The Democratic advocate., 1906-07-27
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 27, 1906.
Crops And Conditions.
TEpMG
Reported for the Democratic Advocate.
AREPoRT. STEUBEN COUNTY, N. Y

Reported for the Dem0crdt1c Advocate.
AIRPORT, STEUBEN COUNTY, N. Y,
July q, 1905.
DEAR SIR: Being native of Carroll county
and a reader of the ADVOCATE 8 columns when
there, naturally when away and having time
nv thoughts glance over the doings of agri-
culture OF other sections for comparison with
those at home The writer at this time Is To-
Gated in the northern part of Canisteo Valley,
situated about 80 miles southeast OF Buffalo.
on the Erie railroad. Here We have tertile
valley on which most all crops, not requiring
TO long a season for maturity, can be raised,
aud the upands are also as productive accord
ingly.
About one half mile north of Airport there
is at the present time about 500 acres OF
..Muek'' land, all of which is planted with
celery and lettuce, about four fflhs in celery
and balance in lettuce. Here the celery bus
mess is a paying adventure, because climate
aud coal weather at maturing time Is favOra-
BILE. The soil is of a dark color, being dry
and pulverized on top, with wet and muddy
like soil underneath. This is cultivated and
planted each year, as the land is strong and
will permit continuous crops. Flowing and
cultivating with horses require them to be
shod with a solid wooden shoe, so as to pre-
vent them miring, this being attached TO the
regular shoe and adjusted as the work IS com
menced and removed at quitting time.
This land is purchasable at from $4,000 10
$4,000 per acre, according to location, and
general conditions, and it is quite astonishing
and interesting to note that on the surface, or
say, as deep as it is cultivated, that the soil
is and stays about right for cultivation, but
when the depth of Y inches or more IS reached
it is like so much mortar ready for use. The
rental for such land is about S25. 90 per acre,
with about Sl0.0 90 advance for the best IL IS
free from stone and gravel, hence easy to take
care of. am told that about 500 grass sales
from an acre is considered good, but in some
cases there has been sold as high as 100000
worth, and also learned that about half OF the
product from an acre, in n favorable season, IS
profit. This Of course is a money making en-
terprise when conditions are favorable. Thus
far this season there has been but little
shipped, but the earlier varieties are now
blanching up and what has been shipped dur
ing the week, am told, sold at 6ec per dozen.
AT such prices one would realize 100000 OF
of an acre under favorable weather conditions;
but from a conservative standpoint, would
Judge, if a grower would net $i50.O0 per acre.
thai celery growing would be the best occnpa.
tion you could engage in along the line OF
agricultural pursuits. Wages here are good,
and one following up the celery culture can
earn $500 per day, and understand some are
offering 25c more.
Lettuce culture on tnls same SOIL HAs betti
n crop of recent years experiment and II now
finds its way into the markets of the principal
cities of the Middle Atlantic States, princi-
pally Boston, New York, Pitisburg, Philadel-
phia, Baltimore and Washington. The fourth
named place being the heaviest point at pres
ent, would say the lettuce now require (ear)
daily.
Referring again to the celery question one
will only have to step on TO the markets OF all
c. IL -. kasa
tation for choice celery, and at prices which
rival competition. Here there are-2 TO 10
cars loaded daily later in the fail season with
about $50 to 200 crates per car, Of 70 IL
dozen each.
Will now dwell awhile on the main crop of
this section. namely PoTAToEs, every one
knowing this commodity as well as a child
would the alphabet.
Here the acreage is about thsi Of our wheat
crop through Carroll county aud with the Pc
tato hillers, spraying aud digging machinery
its on the increase. The climate here is espe'
cially adapted to the growth Of them, being
cool and dry at the time Of digging, which as
a rule, commences about 18th of September.
The local dealers here, who now buys most
Of them outright, have storage warehouse
where they can be drawn and for a reasonable
charge they can be stored at digging time and
sold at the option of the farmer or grower.
Hence saving the heavier roads during the
winter and early spring months.
am told from good authority that an aver.
age yield is about $50 bushels per acre, and
up to $4,000. The uplan5s here being the
best for q continued result as to bushels per
acre. Have passed over about so miles Of the
potato growing belt aud find they look gen
orally well, with few exceptions, where the
blight and bugs, but these are remedied with
spraying with bordeaux mixture for blight
and mixture of paris green and water tor
''bugs"
The principal varieties being Burpee's Su.
perior, Rural New Yorker No. 2, Sir Walter
Raleigh, Carman No. l, and Mills Prize.
Harvesting Of whest is now on Of which
acreage is light but quality good.
The oats crop will be ready for the binder IN
about 10 days or two weeks; 1t being the heav-
lest crop of cereal grain, generally producing
40 to so bushels per acre. Most OF this crop
being fed to the stock necessary TO maintain
land, as the climate here is too cool for a sure
corn crop.
Harvest is now on, and the season has been
quite wet this far. Hay is yielding well. from
II tons to tons per acre, averaging slightly
above u tons on uplands and to in valley.
Prices range here from $1,000 TO $lS, accord
ing to quality for timothy. ! find also, that
general farm laborer here receives $1,000 to
t3O.O0 per month, aeeof1ihg 10 ages. AHe
latter being for first class hands. Were
farming believe | would prefer this section
to the West, as we are not subject TO drouihs,
wind storms, etc.
When leaving here will proceed to EimiFa,
a thriving town in Southern New York Of
10000 inhabitants, located in Chernung Val
lev, where the wholesale distribution Of Geor
cia and Delaware peaches will be carried on
by my employers C. E. Barry, of Baltimore.
d. Z. ZEPP,
Formerly of Marston, Carroll county, Md.