2162 NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



NORTH AMERICAN STATES 



The more important of the other small-fruits produced 

 in 1909 were 376,136 quarts of raspberries and logan- 

 berries, valued at $55,757; 307,987 quarts of black- 

 berries and dewberries, valued at $31,454; 213,810 

 quarts of currants, valued at $19,904; and 57,827 quarts 

 of gooseberries, valued at $5,007. 



The potato is by far the most important of the vege- 

 tables. The acreage decreased from 27,521 in 1899 to 

 24,459 in 1909 when 2,946,178 bushels were produced, 

 valued at $1,993,923. Among the leading vegetables 

 grown in 1909, excluding potatoes, were: 2,493 acres of 

 onions, valued at $624,630; 2,442 acres of cabbage, 

 valued at $426,586; 1,187 acres of celery, valued at 

 $368,854; 4,942 acres of sweet corn, valued at $355,953; 

 1,228 acres of tomatoes, valued at $268,380; 372 acres 

 of cucumbers, valued at $179,084; 776 acres of aspar- 

 agus, valued at $116,622; 1,068 acres of turnips, valued 

 at $95,754; and 555 acres of squash, valued at 

 $91,388. Vegetables of minor importance in 1909 were 

 green beans, beets, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, 

 parsnips, green peas, green peppers, radishes, rhubarb 

 and spinach. 



The acreage devoted to the production of flowers and 

 plants increased from 584 in 1899 to 1,203 in 1909, an 

 increase of 106 per cent. The total area under glass in 

 1909 was 7,382,009 square feet, of which 6,817,585 were 

 covered by greenhouses, and 564,424 by sashes and 

 frames. The value of the flowers and plants produced 

 in 1909 was $2,455,467, as compared with $1,639,760 

 in 1899. 



The acreage devoted to nursery products increased 

 from 894 in 1899 to 1,547 in 1909, an increase of 73 

 per cent. In 1909 the value of nursery products was 

 $605,875, as compared with $260,069 in 1899. 



S. T. MAYNARD. 



Rhode Island. 



The general topography of Rhode Island (Fig. 2491), 

 is of a hilly nature, tending to become more broken 

 after leaving the ocean shores of the southern part of 

 the state and of Narragansett Bay, which extends as a 

 triangular body of water from Long Island Sound to 

 Providence. This bay with its numerous islands and 

 fine shores has resulted in the development of a number 

 of summer resorts which furnish an excellent market 

 for locally grown horticultural products. 



Geologically there are within the state two distinct 

 physiographic provinces, the eastern or Narragansett 

 basin area, which comprises the eastern third of the 

 state, and the western or more mountainous area of 

 hill remnants from one of the ancient east Appalachian 

 mountain ranges. Included within the Narragansett 

 area are the islands of the bay and an area which fol- 

 lows the western shore of the bay, extending at no 

 point more than 3 miles inland, and from the head of 

 the bay, it extends northward across the boundary of 

 the state. Topographically, this region consists of 

 smoothly rounded hills, not exceeding 250 feet in 

 height, and of gently rolling glacial plains. The inland 

 or rougher area consists of rough and stony hills. Con- 

 siderable areas of fresh-water swamps are found within 

 this province; there are also many small lakes. The 

 state lies wholly within the glaciated area. 



The average annual rainfall for the state is approxi- 

 mately 48 inches, being somewhat greater than this in 

 the southern section of the state which is locally 

 influenced by proximity to tidewater. 



With a population of 508.5 to the square mile, there is 

 furnished a market for horticultural produce which is 

 far in excess of the ability of the state to supply. This 

 condition, together with the close proximity of both 

 the Boston and New York markets, affords market 

 conditions most favorable for an intensive horticul- 

 tural development in the future. With 96.7 per cent of 

 this population classed as urban, the demand created 



for perishable food-products has resulted in the develop- 

 ment of vegetable-gardening as one of the most special- 

 ized horticultural industries of the state. The regions 

 where this specialization has been most largely devel- 

 oped have the cities of Providence and Newport as 

 their centers. In addition to the cities, the many vil- 

 lages devoted to manufactures and the summer resorts 

 furnish markets that are supplied by producers who 

 cannot be classified as market-gardeners, yet who 

 derive a very substantial proportion of their cash 

 income from the growing of vegetables and fruits. It 

 is this class of growers which exert a very marked 

 influence upon the agricultural prosperity of the state. 



2491. Rhode Island, 

 with positions of the 

 four counties. 



The sandy soil types of the state, when abundantly 

 supplied with water, are well suited to the growing of 

 high-quality vegetable products. Although all of the 

 different vegetables are grown in abundance, the fol- 

 lowing may be mentioned as of special importance: 

 lettuce of the hard-headed Boston market type, the 

 loose-leaf varieties being practically unknown in the 

 wholesale markets; tomatoes are produced in large 

 quantities, the larger growers relying almost entirely 

 upon the Stone or some improved strain thereof; 

 green corn is a profitable crop, large quantities of which 

 are used for roasting with clam dinners served daily at 

 many of the shore resorts throughout the season. The 

 standard variety for this trade is the Potter's Excelsior 

 corn. Vegetable-growing will be the most important 

 commercially of any horticultural enterprise for many 

 years to come. 



Building of unproved roads by the state, together 

 with the development of the automobile as a means of 

 getting farm produce to market, is beginning to exert 

 a marked influence upon the areas devoted to horti- 

 cultural products. This is shown most conclusively 

 in the areas which are being planted to the tree-fruits 

 in the northwestern section of the state. The rough 

 land in this section which has heretofore been inacces- 

 sible to market, on account of lack of transportation 

 facilities, is capable of producing fruit of high color 



