The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-05-25
To Those Who Think of Moving
to FIOrida.-N0. Ill.

q. II. Mason, M. D., sn.,Sutb Florida Citizen.
There are many things that the
immigrant should know something
about as guide ID his future opera,
tions, and which can only be learned
by observation or obtained from
those who are informed upon these
subjects. l therefore give some of
my own experience.
IF the instructions given IN nv
former articles are followed, the set
tier may feel assured that he will be
able to feed his family from the pro-
duction OF the soil as soon as the
crops he has planted are ready tor
use. Though his table may lack
many articles that he has been ac-
customed to, yet be will find that the
climate OF Florida vii! give such an
appetite as viii prove a good sauce
for almost any kiua Of food.
Beginning piepeer life you will
not require much furniture and you
will be surprised 81 find how small
quantity is necessary TO make home
comfortable. You will of course
bring your bedding and wearing
apparel and if youShave good new
stove, it may pay 70 pack it in box
with your tin-ware, pans, knives,
forks, spoons, etc, as the weight will
be slightly increased. Stoves, bed
steads, chairs and tabe can be pur-
chased at reasonable prices at San.
ford.
To begin farming it will be we'll
to purchase a horse tone raised in
Florida is best, as il Is already accli.
mated) costing $753to 500; prices
are advancing. You will need a
light turning plo scooter plow
with stock and a h4Ifweep that can
be used on the samCslOck If properly
fitted; a couple OF Sood hoes, rake,
good axe, wedge. fgow tog split:
tlng out boards; these can be pur-
chased here. If you can use tools,
get jack, tore and smoothing plane,
drawing knife, hatchet and several
augers from one halt to one and a
half inches. Ii you need a cart, it
can be purchased here at about $35,
and made to suit our sandy roads
those made at the North are gener-
ally too heavy.
1t you have purchased Florida
pony sometimes called MARSH
Tackeys," being raised on the salt
marshes OF the coast] you can turn
him out at night TO Craze in the
woods or when not in use, and he
will need but little corn. You need
not expect TO raise much horse feed
on your new land until the pea vines
are grown sufficiently to cut. Guinea
grass will make tolerably fair crop
which can be cut and used green; ii
grows in punches and on good land
is six or seven feet high. Chufas
make a good pasture grass chickens
and hogs are fond OF them, and will
gather the roots tor themselves. The
Northern grasses do not succeed here
millet, however, does we'll on second.
year land. A cow and calf can be
purchased for about S15-Florida
COWS give but little milk, live in the
range and cost nothing for feed the
cali must be kept or the COW will not
come home.
The settler upon pine land. will
find himself at d loss for manures OF
material from which to make them
without cattle. Our pine lands have
been annually burnt over and are de.
ficient in vegetable matter; this San
be in great measure supplied from
natures great store house. "muck
beds and bay heads" There are sew.
eral methods OF utilizing this material
Dig and throw out where it can drain
and decompose, or haul to the stable
lot aud mix with stable manure. In
using it have found the best plan is
to scatter broadcast and keep near
the surface. 1t should not be used
In the drill or hill, else the crop will
be likely to fire the same as when
fresh stable manure is used. There
is one kind classed by our people as
muck, which is found in what are
called Floating, Islands, composed OF
rather dry vegetable matter only
partly decomposed. My own expert.
ence leads me TO discard It's use, al