The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1921-06-23
COUNTY AGENT NOTES.

age in intelligence, and our soil
is much better than the soil that
is producing more than q million
dollars worth of vegetables each
year around Crystal Springs.
It is true that the mere watch
ing of the shipping of this truck
presents a very misleading view
of the industry, but in the face Of
this fact there are possibilities
and real merit in this business for
our farmers and business men.
While viewing the "long green"
that the farmers are pulling down
from the sale of their trucks, we
must not overlook the fact that
the expense and risk of producing
this crop as it is grown around
Crystal Springs is something to
think about.
The truck growers around Crys-
tai Springs are not farming on a
profitable basis. They are not
properly organized so as to benefit
themselves to a maximum. / am
now speaking generally and not Of
the exceptions. / talked with
three well-to-do farmers who have
been in the game for more than
fifteen years and I'm basing my
statements on the information
that these gentlemen gave me. A
large percentage of the truck
growers do not make any effort to
make their bread and meat along
with their truck, and when they
fail on the truck crop they are de-
pendent on the merchant to fur
nish them a living until another
year. Here is where they fail to
profit from their business as it
takes all they make on good crop
to pay what they lost on another.
If they would use the judgement
that l believe our farmers, would,
and make their living first and use
the truck as side line they would
make large profits on good years
and would also be able to take
care of themselves on bad crops.
No farmer can make money on the
farm unless be produces his feed
and feeds.
l am ANXIOUS for our farmerst to
get into the trucking business, but
we must use care and judgement.
We must profit by the long expert
ence of others, and not make their
same mistakes. The people around
Crystal Springs tell you that you
cannot hope to succeed in the
trucking business anywhere ex-
cept around their town, and that
the other sections can never COM
pete with them. They are dead
wrong. We can excel them in
their own game, but it will take q
safe and sane program enforced
by farmers who make living on
the farm to do it. We must get to-
gether and all agree on the best
principles governing successful
truck growing and marketing,
then work up to our standard.
When we do this we will have a
system of farming that will afford
a living every year under all mar
keting conditions.
The people around Florence
have done we'll this year in the to-
mato game. There have been nu-
merous drawbacks in the way OF
unfavorable weather, the high
cost of marketing. But with the
untiring assistance of Nh. Rodgers,
Cashier Of the Bank, Mr.. Laird
and the Association officers and
others, the growers will realize as
much from their crop as any OF
the farmers in the old trucking
district. With this years expert
ence feel sure that next year
Florence will enjoy even more
success than the average trucking
district. want to say right here
that we need the help and co-ope-
ration of the business men and in
terest in every section where
trucking is undertaken. The In
dustry can hardly tide itself with
out their help. There are market
| ing problems that will have to be
worked out before next year but
that will be done without doubt.
There has been no trouble selling
the products from Florence,as Mr..
Rodgers and Mr.. Laird have hand
lde that through the Miss. Farm
Products Exchange, which is .
new organization. 1t is true that
the marketing has cost too much
this year but with less commission
and lower freight rates more can
be expected next year.
The people Of the Pickett, May
ton and Johns communities are
now about to get into the dairy
business on q conservative basis.
Mr.. Furgerson, Dairy Specialist,
is with me this week and we are
visiting the various farmers who
are getting ready for their first