The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-31

Movement of the Birmingham Chamber
of Commerce, insists on the need for
more truck farmers in Jefferson coun-
ty and in commenting yesterday on
some of the recent opinions he has heard
expressed he said:
"A correspondent from this county
commenting upon the Farm Movement
of the Chamber of Commerce, states as
his opinion, that no more truck-garden-
ers are needed in our district. Since
those who are here now can not OBJ
tain fair and profitable prices for their
products from the produce and commits
sion merchants on Morris avenue; that
If more truck-gardners are coming they
will receive still less for their products.
"Such superficial arguments are fire.
quently advanced in opposition to plans
to attract settlers, by people whose fail
ure in their work Is not due to pre-
vailing conditions in their respective To-
calities but must be ascribed to their
own lack of industry and ability to their
limited knowledge of the wrok they have
in hand and their inability to make con-
ditions subservient to their interests. The
point raised by our correspondent was
emphasized by DR.. Paul H. saunders
of Laurel, Miss, in his address before
the meeting last month at Jackson for
a statewide immigration movement In
Mississippi. DR.. Saunders who was elect
ed president of the organization to carry
out the jackson movement, took the
ground that farming is the only occupa-
ton that always thrives on competition
and he said among other things
lone man who alone In his commune
ty raises peaches or other fruit, or ber-
ries of any kind, cannot make a market
but let many engage in this work, though
each one raises but a small quantity,
and the markets of the world win be
brought by the buyers to their doors.
This was well illustrated by a few thrift
ty and ambitious farmers in my sec
ton. who determined to raise truck.
They raised the truck successfully but
not In sufficient quantities to Justify the
buyers in coming to their doors or In
their going with their wares to market
and their efforts therefore resulted In
failure.
Abiding to the Mississippi farm move
ment the Manufacturers Record Of July
Il containing part of the address of Dr.
Saunders, remarks:
ct is more advantageous In every
particular to have a carload or train-
load of cattle to ship from one point to
market than to handle one steer or half
a dozen cattle. The industrial truck
grower in the Norfolk section, the straw
berry grower in eastern North Carolina,
the onion grower In Texas. or the
dairyman in Louisiana is doing far bet
ter now with many others around him
occupied in identically the same line,
than he could by any possibility have
done In the days before such groupings
justified or required the modern facli-
ties for quick transportation of farm
products to the central markets of the
country. Then too the incoming of men
unaccustomed to cotton raising is bound
to induce a revolution in agriculture. as
shown by the experience Of the western
ers in rice culture In louisiana and as
the same time to induce greater diversi.
fication in farming
"Since the Farm Movement of the Biz
mingham Chamber of Commerce was
started 1 have endeavored to gather all
possible information as to the prices
paid for trucks in the Birmingham mar
ket. | have talked with both the pro-
duce merchants and the truck-farmers
and all have heard from both sides only
confirms the opinion expressed by DR..
Saunders, namely: the more farm and
garden products are raised In any district
for the demand of the home and distant
markets, the better will be the prices OBJ
tanned for them This may sound paradox
ical at first but when 1t is investigated
more closely it will be easily understood.
Cabbage and potatoes, for instance can
be grown here ready for market earlier
than in the northern states. Carloads OF
them will bring good prices in the early
spring at the northern markets. A few
Of our larger truck farmers take advan-
tage of this fact and ship few carloads
of these vegetables.
The great majority of our small truck
gardeners, however, bring them in small
lots TO different merchants on Morris ave-
nue. or peddle them out to private people
Just one at time, when the market is
g.u;ted and when every private garden Is
stocked with them. Again. In the case
of potatoes, Morris avenue produce
merchant will pay 80 cents or 81 per
bushel for carload of them shipped in
from Mobile, when at the same time he
will offer only 80 to 60 cents a bushel to
q local gardener for the few bushels he
has to sell. because these few bushels are
not enough to cover the demand and the
merchant does not care to buy them at
all.
1T must not be understood from the
foregoing, however, that the prices obtain
able for truck are dependent upon the
quantity raised. Far from 1t. AAnumber
of other conditions and causes influence
either one way or the other the market
prices for products of the farm and gar