The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-07-02
Elements of Success in Florida.

Florida, IN one respect, resembles
all other new countries, in its due
proportion of those, who, after briet
struggle, fail in their undertakings,
move to some other section to repeat
the experiment, with the same result.
1t is natural for such persons to be
ever ready to warn the public and
their friends to avoid a country where
they have been unfortunate. They
lay the blame upon the soil or eli
mate, when in majority of cases the
fault is in themselves alone.
1t does not fall to the lot of every
individual to be a successful farmer
or fruit-grower because it requires a
peculiar aptitude for the business
one who does not love flowers will
never be a gardener. All are not
qualified to become eminent as doc.
tors, lawyers, or preachers, yet there
is in the great social hive, place for
each one, according to his peculiar
bent or inclination in which he can
succeed, and at least equal his fell
lows. Nature has not placed us upon
earth to be bufeted by every storm,
and at last sink in despair without
having been benefit to ourselves or
our fellow-men. II we continually
fail in a certain trade, profession or
calling, we may be satisfied that we
have been trying to fill the place OF
some one else; that We are out of
our proper sphere. Many a good
farmer, carpenter or blacksmith has
been spoiled aud his services lost to
the world by trying to make some
thing else Of himself. Try to find
out what place you are qualified to
fill, occupy it, marching on with q
settled determination to excel, and
consequently to success.
Two men may settle side by side
upon land of equal fertility. One
=at udias. tha ,aoIa1a-Asr=asts stss s Icy - -
talns as Tar as posslOIe Its capaDnTJies,
plants such crops as are suited to the
latitude and which will command
ready sale. He determines what is
the best time to plant in anticipation
of rains which generally occur at GER
tain seasons, and as far as man can do.
prepares for the future he works in
diligently; all is done in accordance
with determined plan. The result
is almost invaraible success. The
neighbor does just the reverse; plants
his crop in soil poorly prepared; put
off the working until the grass gets
ahead of him and the crop. AS con
sequence he is behind with his work
during the whole season. The result
is almost failure he has not loved
his work, and only performed it as a
task. Wien he grumbles and COM
plains, the blame is not LAID upon his
own shoulders, but upon the soil, eli
mate, weather, or bad luck. He wants
to try some other country, and prove
that Ga rolling stone gathers no
moss"
Some men, and they are compare
lively few, possess the faculty of car,
rying on successfully the cultivation
of large farm, while the majority
sink money. In Florida we generally
undertake to cultivate too many acres
with unreliable laborers, instead of
concentrating Our labor upon few
acres-manuring highly and reaping
a rich return. We are not content
with doing well and are apt to at
tempt more than we can we'll per-
form.
Take another case. Two mel
commence making an orange grove,
their means equally limited. One
gives all his time to clearing large
piece of land and hurries TO plant it
in trees; he wants big grove at
once, he soon eXhausts his means,
cannot manure or cultivate it as it
should be done, and in short time
finds that he has undertaken too
great job, and has to sell out or lose
his labor. The other clears up land
as he can spare time, plants few
trees when he gets leasure, manures
and cultivates as it should be done,
making the grove secondary matter,
while he is earning support, hus-
banding his resources. In few
years he is the possession of fine
grove and scarcely realizes that it has