St. Tammany farmer., 1922-03-11
Tangipahoa Parish Berries
Sold in IA Cities at
Highest Price Paid
CAN NOT SUPPLY
THE DEMAND IN u. S.
Trains Run on Forty Mile
Schedules Carry Them
to Ready Markets
Gu. S. Dept. Of Agriculture)

WITHIN SlN years LOUISIANA has
taken first place among the state,
as regards value Of strawberry pro-
ducton. The 1921 season was the
best ever known in the industry,
1400 carloads of Louisiana straw
berries being marketed in IA cities
in the United States and Canada.
In Chicago "a pint crates brought as
much as $3.50 each, and during prac-
tically the entire marketing season
Louisiana aWberries sold at higher
prices than any other berries on the
market, due to the high quality of
the product.
With such a record Of achieve
ment, much interest centers in the
opening OF the 1922 marketing
season. AS heretofore a field sta
ton OF the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture will be maintained in the
Hammond district during the season
to keep producers and shippers in
formed daily Of strawberry market
ing conditions in the principal con-
sumlng markets, prevailing prices,
carlot shipments from competing
areas, and other marketing data es-
sential in the scientific marketing OF
agricultural products, and granted
favorable conditions the 1922 season
should surpass even the 1921 record.
Crop Has Nationwide Distribution,
The Louisiana strawberry industry
is OF national Importance. The crop
has Nationwide distribution, the car
lot shipments spreading out like
fan from the Atlantic Coast to the
Rocky Mountains. Last year 29 car
loads also went to four cities in
Canada. Chicago is the principal
market for fruit, Detroit, Boston,
Pittsburgh, and New York ranking
in the order given. Heat, cold, and
dlstance-marketing obstacles that
seemed insurmountable a few years
ago-have been overcome by the
growers and shippers, and with con-
tinued careful selection, grading,
packing and shipping, marketing ex-
perls say that the industry will en-
JOY prosperity.
= During the early years of the
strawberry industry in Louisiana sew
~eral varieties of berries were grown
and Chicago was the main market
outlet. To-day the Klondyke varie-
ty is grown exclusively and Louisi-
ana strawberries have a wider dis
trlDutlon than the Strawberries from
any other section of the country.
The qualiy if~the fruit is dependable,
and there is everywhere a demand
Tor the berries. When picked the
berries are carried to packing sheds,
where practically each one is handi-
ed separately. Both the N-pint Hat
lock crate and the 24-quart ventilat-
ca crate have been used in packing
the fruit, although during the past
few seasons there has been a con-
siderable decrease in the use Of Hal-
lock crates which are known locally
as 'coffln' crates. Practically al!
growers are now using ventilated
crates, as berries shipped in such
containers arrive at market in sound
condition and usually command
premium over the price paid for
A'~A' - i'oii ClLLild ltu VI dttS.
oolid Express Trains of Strawberries.
Fully 80 per cent Of the marketed
crop is shipped by express, the rail
road company providing two or
three express fruit trains daily
lhese trains run on a schedule CT 40
miles an hour, which puts the flait
on the Chicago market before day.
light the second morning. Less than
carload shipments are cared for by
the express company, which opnra~1s
local iced cars to pick up small ship
menfs. The growers have coed
transportation facilities, deliveries
are prompt, and few instances are
known where cars have not arr iyed
at destination on time. Strawberry
buyers from the large consuming
markets establish headquarters 1t
hammond during the marketing
season, sales being made on a cash
l. o. b. shipping point basis. The
lrult IS inspected at shipping point
ana acceptance taken before the cars
move. At Ponchatoula all cars are
sold at public auction.
several strawberry preserving
plants in the district utilize everripe
and soft stock in the preparation Of
tCODtinuad on page 81