584 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



intended, in sound and wholesome condition. Thus, the truckers 

 near Norfolk, Virginia, demonstrated as early as 1860 that the straw- 

 berry could be grown in large quantities and ripened long in advance 

 of the northern crop. But, as repeated shipments spoiled in transit, 

 its culture was abandoned until the development of more durable 

 varieties and improved transportation brought the New York market 

 within reach of the growers. The early peach industry of South 

 Carolina and Georgia suffered a similar experience about 1850-70, 

 and practically ceased to exist for a period of fifteen to twenty years; 

 then suddenly, with the origination of a variety (Alberta) better 

 adapted to long shipment, and the development of a car service ade- 

 quate for fruit transportation, that region sprang into a leading place 

 among the peach-producing sections of the country. 



The great bulk of rail shipments in the early days went to the 

 market in freight cars, but it was soon found that serious losses from 

 deterioration in transit were too frequent and too large to leave a 

 profit to the shipper. Ventilated cars of various kinds were tried 

 with varying success, the first carload shipments of deciduous fresh 

 fruits from California, consisting of 33 tons of pears, apples, grapes, 

 and plums, having been successfully made in them in 1869. All ship- 

 ments from California prior to 1888 were thus made, carefully selected 

 foothill fruit enduring the journey to Chicago, or even farther east, 

 where the trains were moved on express schedule. Valley fruits 

 and those from irrigated lands, however, could not be safely 

 shipped. 



The results were quite uncertain, and the outlook discouraging 

 until about 1887, when F. A. Thomas, of Chicago, entered the field 

 with Mr. Earle and revolutionized the business of fruit transportation. 

 His plan was to provide a through service from shipping point to 

 destination in special cars under one management, re-icing the cars 

 hi transit as found necessary. It was, in short, the establishment -of 

 a private car line for fruit transportation, to be operated on a plan 

 similar to that under which sleeping cars had long been run in the 

 passenger service. He commenced operations with a few cars in 

 western Tennessee in the spring of 1887, operating first on straw- 

 berries destined for the Chicago markets. Owing to the distrust of 

 shippers in regard to the effect of ice upon the fruit he was compelled 

 to buy fruit with which to fill them for shipment. A few tests 

 demonstrated the practicality of the system, however, and the new 

 service became popular. 



