The Robesonian., 1908-06-25
TRUCK FARMING.


Robson and Bladen Coun-
ties Have Vast Areas of Soils
Suitable to the RAISING of Gar
den Truck-Estimated Profits
on an Acre in Strawberries.
"A day will come when the
earth will be transformed, when
man shall offer his brother not
bullets nor bayonets, but richer
grains, better fruits, fairer flow
ers."
The above quotation adorns
the front of leaflet which
Mr.. j. w. White, of Ports
mouth, Va, general industrial
agent of the Seaboard Air Line
Railway, is distributing through
out the country. It sets forth
the advantages afforded in this
section for truck farming, and
contains the following interest
ing information:
Truck farming in the United |
States has been recognized as
distinct agricultural industry for
a period of fifty years. The in
creasing population of cities and
a consequent demand for a
greater quantity and larger va
riety Of vegetables at all seasons
of the year, the building of many
thousand miles of new railways
have given this industry an
impetus which has caused it to
develop with remarkable rapid
ity throughout the South, where,
from late winter to early autumn,
thousands and thousands of
acres are under cultivation to
supply Northern markets with
fruits and vegetables, there be-
ing hardly a Northern city of
any size which is not receiving
its out of season garden truck.
By the use of ventilation, refrig-
GRAFTON, speed and quick deliv-
cry railroads are enabled to place
truck on Northern markets in as
good condition as when it left the
Southern farm, even though a
journey of thousands of miles be
necessitated.
There are vast areas of suita-
! BILE soils in the South which are
we'll adapted to the raising of
J garden truck and which will un-
doubtedly ultimately be placed
r under cultivation, but there is
hardly any section offering great
= er promise than that in Robson
= and Bladen counties, North Car
DINA, served by the Seaboard Ali
Line Railway.
. These two counties are fast
/ coming into prominence as truck
and early vegetable producers.
= This industury was, a few years
e ago, of so little consequence as t.
: receive little or consideration. II
has, however, grown to be one
r of such magnitude as to ranl
: among the formost as a revenue
t producer.
: The adaptability of the lands
Il and the climatic conditions make
: the section under discussion idea
: for early vegetables. For man!
e years people held to the old Gus
: tom of raising cotton and tObac
g co, placing their entire depen
dence therein. They will continue
Y to produce these two necessary ar
O ticles, but the extensive acreag
t, formerly devoted to their use ha
e gradually been decreased by tn
t. encoachment of the early vege
i tables, particularly strawberries
s. A few years ago a small colon
s. located in the Northwest, was in
r, duced to migrate to easter
r, North Carolina and begin tn
cultivation of strawberries. Thei
| start was made on very sma.
,e scale, but the adaptability of tn
re country became so apparent tina
T. the acreage was rapidly increase
as until today we find many thou
s. sand acres devoted exclusivel
thereto. These berries matu1
at a period when Florida, Geo
gia and South Carolina have fir
0, ished their shipments, an
about three weeks ahead of tt
Norfolkmarkets. Good prices hay
n always been obtained and almo
ce without exception the grower
h. have amassed wealth.
is In the section described alOr
= the line of the Seaboard lars
NJ areas of land containing blacl
is rich soil still remain uncultivate
i'm By reason of proximity to Il
re Gulf Stream an ample and re
'or sonable rainfall is generally a
sured. Under these infiuenc
farming, and especially truckin
os can be carried on proftably. E
,er ,e cry variety of early vegetables
ra m grown, but the greatest succe
in has been in the culture of stra7
Of Of berries, while watermelons, ca
he taloupes, asparagus, lettuce al
"a Irish potatoes have also be
1es great revenue producers.
;ct Persons who have had any
Of perience in this line of farmi
RIO 10 quickly acquire the methods, a
Inc with all new settlers the stra
o0 t berry immediately finds fave
w. w. because it brings a fair retu
imo ! from the first seasons plantir
;gG no and only needs proper care
,n1 ou, enable an abundant yield I
S,,e year following.
@ for An idea of the expense ]
a Born in Iowa.
nN1rC D.. ...r,.c oil l,1,.,n &