BULLETINS OP THE ELEVENTH CENSUS. 457 



been greatly aided in their development by superb steamer accommoda- 

 tions. From Norfolk, Virginia, there are lines of ocean steamers to Phil- 

 adelphia, New York, Providence, and Boston, which dispatch from fifteen 

 to eighteen large steamers per week loaded with truck during the height 

 of the season; besides, there are daily lines to Baltimore, Washington, and 

 Richmond, that carry large quantities of truck among their miscellaneous 

 cargoes. 



Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville also have a large fleet of steam- 

 ers that two to four times a week land enormous quantities of truck at 

 New York and Boston, while from southwest Michigan ports daily steam- 

 ers of small size land their truck in Chicago by thousands of barrels and 

 boxes. 



Of the vegetables grown by truck farmers, the leading classes are as 

 follows: Watermelons, cabbage, peas, asparagus, melons other than 

 watermelons, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, Irish potatoes, celery, and 

 string beans, ranking in acreage in the order named. Beets, cucumbers, 

 cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, kale, lettuce, lima beans, parsnips, radishes, 

 rhubarb, squashes, sweet corn, and turnips are also grown as truck farm 

 crops, but only to a limited extent as compared with the first named, these 

 and other vegetables not here mentioned being grown mostly by market 

 gardeners rather than by truck farmers, (a) 



In each class there are a few leading varieties that prove most satis- 

 factory all over the country, while others are sectional in their habits, 

 either on account of soil or climatic conditions. Old and well-tried varie- 

 ties are continually being discarded for various causes and new ones are 

 constantly coming to the front; the more progressive truck farmers have, 

 therefore, little test plats, where old and new varieties are tested side by 

 side and the results noted. 



The agricultural experiment stations in some states have also taken up 

 the matter of seed and variety tests. 



The following table gives the acreage by districts of leading vegetables 

 grown : 



58 



