TRANSPORTATION OF TRUCK CROPS 97 



and fruit cars, it may be noted that from the North Carolina truck 

 districts the business carried by the refrigerator cars increased from 

 1897 to 1900, 152.3 per cent, while that carried by express com- 

 panies increased only 31.8 per cent and that forwarded by open 

 and ventilated cars decreased 82.2 per cent. As a net result of 

 these changes, the proportion carried in refrigerator cars in 1900 

 was 80.7 per cent, while in 1897 it was only 67.1 per cent. 



u The use of refrigerator cars in increasing the transportation of 

 fruit and vegetables finds a powerful ally in the cold-storage ware- 

 house, which has been developed in the last forty years. This 

 development moves along lines parallel with the growth of rapid 

 transit for vegetables and other perishable articles. 



" Transportation by water is always cheaper than by rail, and 

 cargoes are subjepted to less injury from dust, heat, cinders, and 

 jolting. Hence, where time can be afforded, it is very suitable. 

 A very large share, for instance, of the truck from southern Michi- 

 gan to Chicago, Milwaukee, and lake ports generally, is sent by 

 water; and likewise that from Norfolk, Virginia, to Baltimore, New 

 York, and Boston. For longer distances, however, and particularly 

 from the most recently developed truck centers in Florida, Louisi- 

 ana, and Texas, high-speed transit is an almost absolute essential, 

 and lines forwarding by water have not been able to compete with 

 those forwarding by rail." 1 



1 Census of 1900, Vol. VI, pp. 304-305. 



