The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-28
Shawnee County Truck Gar
deners Make Large Profits.
Topeka Commission Men Pay
Large Sums for Produce.
SPEND HALF MILLION ANNUALLY
Business of Local Firms Aggre-
gates Millions Of Dollars.
Commercial Club Urging Set
tiers to Farm Near Topeka.

That Topeka is a great distributins
center for vegetables and fruits, ano
that Shawnee county truck gardeners
are making big profits is shown by
figures which have been compiled pS
]. Will kelley, secretary of the Com
mercial club.
These figures show that more than
half a million dollars a year is eX-
pended by Topeka commission men on
Vegetables and fruits produced N
Shawnee county-$ 1925, 600 is the su n
in round numbers-and $35S,OoO toI
produce shipped into Topeka from
other points and reshipped. This
would make a grand total of $SS3,UOO-
Mr.. Kelley has it figured out that
more than S365.OOO is paid to the
growers of general produce in ms
county. and approximately $16O,0O0 10
the fruit growers
Nearly a Million Dollars.
One local commission house reporto1
that it does an annual business asSts-
eating in volume $7S0,000. One firm
ships 2S5 car loads of produce and 191
cars of fruit. -.
the commission houses is 145 and the
annual payroll about $12O,O 600.
The facts are being collected by
SECRETARY Kelley in order to show the
possibilities in truck gardening II
Shawnee county. Through the IT
fluence Of the Commercial CLUB ana us
immigration committee under X. ..
Blaine, numerous small tracts nave
been put under cultivation in the VI
cfnitv of Topeka in the past year or
two. .,... eo-
r,,4,,ro Growth - said Mr.. Kelley to-
dav Nearly every dollars worth o.
this produce handled in Topeka coulu
he grown in Shawnee county Win ny
how
exception of oranges ana bananas an ;,
some fancy fruits of warmer climates
The Topeka Real Estate Dealers
association is interested in the truck
1ardening proposition and Will encour,
age the influx of settlers on siieiiA
tracts in Shawnee county
An Agricultural Expert"
The Commercial club is agitating
the question of procuring the services
of an agricultural advisor or expert
for Shawnee county who would give
advice to the farmers and truck gar
deners so that it will be possible Tor
them to enhance their amount OF pro-
duc+son to the acre. The shawnee
Alfalfa and Farmers institute IS as
cussing the advisa biltty OF or procur-
ing n county adviser this afternoon IN
the rooms of the Commercial club
j. c. MOhler Talks.
In a talk before the agricultural
committee of the Commercial club un-
der I. d. Graham, ]. 9. Mohler, assist
the wonders of the Kaw Valley" His
discussion of the subject was printed
in the current issue of the Commercial
Club Bulletin. He emphasizes the
value of irrigation for truck gardeners
and others.
There are great opportunities near
Topeka he states. ITO one who de-
sired to farm on larger scale, dairy
ing would be most attractive, and
with the alfalfa and corn grown so
abundantly, and the brans from our
wheats, friendly climate, and excellent
market for the raw or finished prod
net. makes this locality most desirable
for that industry. The Continental
creamery at Topeka would take all
the cream that could be delivered to
it from Shawnee county, even if the
quantity were ten times as much as
now at good prices.
''The foregoing is offered as a sug-
gestion that is capable CT development.
If Increased truck, poultry and dairy
farming were brought about in this
locality it would greatly increase
population and productions and the /
benefits therefrom would be apparent
in all channels of business
Some Interesting Figures.
The secretary of the Real Estate !
association has compiled some inter- |
esting figures.
For three years one farmer has
realized $500 an acre from raspber- |
ries grown in the county.
One acre of blackberries has !
brought $3.50.
One Topeka grocer paid 1912 for Il |
half acre of Strawberries.
liberia peaches valued at $1,000 |
have been picked from a three-acre /
orchard in single season.
Truck gardening of all kinds is car |
ried on very profitably.
Horse radish grown in Shawnee !
county is shipped from coast to coast /
and from Canada to the Gulf. Two to /
four tons per acre is he aVerag crop
and $4,000 OF $4,000 per ton is the |
selling price.
Sweet potatoes grow 20 perfection /
and yield from 100 to 500 bushels per |
acre. They sell for from Use to $500 /
per busheL
One grower of watermelons has /
avera ged $500 per acre for the past |
ten or fifteen years.
Rocky Ford cantaloupes equal to /
the finest ever sold in Topeka have /
netted over 5000 per acre
Often as much as $3.50 an acre is