PREFACE. 



THIS work is written in the hope that it may be useful 

 to my fellow farmers who are engaged in growing vege- 

 tables for the Northern markets. The instructions giv- 

 en, and facts presented, are mainly such as are not to be 

 found in the few works extant on Southern gardening, 

 and are those resulting from a long experience. When I 

 commenced to produce vegetables for shipment, about 

 twenty-six years ago, there were few or none following 

 the pursuit as an exclusive business on a large scale. 

 The consignments at that time consisted mainly of the 

 mere surplus crops of the local market gardeners. The 

 business has gradually developed to astonishing propor- 

 tions, principally in the vicinity of the larger seaport 

 cities of the South. One of the results has been that 

 land within three miles of Savannah, for instance, has 

 risen in value one hundred and fifty per cent, within the 

 last twelve years. While the crops of the whole area 

 tributary to Savannah, were by no means satisfactory 

 during the past season, the aggregate quantity of pro- 

 duce was large. The following statement shows the pro- 

 duce forwarded to the Northern markets direct from the 

 port of Savannah by the steamships alone. 



EXPORTS (BY STEAMERS) OF VEGETABLES (AND ORANGES FROM FLORIDA), 



FOR THE SEASON ENDING AUGUST 31st, 1882. 



The season's shipment of melons to New York aggre- 

 gated 175,000. 

 (5) 



