stead pump of sufficient power to give
the required pressure.
Again, a few more blades of grass may
be made to grow, by the application of
steam heat, for winter farming.
II will endeavor to give a brief out
line of the plan of erection of a plant.
Beds aae arranged any desired length
with room between to walk, the beds are
about IL feet wide, line of pipe through
the centre of each bed, on the north side
board feet high are placed, on the south
side one board II inches wide, the beds
covered with white cloth. which may be
rolled up on every bright day, and re-
placed at night.
1.-The crops that are usually grown in
these beds are half hardy varieties of vege-
tables requiring a temperature anywhere
above freezing. ct is preferable to keep
the temperature above 40 degrees), such as
lettuce, Strawberries, celery, etc. Any of
the more tender varieties, such as to-
matoes, would require glass instead of
cloth covers.
"A steam pump is connected to the
same pipe, so that when moisture is re
quired, valve shuts off the steam from
the boiler and another valve turns on
the water from the steam pump, which
gives a sufficient pressure through the
pipes. and the spray nozzles which are
already in place. but closed, by valve,
when the steam is on, and opened when
water is required.
Il 200 bushel baskets of lettuce. peri
acre, is not an unusual yield Taking
the average price in the Northern mar
kets, viz, $1.50 per basket, after deduct |
ing the freight and commissions. it will
net fully 81 per basket, thus making the
net returns for the crop, from one acre,
81 200. From this is to be deducted the
expense of cultivation, fertilizer, pack
ages harvesting, wear and tear, etc, max
ing total expense per acre of 1894.
THE lettuce plants being set In beds in
October and November, the crop is har
vested through the winter and all cleaned
up by March. At this time the beds are
thoroughly plowed and raked, and a crop
of cucumbers planted, to be harvested in
May and June, ahead of the field crop.
500 bushels of cucumbers is an average
crop per acre. and at the time these are
ready for market 81 so net is not too high
a figure to name, thus giving $3.50 per
acre.
Deduct from the net receipts, viz, |
$3.50, this expense for second crop $170, |
and we have $3.50 to add to the net re-
ceipts from first crop, giving total of
$1,446 net profits from one acre.
1.-The soil best adapted to truck farming
is a sandy loam with clay sub-soil; much |
Of hn fha bo..
clay sub-soil and on this good crops are
sitter Soils but on the other hand the
sitter soils produce more.
1.-The sitter soils are preferred for cab
bage and lettuce which are grown through
the winter, they are supposed to resist
the cold to great extent on stiff soil
Good crops may be grown on almost any
soil with different degrees of success.
Equally as good truck crops may be
grown through the central and western
portions of the State, as in the east, but
of course later in proportion to the dist
ance from the Gulf Stream, which is sup
posed to be potent factor in tempering
the cold waves From a financial point,
however, success is doubtful, except where
grown for home markets, from the com
petition with the larger trucking sections
lying north''
MIR. o. w. BLACKNALL
Following Mr.. Dunn's address, President
Winston read paper by Mr.. O. w.
Blacknall on "The Present and Future of
Strawberry Growing in North Carolina
Mr.. Blacknall was unfortunately prevented
from attending the meeting in person.
II
upon in the paper:
THE possibilities of strawberry growing
in Eastern North Carolina far surpass
those of any other part of the United
States. if not of the world. These posi-
bilities are the result of natural condi-
tions and are eternal.
As it is we may safely grow all the
good berries that we can pick and ship
III proper condition. The comparative
narrowness of the trucking belt will for
ever prevent the great glut of strawber
ries even now so often occurring in the
west. And the mountains will doubtless
always remain barrier sufficient to pre-
vent the influx of enough western berries
to glut our ever growing Eastern mar
kets
"0yercropping, the growing of a larger
acreage than is justified by the ouantitv
of land at ones disposal, necessarily pre-
vents rotation which is mere essential
with the strawberry than perhaps any
crop that grows. man begins bv put
ting say one-tenth of his land suitable
Tor Strawberries In that crop. He clears
800. $500 or perhaps great deal more.
CONTINUED on Fifth Page)