MARKETING MUCK LAND CROPS 



85 



Early celery as a rule is very low in price through iVugust and 

 September. Why? Hot weather alone cannot be the excuse. I 

 think you will agree with me that the following causes have much 

 to do with this, and that the grower is largely responsible for these 

 conditions. 



First of all, we know that we generally have hot, dry weather 

 through August and September, and we don't guard against this. 

 When those hot days come, we watch our celery closely. We see 

 traces of black heart appear. The same conditions of weather exist 

 all over the state, and black heart makes its appearance in most 

 sections at the same time. In most cases growers are looking for it, 

 and all discover it about the same time. Everybody makes a rush 

 for the lumber pile and says, 'T will get it on the market before it 

 spoils." In a very short time, our markets are so full of celery you 

 could not put more anywhere, and it is of the poorest quality you 

 could imagine. If this were left right in the field and taken good care 

 of, as soon as cooler weather and rain came, fully ninety per cent of 

 the diseased celery would produce an excellent crop of celery. Early 

 celery can be made to grow and grow to perfection and can be mark- 

 eted in good condition all through the hot weather, if you will do 

 tw^o things — supply it with plenty of water and this in the right 

 form. If you can't do this, then, as soon as you discover the black 

 heart, cultivate and leave till cooler weather. I don't believe we 

 are growing more celery than could be properly marketed at a profit, 

 but we can't put it all in one place. We have got to place some in 

 every town in this country. How are we going to do that.^^ Or- 

 ganized distribution is the only outlet, and I believe if the celery 

 growers don't adopt it freehanded, they will be forced to it. If all 

 would unite in one organization, one system of distribution, it could 

 be done. There is no other line of business that is carried on in such 

 a slack way as the farmer's. 



LETTUCE 



We will take up the lettuce deal. First of all, I want to say this 

 about lettuce. If you are not already in the game and are subject 

 to heart trouble, get your heart put in perfect condition or keep out of 

 it. I don't know of another crop that is so hard to dispose of at fair 

 prices during the summer months as lettuce on account of the 

 variation in markets. You can work up a good lettuce trade in the 

 smaller towns if you are sure of having lettuce at all times. Unless 



