SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 

 TRANSPORTATION AND MARKETS. 



The growth and development of the trucking industry on 

 Eastern Shore of Virginia, as elsewhere along the Atlantic coast 

 been to a high degree dependent upon the facilities afforded fo: 

 marketing of crops. The earlier agriculture of the region was 

 pendent upon shipment by water from points, principally on ci 

 tributary to Chesapeake Bay, which afforded steamboat comn 

 cation. The crops grown under these conditions were chiefly 

 staple farm crops which would stand storage and gradual marke 

 With the building of the railroad in 1884 along the approximate 

 of these two counties, rapid transit facilities were provided fo] 

 shipment of perishable commodities. The growing of truck ( 

 had already been begun in a limited way, but the expansion 

 decidedly rapid after rail transportation was provided. At 

 present time few farms within the two counties are located at a 

 tance of more than 5 miles from either rail or steamboat transp 

 tion and the great majority of the farms are within easy hauling 

 tance of some shipping point. 



The New York, Philadelphia, & Norfolk Railroad and its 

 nections afford access to all of the metropolitan markets of the r 

 and northeast. The distances from Cape. Charles to Philade] 

 and New York, respectively, are 220 and 310 miles. In additi< 

 frequent steamboat service connects Chesapeake Bay points 

 Baltimore in 12 to 18 hours from the time of departure. Thu 

 points in the two counties are well served by transportation. 



The market outlets for the majority of shipments of truck ( 

 from the Eastern Shore of Virginia are found in Philadelphia, 

 York, Boston, and the other great cities of the Northeastern St 

 although shipments are also made to points farther west and n 

 even to the Canadian Provinces, when market conditions justi: 



An important factor in the marketing of truck crops from 1 

 two counties is the association of farmers known as the Eastern £ 

 of Virginia Produce Exchange. This corporation, formed by 

 truckers, possesses a central organization which keeps close t 

 with the acreages and probable dates of shipment of the various c 

 maintains a wire service for the collection and distribution of rm 

 information, and establishes grades and brands for the produce 

 also standardizes grading, handles directly a considerable propo 

 of the marketing and collections, and offers facilities for local sal 

 certain products, notably strawberries. This cooperative associi 

 of truck growers has tended to stabilize conditions not only from 

 to time during the shipping season, but also, through its informs 

 concerning reserve stocks and probable market conditions, from 

 to year. Consequently, the Eastern Shore of Virginia counties 

 shown steady, healthy growth in this industry. 



