The Washington herald., 1913-06-22
Narrow Strip on Atlantic from Savannah Ca, to Camden
N. J., Grows Early Truck Climatic Advantages
Unequaled Some Yields Regarded
as Fabulous.

lettuce. a spring crop of radishes, a sum.
mer crop OF cucumbers or melons. and
another fall crop of lettuce.
The trucking district in the neighbor-
hood of Charleston, has an established
reputation for early spring cabbage.
From thence are annually shipped mil
lions of cabbage plants for both fall and
spring planting at more Southern and
more Northern cabbage-growing points.
II Is estimated that more than 5000
acres on the mainland and the sea is
lands around Charleston are devoted to
truck crops-the largest acreage being
given to Irish potatoes. the next larg-
est to cabbages, and extensive areas to
cucumbers, beans, peas, and sweet po-
tatoes. Asparagus Is harvested from
nearly loo acres of land
some Mig Yields.
Horny County, s. c., grows. approx
mately $500 acres of strawberries each
year; and in Columbus County. just
across the line in North Carolina. an
area even greater is devoted to these
berries. The Wilmington. n. c.. dis
trict is specially noted for its bed and
field lettuce crops-the former being
grown under coverings of canvas to pre-
vent injury by the mild winter frosts.
The lettuce natures in early March.
From half an acre of 1t one grower last
year obtained sl.156, or at a rate in ex-
cess OF $500 per acre When farming
becomes as profitable as that. few indus
tries can vie with II in attractiveness.
In the neighorhood of Norfolk some
thing like 5000 acres of land are de-
voted to truck crops. This Is probably
the best known. as well as the oldest.
trucking district Ia all the strip. Early
Irish potatoes are the chief crop. Straw
berries are next in Importance, yielding
at least 100000 per annum to the
growers Kale and spinach. grown as
winter crops. are harvested to a value
OF nearly 81 10000 each year.
One thing that is helping very impor-
family to develop the agricultural posi-
bilities of the strip is easy facilities for
transportation. The land Is so low and
level as to permit the construction Of
railway lines at a minimum of expense.
and wherever the prospect of tonnage
seems to be good. the railroads run spur
lines. Wherever the trucking industry
goes. track-laying follows or accompa-
MES It, and in this way hundreds of
miles of spur tracks have been built
into territory not served by the trunk
lines In addition to such land trans
portation. the more extensive trucking
districts are well served by rapid and
frequent steamboat transportation to
Northern ports Inasmuch as the sea-
port towns have railway terminals, and
water transportation Is there most read
lily available. there has been a tendency
to the development OF trucking areas in
the near neighborhood of such seaports.
As time goes on. the cultivation of the
strip for trucking purposes will be vastly
extended. its products will be cheapened,
and thus fresh vegetables and fruits will
be made available for hundreds Of thou
sands of city jewellers who nowadays
cannot afford to buy them in the winter
and early spring. More economical
methods OF distribution and marketing.
with incidental reduction of the profits
of the middlemen. will help toAsplve this
important problem.
Methods of Distribution.
One of the most important advances
made by civilization during the last score
of years has had to do with the de-
vising OF methods whereby the products
of distant agricultural regions are made
available for the markets OF our cities.
A conspicuous example Of this is fur
nished by the system OF handling dressed
poultry-a subject likewise discussed in
the forthcoming Year Book
Our grandmothers tell US of the time
when the "chore boy" welding the farm
AK. decapitated the chickens that had
been Matched on the home farm and fed
and cared for by the women OF the
family, to be utilized for the feeding OF
the farm people. We learn from our
mothers Of the days when the farmer
brought his poultry, together with but
ter and fresh vegetables, into the city
from his nearby farm. But nowadays
the chickens to be eaten In New York
or in San Francisco are matched and
grow up in Kansas. Iowa, Minnesota, or
Kentucky, and instead of the rumble Of
the farm wagon we hear the patient
chug-chug OF the long freight train as
II winds over the prairie and climbs the
mountains on its way to the hungry
millions who live for away from the
great producing sections OF that indis-