Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-01-19
CCommunicated.)
SOME WHY'S AND WHERE
F0RES OF TRUCKING

As this is developing into quite a
trucking country and since we have just
passed through aseason in which many
have lost money, and others have barely
made buckle and tongue meet" while
others still have come out of the season
right much to the good, it seems to me
at this time of the year it is well to
take a retrospective view, note our
failures, so that we may try to avoid
them in the future. Why have some
failed almost entirely the past season,
and some barely made expenses,
while some few have made money, is a
question we ought to consider now, be-
fore making plans for the next seasons
crops. Our climate is the same. The
rains and dews visit US very nearly
alike, and our soil is very nearly alike
in texture, if not in richness. Right
here is where we all come short of the
possible. We do not use manures
enough. When l say manures- i mean
manufactured fertilizers as well as
barnyard manure The more of the one
we use, the more of the other we can
use. And the more of them both to-
gether we use the better will be our
crops.
Peter Henderson said ''manure, more
manure, and heap more manure were
the three most essential things needed
in successful truck growing and 1 find
it more true in my experience each
year. But while the above is true it is
only factor. The kind of crops has
great deal to do with success.
Truckers are Ikea great many people
In other vocations- trying to make
money quick and easy and for that rea-
son will plant only those crops that are
easily cultivated and make quick returns.
Take the green pea crop for an example.
Each year truckers on this river will
plant larger acreage, simply because
1t is an easy crop to grow, does not re-
quire much fertilizer and comes off in
short time; when at the very best it is
a poor paying crop. Irish potatoes,
beans, onions and several other crops
are not much better. find that crops
that take more time and more care paw
best. The markets are not apt to be
over supplied because not so many
people are going to grow them.
/ have been growing strawberries for
nineteen years, and with the exception
of one very hot and dry season, they
have paid me well and some years ex-
tremely well. And do not find them
an expensive nor difficult crop to grow.
In average years, / would not like
to trade crop of strawberries properly
grown on one acre for the best ten
acres of wheat in the county. And no
one will contend that they will cost
near so much to grow and harvest as
will ten acres of wheat.
Asparagus takes more time then
Strawberries but it will pay even better,
and is not as hard to keep clean. A
bed properly set will last twenty five
years. 1t will take about three years
to begin to pay, but rapidly increases
each year.
Grapes are another crop peculiarly
adapted to this section, are easily grown
and easily marketed, do not requires
much fertilizer and will pay even better
than either of the above mentioned
crops.
These things think are worth In
vestigating. / would caution everyone
to be careful about the stock they
would plant. Start right and success
is half won
may say something another time,
about the proper soil, culture, varie.
ties, etc. c. l.. SHACKELFoRD.