The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1905-07-22
REMARKS OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND
INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEE ON TRUCK
FARMING.

FARMING.
Bay ST. Lonis, June fst, 1905
The soil and climate of our near
country is ideal for truck farming
Situated on the extreme southern coast
of Mississippi, the warm breezes from
the Gulf of Mexico are quite factor in
forwarding early vegetation. The soil
is light and sandy, very easily worked
and retains fertilizers much longer than
would be supposed. The writer, from
personal observation, has watched the
effects of the old style of COW penning,
and for several years afterwards the
fertility is noticeable. 1t responds very
readily to fertillzing, and all early vege-
tables can be raised to perfection.
Last year the Farmers Union shipped
twenty-one cars and several hundred
barrels and packages of assorted vege-
tables, bringing gross to our people
oyer eleven thousand dollars. There
are so many kinds of early truck that
could be grown profitably that l con-
slider this business in its infancy; in
fact, '"the child" has hardly begun to
crawl. 1t is a known fact that radishes
raised on the Coast are unexcelled. The
writer last season on three-quarter5 of
an acre of land raised and shipped nearly
ninety barrels of radishes, and part Of
same plot was afterwards planted in Gu
cumbers; both crops were marketed
and returns were in before the 18th OF
June. Radishes were planted during
January with handsome profit The
same land afterwards could have been
very easily planted in sweet potatoes or
any other late crop, enough fertilizer
remaining in the soil to assure success,
making three crops off of the same
land in one year. The above is one Of
many instances that could be qnoted.
Cucumbers, beets, irish potatoes, snap
beans, onions, cabbages, cauliflower,
radishes, lettuce, and, in fact, as before
stated, all early vegetables can be raised
and shipped profitably.
~
Judgment and act in business manner.
When the shipping season opens, ne
should be in touch with all the markets
and know the requirements of each, to
be able to place his goods to the best
advantage. When using Commercial
fertilizer, he should know the proper
tion of chemicals most needed for the
vegetable abont to be planted and make
his formula accordingly. His work
should not be haphazardous; he should
use Judgment in the selection of seed
the time of planting and the land to be
planted.
After the shipping season is over the
same land can be planted in melons,
corn, sweet potatoes-crops that will
hnd a ready sale here sat home", max
ing two crops in one season, with little
if any, additional fertilizer.
4 cane crop would also be a profitable
one, providing the farmers could sell
their cane either in bulk or have some
local cannery to render it into syrup
and buy it of them by the gallon.
also find an opening for the canning o.
okra, beans, tomatoes, etc.; also fol-
the picking of cucumbers. The fig
industry being already launched ant
paying the owners of orchards so hand
somely, any remarks on the subJec
would be superfluous.
Any information on the above subjec
will be given with pleasure at any time
by our committee to parties contem'
plating truck farming or to those inter
ested in such matters.
Thanking the gentlemen present fol
their attention,
Yours for prosperity,
]. w. VAIRIN,