PACKING AND MARKETING THE CROP. 99 



CHAPTER VII. 



PACKING AND MARKETING THE CROP. 



Trucking in the South is an industry of comparatively 

 recent years, and has not become near so extensive as 

 it is conducted in most of the Northern States. However, 

 the demand for early vegetables and fruits has grown 

 year by year to such an extent that southern growers, 

 particularly those living near the main thoroughfares, 

 are endeavoring to place the products of their gardens in 

 the large cities of the North as early as possible, so as 

 to reap the benefits of the advanced prices before the 

 less favored gardeners of the colder climates are prepared 

 to harvest and market their crops. Along the Atlantic 

 sea-border, and in some portions of the Gulf regions, 

 market gardens are to be found which have been more 

 or less profitable to the owners for many years. These 

 are to be found along the Mississippi bottoms near the 

 city of New Orleans; near Savannah, Georgia; Charles- 

 ton, South Carolina; and Norfolk, Virginia. Whenever 

 the railroads penetrating the South wake up to the fact 

 that this industry adds a new source of revenue to the 

 bank account of the companies, and reduce freight rates 

 on vegetables and fruits, providing, also, quick and safe 

 transportation to New York or elsewhere for the perish- 

 able products of the gardens, a much larger number of 

 men will engage in the enterprise. 



There are so many vegetables and fruits which can 

 be grown to perfection only in southern climates, and 

 which will always command a fair price if they could be 

 promptly placed in the markets of New York or Chicago 

 without incurring the ruinous freight rates demanded by 



