The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-25
COULD SUPPLY
LOCAL MARKET
WITH LOCAL FARM PRODUCE
If TRUCKERS WOULD PLANT CROPS
WITH THAT OBJECT IN VIEW.

Al PrSsent Ihey Rush PlAnt1nE
for Early Crop to ship to Northern
Markets-This Means n Dearth Lat
err i'm Local Markets and Return
Shipments Are Made from North.
Judicious Planting Would supply
Market Year ArOund-OutIOOk Is
Bright for an Early and Plentiful
Crop.
If the truck farmers of Chatham
county were to exercise more care in
planting their crops and make an eff
fort to supply the Savannah market,
that there would be no necessity for
importing vegetables from the North at
any time of the year, said Mr.. M. L. Ex-
ley. The desire to reap the profits of an
early crop from Northern markets is
the reason given by truckers for Chat
ham county crops not meeting the de-
mands of the local market.
Every condition in this locality tends
to work for the benefit of the farm
ers here, yet they take no advantage
of it, said Mr.. Exley, save in
an attempt to rush through an
reap the resulting profits from the
high prices prevailing there. AS re-
suit there is an early dearth of Chat
ham county vegetables in the Savan-
nah market, and importations begin
from the North.
That the reverse could be true has
been sufficiently we'll proven by truck
farmers who have made the expert
ment. Where the planting has been
done systemati cally and with a view
to supplying the local market, the crop
has held over from season to
season. In general the vegetables
themselves are of a better quality than
those which are imported and are far
better for retail purposes.
Experiment With Potatoes.
The experiment has been made with
potatoes. At present there are large
quantities of potatoes being shipped
here from the North and even from
Ireland and Scotland. The argument
has been advanced that the Savannah
potatoes will not hold over, but Mr..
Exley, one of the most prominent
truck farmers of this section, has fall
potatoes on hand now that are in the
best of condition.
There is not a flaw in any of the po-
tatoes and all are in the best con-
dition. The potatoes give every indi-
cation of being in condition to last
until the spring crop is harvested.
This is all that is required of them to
make the test absolute.
Idea Is a Good One.
Though the potatoes in question are
not as large as those which are i'm
ported, yet they are admittedly of bet
ter quality, and owing to their smaller
size much better fitted for retailing
purposes. If the cost of freight on
potatoes imported from other sections
were added to the cost of raising the
home potatoes, local truck farmers
could make a neat profit. The pota-
toes would at the same time be cheap
er than at present, and all the money
would remain in Savannah instead of
going to distant points.
The same facts hold with other
vegetables. Though the more delicate
plants can be planted only in season,
yet the hardy and semi-hardy varie-
ties could be raised the year around.
Even the more delicate varieties
could be raised with the aid of glass
or canvas coverings.
THE idea of local farmers supplying
the local market is a good one and is
in direct line with the principle ad-
vanced at the recent Chamber of Com
merce meeting, Buy From Local
Merchants" said one truck grower.
Early Crop This Year.
At present everything points to an
early and plentiful crop of vegetables
of all varieties. The recent light
rains have proven of inestimable bene-
fit and everything in the country is
showing up exceptionally we'll 1t is
expected that the beans can be gather
ed fully two weeks earlier than last
year, and the other crops in proper
ton.
1.-The outlook is very bright" said Mr.
Exley, land 1 believe that all
the truck farmers will be exception
ally we'll paid for their work this
year. Conditions have all been in our
favor and unless there should be a
sudden and severe cold spell, the crops
will be better than they have been in
some time"
Other truckers who were seen and
asked about the outlook took the same
ground as Mr.. Exley, agreeing that
everything pointed to an early and
plentiful harvest