SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 45 
TRANSPORTATION AND MARKETS. 
The growth and development of the trucking industry on the 
Eastern Shore of Vii'ginia, as elsewhere along the Atlantic coast, has 
been to a high degree dependent upon the facilities afforded for the 
marketing of crops. The earlier agriculture of the region was de- 
pendent upon shipment by water from points, principally on creeks 
tributary to Chesapeake Bay, which afforded steamboat communi- 
cation. The crops grown under these conditions were chiefly the 
staple farm crops which would stand storage and gradual marketing. 
With the building of the railroad in 1884 along the approximate axis 
of these two counties, rapid transit facilities were provided for the 
shipment of perishable commodities. The growing of truck crops 
had already been begun in a limited way, but the expansion was 
decidedly rapid after rail transportation was provided. At the 
present time few farms within the two counties are located at a dis- 
tance of more than 5 miles from either rail or steamboat transporta- 
tion and the great majority of the farms are within easy hauling dis- 
tance of some shipping point. 
The New A'ork, Philadelphia, & Norfolk Railroad and its con- 
nections afford access to all of the metropolitan markets of the north 
and northeast. The distances from Cape Charles to Philadelphia 
and New York, respectively, are 220 and 310 miles. In addition, a 
frequent steamboat service connects Chesapeake Bay points with 
Baltimore in 12 to 18 hours from the time of departure. Thus, all 
points in the two counties are well served by transportation. 
The market outlets for the majority of shipments of truck crops 
from the Eastern Shore of Virginia are found in Philadelphia, New 
York, Boston, and the other great cities of the Northeastern States, 
although sliipments are also made to points farther west and north, 
even to the Canadian Provinces, when market conditions justify. 
An important factor in the marketing of truck crops from these 
two counties is the association of farmers known as the Eastern Shore 
of Virginia Produce Exchange. This corporation, formed by the 
truckers, possesses a central organization w^hich keeps close touch 
with the acreages and probable dates of shipment of the various crops, 
m.aintains a wire service for the collection and distribution of market 
information, and establishes grades and brands for the produce. It 
also standardizes grading, handles directly a considerable proportion 
of the marketing and collections, and offers facilities for local sale's of 
certain products, notably straw^berries. This cooperative association 
of truck growers has tended to stabilize conditions not only from time 
to time during the shipping season, but also, through its information 
concerning reserve stocks and probable market conditions, from year 
to year. Consequently, the Eastern Shore of Virginia coimties have 
^ho\\Ti steady, healthy growth in this industry. 
