The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-01
TRUCK FARMS
 PROMISING Great Possibilities Arc Seen. MILD WINTER IS FAVORABLE S2,3o4 Acres Adaptable Lands in
 the County.
  Lands Highly Favorable ts Truck Farming, Needing Ne Expensive Cultivation--List of vese-
 tables Grown.

Some. interesting facts have been presented in order to make a direct Iappeai in Montgomery County to the progressive truck farmer. This busl- ness Is practically all In the future. The possibilities, however, are certain, and sooner or later tide Of immi- grafton will set this way and convert at least part of Montgomery County from the Cotton King and establish . vegetable and fruit Kingdom. As for the climate. there has never been any doubt. It Is pointed out by the soil surveyors of this county that there are no less than s2.3o4 acres of what is known as Norfolk sands lands These are admirably adapted to the growth of vegetables. This fact has been established by actual experiments Icondueted by representatives of the United States Government on the soil here.
 The truck grower should be remind ed that in Montgomery County the winter is so mild--as 1t is in the greater portion of the South---that he is enabled to work his crops through out practically the whole year. It Is estimated that If he does so employ his time. his profits will be greater than for any other part of the year.
 
 on account of the weather in truck growing.
 Nor does the cultivation of the sandy soils require the heavy expen- sive machinery that Ia employed in the black. waxy soil that character
 zes Central Texas, and Of which there Is no small quantity in this county. If one is going to cultivate the soil in virgin condition. of course 1t should be planted to cover crop for at least one season; this should be plowed un- der or well sprinhied with unsIacked lime, for the purpose of extracting the sourness from the soil and putting 1t in fine shape for, vegetables. Western Montgomery County has shown considerable activity in truck planting but even, there much is to be ldone in the future. Lots of comuter- Icial fertilizers are used. but 1t amounts to a small percentage of the gross price of the crops.
 Experts have compiled the following estimates of results in the growth of lvegetRbiess sia s9.fsea ..o.is spAa Z. Cabbage will produce at the rate of
 i4o crates per acres and can De sold for s2.75 per crate.
 | Strawberries--Two and one-half acres of strawberries made yield of s2,5O0 the expense of growing and
 marketing the crop was t4s0.45. leav- ing net profit of s2.oos.o6.
 1 Bermuda onions--At an average cost of $65 per acre q net profit of 3650 per acre can be made on Bermuda onions. iThe writer knows of an instance where a net profit of $500 was made from one-fourth of an acre planted to Ber- lmuda onions.
 l Celery-The cost of producing an acre of celery will amount to S200 and the net profit will range from $500 to 1 S1 800 per acre. The celery grown in the South Is as good as any that ever came from the North.
 Cucumbers--A single crop of cucum-
 pers should produce a net profit of at
 least $500 per. acre, but the writer knows of an instance where net profit of ss.0O0 was made from one acre. Egg Piant--There is a great demand for egg plant. An acre planted to this will cost about s60 and the net profit will amount to S740. When the first crop is taken off crop of hay may then be made and in the fall a second crop of egg plant can be made, thus making the single acre produce three
 profitable crops in one year. Lettuce--An acre planted to lettuce will cost an average Of ss0 and will produce a net profit of &440. A ready market is to be had ssG. all the early lettuce that can be shipped to the Northern cities. Beans--An acre will cost an average of s56 and the net proft will amount Ito $s,315. One And three-quarters acres of beans were replanted five times and the result was a profit of $I,S60. Hay can be made after the first bean season Is over and another crop of beans planted in the fall.
 TNnr fna nf tnmQfnAa Wffl cost S6O to produce and the net profit will amount to $460. Two crops of tomatoes and one of hay can be grown on the same land in one year.
 Green Pepper--This Is a very popu- lar and profitable vegetable. The av. craze cost of producing an acre