BULLETINS OF THE ELEVENTH CENSUS. 465 



INCOME AND PROFITS. 



While some truckers plant a great number of acres, but by lack of 

 sufficient fertilization and thorough culture secure only moderate crops, 

 which return very little, if any, profit, a large majority practice what is 

 known as "intensive" farming, which results (except in bad seasons) in 

 very heavy crop returns, the net proceeds of which, however, vary greatly 

 with each season and market. The larger markets being often over- 

 supplied with certain vegetables, or on their arrival they are found in bad 

 condition, the consignment will sell for only enough to pay freight and 

 cartage, and in some few instances not even enough for that, while another 

 variety of vegetable sent to the same market on the same days will return 

 very high prices, netting a fine profit, leaving the whole average of the 

 business satisfactory. 



The average melon fields of the South Atlantic states yield about 400 

 salable melons per acre. Twelve hundred will load a car, which will sell 

 in the north anywhere from $150 to $275, leaving net returns of from 

 nothing up to $150 per car. One gentleman in Dawson county, Georgia, 

 reports making a net profit of $1,700 from 32 acres in 1889. 



The gross income on truck farm products, after deducting commissions 

 and charges for transportation, was $76,517,155; the cost of labor ($9,474,- 

 825.58), the cost of fertilizers ($9,919,307.89), and the cost of seeds, 

 ($1,419,633.50) being deducted, the net income is shown to be $51,909,- 

 265.06, leaving a difference between the gross and net income of $3,794,- 

 122.97 more than is accounted for. This difference is caused by various 

 local expenses not reported on special schedules, but no doubt is nearly 

 all for shipping packages. 



The figures of gross income ($76,517,155) are based upon those given 

 by the regular census enumerators. Investigation through special 

 schedules show that the income reported was in nearly every case that 

 received from the commission men, who deducted from 15 to 40 per cent, 

 from the gross value of products sold to pay costs of transportation and 

 commissions on sales. Had charges for transportation and commissions 

 been included, the total gross income would have been in the neighbor- 

 hood of $95,000,000. 



Taken in its entirety, this comparatively new industry is found to be in 

 a healthy, prosperous condition. New sections are being developed from 

 year to year that to a certain extent affect the prosperity of some of the 

 older ones, and there is likely to be more or less shifting of trucking cen- 

 ters every few years, all upon advancing lines, however. New and better 

 methods of culture, with the further invention of labor-saving machinery, 

 must of necessity reduce the cost of production. Better transportation 

 facilities will place the products of these farms in cities and towns more 

 promptly, in better condition, and at less cost, while the ever-increasing 

 population and wealth of the cities and towns insure a greatly increased 

 consumption at satisfactory prices for first-class productions. 

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