The news & observer., 1905-12-03
TRUCKING IN EAST CAROLINA.

MdSdZlne.J
Perhaps a bad cold, contracted since
| came north of Mason and DiXon's
inc, has intensified my wish to be
back along the eastern coast of North
Carolina, where | spent the past week.
But whether that is the case or not.
it is revelation to a man of the lat
itude of Maryland, accustomed to see
'ng at this time of the year brown
fields and leafless trees, to pay visit
to the trucking section around Will
mingtCn. They've got a climate there
that the Wilmingtonians justly brag
about. and it does not become tire
some to you to hear about ii, SOM
chow, for you feel it, Every breath
YOU draw is q pleasure and you COM
miserate with the bankers and store
'leepers that have to spend their days
INDOORS instead of out in the open.
The heart of the farmer here. as 1t
very generally the case in the South
lust now is made glad, not so much
by the air. because farmers are pret-
ty healthy lot and have not time to
bother about their breathing appar-
atus, but on account of the fact that
the land they own is yielding an in
come and a net profit that no other
safe business would show. They tell
great tales about what the farmers
along the eastern coast are making
off their crops, and every word of it
is true.
1 talked with one man who had less
than 90 acres under cultivation in let
tuce, and he Has been offered in the
last few days by commission house
$4,000 for his crop in the field. He is
holding it for $4,000. OF course, this
is an exceptional case, but lands are
selling there as high as $3.50 an acre
(and good land can be bought as low
as $40 and $50 an acre., and. as far
as 1 am able to judge, there must be
something or other valuable about
farming Nland worth that price.
The Wilmington district is already
a great trucking center. Twenty-sev-
N hundred carloads of strawberries
(mind you, not crates, but carloads)
we're shipped from here last year They
are bringing in farmers from Northern
tally. and Greeks from the Island of
Crete, and sturdy Americans from IL
iinoiS and Iowa are going there in
Increasing numbers to try how it goes
70 raise two or three crops year.
Speaking of the Island of Crete. an
enterprising land agent persuaded
prince of royal blood to come to Will
nington and try his hand tilling the
soil. His success is already assured,
helped, it is true, by the fact that
he Greeks that accompanied him are
till his devoted followers and do
arge part of his work without pay,
aesides tilling their own patches. That
s something of a "cinch' that most
Of us have not been able to bring
bout in our own affairs.
They have demonstration farms
here and experimental stations to
how those not accustomed to trucking
lust how the best results may be OBJ
aimed, and they cite you almost num-
berless instances of men that are now
work ing 2O-acre farms and putting by
n the bank $4,000 to $4,000 every
ear, besides getting a living. The
State Department of Agriculture pub
'ished an estimate in 1901 showing
he average net profits per acre of veg
tables grown in the Wilmington dis
'rict. and although there are no re-
ports on file showing the average profit
per acre of lettuce and strawberries,
he following will be interesting:
Asparagus. $93.63.
BeetS. $95
Cabbage. $i13.61.
Cucumbers, $175.
Irish potatoes, $101.60.
Sweet potatoes, $106.50.
Tomatoes, $94.72.
/ could write from now until tomor-
these figures are borne out, and more
in the actual profits that are being
realized. One typical instance will suf-
fee. A man bought farm of 60 acres
in 1902 for $4,000. He had no free
lash capital TO start with, although
the farm was under cultivation when
he bought it and was provided with
mules, farming implements, etc. He
bought it on credit. At the end of
two years he paid for the farm conf
pIetely, built large barn which cost
5000. and had $500 over and above
al expenses.
The largest profits realized by this
man were. from lettuce, as it grows
faster than any other vegetable and
always brings a higher price. This
wear he has two acres in lettuce under
canvass and one and one-half acres
outside. His first lettuce shipment of
236 baskets averaged him about $3.50
per basket. He had the rest of his
twenty acres in beets irish potatoes
cabbage, peas, sweet corn. tomatoes
cantaloupes. cucumbers etc. besides ht
raised all of his own hay and oats and
has not paid a single dollar for forage
for his four teams since the first year
They raise two crops of lettuce every
year.
The profits they are making from
strawberries seem almost as incredu'
II