The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-08-23
REPORT ON YEARS BUSINESS
Submitted to {. C. 7. and F. G.
Association BY the Secretary
Acreage Shows Decrease. But In
crease in Value of Crop Statistics
Concerning tho Moyement-Re-
marks on TRANSPORTATION and
Other Matters

| The report OF Business Agent Bouman
of the East Carolina Truck and Grow
ers Association submitted at the an
nual meeting yesterday was as fol-
lows:
Mr.. ". E. Springer, president, and
gentlemen of the board of directors.
/ | herewith respectfully submit my
| eleventh annual report as business
agent of the East Carolina Truck and
Fruit Growers Association.
The acreage planted in strawberries
this season showed a decrease or p
243 acres or 80 per cent for the whole
territory. Last season We had 1926
ii acres, not including the North E2s-
tern R. R. from which We shipped
541, ,548 crates, or an average or Il
crates per acre. This season from D.
283 IA acres We shipped 244 ,5S2 crates,
an average of 46 crates per acre. With
an average return of 81 per crate last
season this amounted to $4,000 per
acre. With $500 per crate this season
s113S 90 per acre. Deducting cultivation
picking, packing, crates, hauling, etc,
at $3.50 per crate, the net result for
1906 was S34.00 per acre With the same
season z$$Oacre
deduction for expenses per crate this
season, the net result was $71.00 per
acre. In other words in 1906. SAL ,54S
crates at $500 per crate amounted to
| $1O83 ,O96OO The expenses at $3.50
per crate amounted to $S12,322. leav-
ing a net of $27O,774OO This season
244,582 crates at $500 per crate amount
to $733, ,746OO. Expenses at $3.50 per
crate 1866, $1,000 leaving net Of $780,
$1,000
This shows a gain of $96, 6,09900 for
1907, and that from a SO per cent crop
I have allowed the full expense of cul-
tivation, ETC., for 1907 but we had over
1000 acres less this year to cultivate
and thi should be taken into consid
Grafton, in fixing the total cost to the
grower However, from a business
standpoint, this season has been sue
! SCOS, anu q 81 CdtCI FOlCLAC VI SACC4
money has been made by our people
than in several previous seasons. l 60
not lose sight Of the fact that less
money was received and distributed
this season, and prospective profits
cut to a large extent, still those who
had the berries are the winners, and
| by very handsome margin.
| Many of our growers have lost out
| this season where by proper precau-
tions they could have saved a much
| larger percentage of their crop, and
| it is source of much regret, that they
were caught mapping when the frost
was getting in its work. The frost warn
| ings were promptely sent out, but were
iisregarded by many, with the result
that it was a survival of the fittest.'
or in other words the man with the
straw and the rake, got busy and saved
his berries
The following is comparative state
ment showing the movement in crates
and cars for 1906-1907:
| Total refrigerator movement 1906,
499, ,669 crates, 2,475 cars.
Total refrigerator movement for 1907,
PA 1872 crates, S96 cars.
| Decreased 1907, 285, ATT crates, 1879
cars.
| The total decrease in the Chadbourn
section was 1877, ,167 crates and 1911 re-
| frigerator cars.
| From the w and W. section. "a 1898
! crates, 486 cars.
From the Yadkin Division, 3,116 crat-
es, 16 cars.
From Florence S. c., 61S crates 5
cars.
From Latta, S. c., 15S crates and
car.
| Average loading per car, 1906, pol
crates. 1907, 239 crates.
The express movement for 1906 was
41,779 crates; for 1906, 3O,390 crates
! Decrease for 1907, 1889 crates.
The first shipment to move by ex-
press this season was on March 31st.
| The first refrigerator car Of strawber-
ries to move from the Chadbourn sec
ton on April 18th. The first from the
w. and w. section was from Rocky
Point on April 26th
| The season for 1907 continued until
the latter uart Of June, but practical
ly closed June 10th with refrigerator
cars.
The lettuce shipments exceeded those
of 1906, and while the crop received
a severe setback at the beginning OF
the season, and was cut off to a con-
siderable extent, still, the grower who
was fortunate in saving a good part OF
his crop found the demand so great
that he is actually more in pocket than
if conditions had been otherwise.
| Peas, beans, and cucumbers were all
killed out early in the season and many
| truckers replanted. Shipments were
/ lato hut good