NOTES ON TRUCK CROPS. 4(>5 



ries (these tliree are spring crops), peas, beans, squash, cabbage (these 

 four are marketed in early summer), cucumbers, potatoes, tomatoes, 

 watermelons, cantaloupes, and sweet potatoes. The largest acreage is 

 in potatoes, the next in cabbage, the third in strawberries. Crops of 

 comparatively small importance are beets, turnips, and onions. Sweet 

 corn is raised in a small way for local consumption, but the difficulty 

 of transportation precludes its being an important truck crop. 



The cultivation of celery has been successfully undertaken upon 

 the rich black-gum lands which have been reclaimed from the wooded 

 swamps. Only one crop can be made in a season on account of the 

 warmth of the climate, but the product is said to equal in quality the 

 best Michigan celery. 



The Norfolk region is well known for its potato crop. Potatoes are 

 grown not only on the light soils near the coast, where they mature 

 early, but also on a large scale in the heavier, rich soils along the 

 eastern border of the Dismal Swamp, where the average yield is said 

 to be about 80 barrels per acre. Two crops are often raised on 

 the same land in one season. The first is marketed, while the second- 

 crop potatoes are smaller and are partly used for "seed," being usually 

 gathered before they have fully matured, which insures great vitality. 

 The "seed" potatoes are largely shipped to Northern and Eastern 

 growers, many of whom prefer them to native-grown "seed." They 

 are generally too small to cut in pieces, but are "bled" by slicing off 

 a small piece before planting. 



Strawberries are cultivated extensively, the Thompson and the 

 Hoffman being the favorite varieties. The plants are often set out 

 the first year in rows with cabbages, which protect them while young. 

 The greater part of the crop is marketed by the middle of May, the 

 berries being picked in the field into the boxes in which they are sold. 

 The boxes are then packed in crates, GO boxes to the crate, small 

 sheds being often erected in the fields for the purpose of packing. 

 The pickers are negroes and receive usually 2 cents, but, toward the 

 end of the season, sometimes only 1^ cents a box for their work. A 

 strawberry field at picking time, alive with men, women, and children 

 gathering the berries, is an animated sight. 



Peas and beans are usually gathered in large baskets, and the 

 taking off of these crops also requires many laborers. Most of the 

 other truck crops can be gathered more rapidly, and fewer hands are 

 needed for them. 



On the southern border of the Dismal Swamp region other crops 

 are usually more important than truck. Around Edenton, however, 

 the light, warm, loamy soils, which are best suited to cotton, are also 

 well adapted to sweet potatoes, tomatoes, etc., and they are raised in 

 considerable quantity. 



At Newbern, N. C, the season is usually nearly two weeks earlier 

 than about Norfolk, and the former usually holds the market for each 



