The Strawberry Is A Money Crop 



Speaking of the large sums of money which the growers of strawberries in 

 this section of the country received for their product. The average man has no 

 idea how much money the majority of the farmers received for this years straw- 

 berry crop. When I tell you that a thirty-two quart crate of strawberries brought 

 as high as $10 a crate, and that load after load of them were sold at this price and 

 that cars were loaded this year which the brokers had to settle with the farmers 

 at the rate of more than $1,500 for the carload you can get some small idea of 

 what the strawberry means to the growers. During the height of the season I 

 saw many a farmer leave the shipping station with as muoh as $200 in their 

 pockets for the days picking and these men only had a very small acreage in cul- 

 tivation. One farmer who had especially fine Klondyke berries is s?id to have 

 received more than $800 from one acre and most of this money was clear profit as 

 he and his family picked the berries and he was at practically no expense except 

 for a few crates and he used very few of these because he received on an average 

 more than $7.00 a crate for his berries. I believe I am telling the truth when I 

 say that no farmer averaged less than $5.25 per crate through the season and if 

 there is not big money in growing strawberries at such prices as these then I am 

 very much mistaken. There is the greatest difference among the people in the 

 strawberry growing districts now and ten years ago before strawberry growing 

 got to be such a large business with us that the change is very noticeable, in 

 those days farmers grew only corn and potatoes and had no ready money at any 

 time in the year until these crops were harvested, but since strawberry growing 

 has been so actively engaged in every farmer seems to have ample money at 

 stake in the year when he would be getting nothing from the old-fashioned crops 

 and as a consequense our people are in a better financial condition than I have 

 ever known them, and they show it in the improvements of their homes, the up- 

 building of their farms, owning better stock, riding in automobiles, and generally 

 being in first class condition. As a consequence the younger generation is now 

 more satisfied on the farms than formerly and strawberry growing has had a great 

 deal to do in making this wonderful change. What the farmers ought to do is to 

 set larger plantations and enter into the business on a more scientific and business 

 like scale. The next ten years will prove as profitable over the past ten years as 

 they proved over those years in which strawberries were not grown in this locality. 

 Clipping from one of our local papers June 13, 1918. 



$3,500 From 10 Acres of Strawberries. 



C'. S. Perdue living just this side of Showell, near the old St. Martin's brick 

 Episcopal Church, received over $3,500 from 10 acres of strawberries this season. 

 From 11 rows of Gandy strawberries about 30 rods in length he received $2c0 or 

 nearly $25 per row. Clipping from our local paper October 4, 1918. 



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