The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-04-17

:
| are the strawberry farms in this Sec
ton Of tile state. / drove this after
noon through the .3-acse field Of Mr..
}. \. Nestbrook, on lne northern sub
hrb Of this growing town. within j
week from now the berries viii be
Northern markets. Ny visit her.
ought TO have been ten daNs later to
have enjoyed a good mess of berries
fresh from the vine. "Doubtless God
imighty could have made better
thing than a strawberry, but doubtless
God Almighty never did"
The strawberry Industry in North
Carolina IS comparatively a new one.
/ remember. Whea Z lad in Wilson.
that the Nestrooks had small field
OF strawberries Oh land adjoining the
school building-tfl. first Strawberries
grown il North Carolina for ship
ment to Northern markets Among
the FIRST spending money | ever made
was by picking strawberries with the
dew on them in the early morning in
that field. ana stopping now ana then
to eat q luscious berry sWeetened with
morning dew. The recollection Of the
good taste Of the berries abides with
me still. The Westbrooks later de-
cided that the climate ana land south
Of GoldsLoro would ripen the berries
earlier ana they bought land at Fai-
son and at this pace, and later Went as
der. Their success induced others to
go into growing berries for the mar
ket until @rW all the way between this
place and the South Carolina line the
growing cf berries for the Northern
market IS the biggest industry in this
whole section. | have not figures at
hand, but my recollection is that the
berry industry is worth four million
dollars year to North Caroiina MI.
Olive IS an important shipping point,
there being refrigerating plant here.
Last year about 100, coo crates were
shipped from this place the receipts
aggregating about 100000. The
shipping Of berries was the first step
toward growing and shipping truck.
and now the principal crops are straw
berries, potatoes, and cante!OupeS.
Mr.. j. 4. Westbrool< has Il lettuce bed
that is a-thing Of beauty and it is be-
ginning to be an Important crop here.
The immediate result of the success
ful cultivation Of strawberries and
truck has been to make this fertile
land more desirable and to increase
their values. [ drove over farms here
that could have been bought ten years
ago for ten dollars an acre that bring
from $50 to 500 an acre, and they go
up in value every year.
Last year $500 bags Of cotton were
shipped from Mount Olive, which
brought the producers the splendid
sum tl 9-oV.VDu. IL Is estimated tt2tAL
the potato crop Will amount to 10000
barrels, which can be sold in advance
at $500 per barrel amounting to
100000. Last year the canJalOupe
shipment amounted 10 7 5 car loads of
400 crates per car and a8Sregatlng
$22,500 in price. It is estimated that
there viii be between 5000 and 10000
crates Of whortleberries shipped this
season, which will bring $50 zoo.
There IS still left the tobacco, beans,
peas, and asparagus crops. 1t is seen
from these figures that more than
100000 is annually distributed
amongst the farmers and truckers for
their produce.
The mercantile interests of Mt Olive
are assuming gigantic proportions.
Over 5000 coo worth of merchandise
is annually sold, exclusive CT an enor>
nous amount of fertilizers. which is at
least 5000 tons and valued at not less
than 100000. Another instance of
business push is found IN the local
railroad office There they handled
1900 telegraph messages last year.
Five thousand solid car loads OF sup
plies We're received here, Including ) q
car loads of flour and 20 car loads Of
meat, exclusive Gf the large shipments
in broken amounts.
Some idea. OF the immense value Of
business transacted here may be gath |
cred from the figures furnished by
Mr.. VI. 7. Breazeale. cashier Of the
Bank of Mount Olive( one of the lead |
ers in every progressive movement I
looking to the material and moral well |
fare OF the town.. as the amount Of
money banked in q community is us I
ually Il fair index to the entire vol
ume of business transacted, besides
the amount of money on deposit helps T
to determine the financial standing OF
q people. Within the past year the +
OF savings deposit has stooG +
at $50, ,000 The entire amount OF de- +
posits for the year aggregates the .
grand total Of $1,322, 95S. which is a
nne showing for an institution only
about four years old.
There are no manufacturing plants
here of any kind. The steady growth
of the town is chiefly due to the pros
perity Of the truckers and farmers III 7.
Wayne and Duplin. who find this
better than manufacturing and the .
brains and capital have gone into F
trucking. farming, merchandising and .
trade. There is progress here and .
comfortable ana elegant +
homes. splendid stores. good churches, .
and a magnificent graded school build /
ing which is the pride Of the COM .
It has been built q a cost .
OF ten thousand dollars, and while
there are larger and more costly .
school buildings in the state there Is
not one that is built upon more ap-
proved plans or better suited or better .
furnished. Everything is in perfect {
taste and has been arranged for SER
vice L was built under contract by
MI J. T. Ange. of Goldsboro. q popu-
lar and capable contractor. The seS-
sion closed yesterday with commence
ment exercises. The sermon by Rev.
\. NJ Watson. Of Wilmington. easily
enc of the first preachers of the State,
profoundly impressed the people. Ine
occasion was one that attracted large
crowds The head Of the school, Prof.
T. D. McWhorter, has done a great
work here. and is justly held IN the
highest esteem by parents and pupils.
He is q scholar and 1 teacher who