68 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
from five hundred tO' one thousand crates 
per acre; some instances going much 
higher. 
The plants must be boarded at a cer¬ 
tain growth and kept there till well 
bleached, and ready for market. It re¬ 
quires about thirty-two thousand feet of 
lumber per acre to board it properly. Af¬ 
ter the celery crop is marketed, the land 
is then followed by egg plant. In the 
meantime the seed of the egg plant has 
been placed in the hot beds and is now 
ready for transplanting. Here again ir¬ 
rigation is very desirable, although not 
absolutely necessary. The cultivation of 
the egg plant is much like the cultivation 
of any ordinary plant, move the soil fre¬ 
quently, and keep clear of grass and 
weeds. 
Urtider ordinary circumstances and con¬ 
ditions by May 15th the fruit is ready for 
shipment and continues till up to July, 
when the Jersy crop comes in. 
From six hundred to one thousand 
crates of egg plants are produced per 
acre with us. 
What we need most is a uniform pack¬ 
age for celery. As it stands now, we have 
three different sizes, one 12x18x22, and 
the Sandford 8x20x27 and one 10x20x25, 
this last, we think, should be the state 
standard. 
California uses standard barrel crates, 
and of course it is regulated through the 
association of that state, ar.d they have 
secured a rate which is equal to ours^ we 
having the small poney crate. 
I therefore, recommend that this as¬ 
sociation take some action looking to 
the procuring of a standard crat:, and 
that a better and more equal freight rate 
be obtained. 
Vegetable Report from East Coast* 
By Mr. Blackman. 
Mr. President, as a member of the com¬ 
mittee on vegetables, I will submit an in¬ 
formal verbal report from my section of 
the state, the lower East Coast. Taking 
it all in all, we have had a most success¬ 
ful season in our section of the state, the 
truck growers in better condition gen¬ 
erally, and have gotten more for their 
truck than ever before in the history of 
the lower East Coast section. Mr. 
President, I desire to emphasize this 
great and important subject, the import¬ 
ance of the vegetable traffic in this state 
It is, or it ought to be, a matter of com¬ 
mon knowledge that the truck industry 
of Florida is the greatest industry in the 
state. It is, or ought to be, a matter of 
common knowledge that the truck in¬ 
dustry of Florida amounts to a great deal 
more than all of the citrus fruit crops 
combined. Vegetables are the staple 
products of Florida, and an industry that 
should receive at all times the highest 
consideration and attention. I could, Mr. 
President, give you instances of enor¬ 
mous yields and fancy prices for this sea- 
