SMALL FRUIT FARMING AND ITS PROFITS


A farm without a fruit garden may justly be regarded as proof of a low
state of civilization in the farmer. No country home should be without
such simple means of health and happiness. For obvious reasons,
however, there is not, and never can be, the same room for fruit
raising as there is for grain, grass, and stock farming. Nevertheless,
the opportunities to engage with profit in this industry on a large
scale are increasing every year. From being a luxury of a few, the
small fruits have become an article of daily food to the million. Even
the country village must have its supply, and the number of crates
that are shipped from New York city to neighboring towns is
astonishingly large. As an illustration of the rapidly enlarging
demand for these fruits, let us consider the experience of one Western
city, Cincinnati. Mr. W. H. Corbly, who is there regarded as one of
the best informed on these subjects, has gathered the following
statistics: "In 1835 it was regarded as a most wonderful thing that
100 bushels of strawberries could be disposed of on the Cincinnati
market in one day, and was commented on as a great event. A close
estimate shows that during the summer of 1879 eighty to eighty-five
thousand bushels of strawberries were sold in Cincinnati. Of course, a
large part of these berries were shipped away, but it is estimated
that nearly one half were consumed here. About the year 1838 the
cultivation of black raspberries was commenced in this county by James
Gallagher and F. A. McCormick of Salem, Anderson township. The first
year, Gallagher's largest shipment in one day was six bushels, and
McCormick's four. When they were placed on the market, McCormick sold
out at 6 1/4 cents per quart, and Gallagher held off till McCormick
had sold out, when he put his on sale and obtained 8 1/8 cents per