The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-31


successfully produce this potato must first be
nicely prepared and enriched, so as to be ready
by January 18th to Goth for planting. At that
time the seed is planted and the bed filled
with leaves or straw and covered thick with
earth. This process in the event OF ''cold
spell,'' which of late years it is reasonable to
anticipate, keeps them warm, and allows them
to sprout and be taking good root before the
warm weather of March calls the sprout
through and bids it ''God speed" If i'll the
event precocious shoot should make Its APP
pearance before time and "get Bit it would
Simply bow in humble submission and ''pick
its flint and try again. During the latter
part of the month of April, and all OF May,
shipments are going on, and generally protta-
bic returns are received.
The raising of Irish potatoes ever since its
commencement in Middle Florida, has been
success. except one year, which was the year
Just passed, when the drought was so severe
that many planters did not ship as many bar
rels as they bought for seed. The two kinds
generally used for seed are the Early Rose
and the Goodrich. The yield from these va
rieties, though not so prolific as some others,
vet in point of good size and evenness they
are much better. 1t was, in fact, several
years before our gardeners obtained that eX-
perience in their growth so necessary to make
it money-making business, but were tortu-
nate enough during their schooling to always
make a little. At last they have found
crop that will in future, at proper season OF
the year, give them reasonable returns. AS L
said before, last year crop was failure, but
enough were shipped to save themselves from
much loss In the other crops, such as peas,
snap beans and cucumbers, they not only run
the risk of the elements attending their growth,
but the greaterrisk of shipment. In the early
production of the Irish potato the island OF
Bermuda is their only competition, and al
though that island produces a large and fine
crop, the vegetable being staple one, makes
the consumption large and sale sure, even at
a paying price. This season just now coming
on for planting will be one of the largest
acreage ever planted IN Middle florlda. Al
| least two thousand barrels of seed potatoes
will be distributed from the railroad depot at
Tallahassee, and when the weather is suitable
/ for the growth of the vine n foot or more long,
many of them will be cut. and during proper
season of rain be planted III the ground TO
produce a second crop from the same seed.
Middle Florida | hear, is the only country
where the growth and production OF the Irish
potato from slips has ever been successfully
tried. and even there it IS not always GER
tanty.
/ East and South Florida do not claim much
from the growth of early vegetables. 1t Is
true that once, while on visit to Sanford, III
/ Orange county, in January, the time OF their
county fair, | saw exhibited some very fine
vegetables and fruits such as cauhtiower. let
tuce. beets, pine apples, &C., raised in that
! county, but the land is too poor to think OF
making it a business. These were produced
by careful cultivation on spots OF ground spe-
cialv prepared. Back from the St. John $
river. alongside of those high lakes, there is
land that might possibly do for the growth OF
/ Int bplnp utterly
/ inaccessible TO a market and so unhealthy, as
to prevent its settlement.
Such another ''boom'' in the production OF
peas. snap BEANS cucumbers and watermel-
ons took place last year along the line OF the
/ Transit Railway from Fernandina to Cedar
KEYS. The acreage planted in such seeds was
stupendOuS. Everybody took a chance. The
merchants were not satisfied at making adj
yances to the gardeners, but becams largely
/ interested i'll planting themselves. Bad luck t
attended this ''boom" from the outset. The
I bad weather and cold continued from Christ
mas until the drought set in in April. The
! first planting rotted in the ground along the
whole line, and the second was little better;
but with determination and application that
deserved success, they stuck to 1t, and when
the weather changed their chances, although
slender, warranted hope, but the drought
came and this hope so long deferred
Made the heart SICK
and a complete failure stood staring them In
the face. Their losses were very great, and
MANY possessors of dollars before that great
''bo0m'' would be glad to see pennies, now,
or nickels, as pennies don't pass IN Florida.
A great many settlers of that region left for
''further South" but others returned to their
''frst love- the production of long staple cot
ton WHICH has now been proven to be the crop
for that section. Some of this beautiful staple
exhibited at the Atlanta Exhibition, took the
premium for having the longest and finest sta
pie of any of this peculiar kind of cotton pro-
duced in the world. The Williamantic spool
cotton company, of Connecticut, sends its
agent there every year to purchase IFS supply
used in making its celebrated SIX cord spool
cotton. 1t, too, will hereafter settle down to =!
common sense, and in the future, shun peas,
snaps and cukes
The lower Gulf coast is famous for the
growth of only one kind of vegetable-the
cabbage. OF course sufficient supply OF
those above mentioned are raised for home
use, but the soil being so full of shells of all
kinds it is no trouble to produce any amount
of cabbage; but unfortunately it comes at a
time of year when it does not pay to ship them
In conversation with gentleman last winter
who was praising his section of the State
(south Florida) as being able to raise almost
everything in the vegetable line, | surprised
him. while at dinner, at one OfthOse fine hotels,
by asking him, how it was, if his section was
80 prolific in their growth, that all these large
caravansaries used canned goods on their ia
bles That was ''sOcdoleger," but he said
he had reference to the future. Now they had
enough to do to take charge the orange.
Well, Messrs. Editors, know | have been
taking up too much of your valuable space, in
describing the lessons taught the people of the
: n,,1 Of tbn thn
growth and production of early vegetables, but
| must trespass vet awhile to describe the sta
pie vegetable of West Florida. You must
know that from a little beyond the Apalach-
cola river, even to Pensacola and the Alabama
line. is one vast eXpanse of pine forests, whose
great worth will be produced i'll a future
mote" The fiat lands and river valleys are
covered with a heavy growth of wire grass
and dubious roots, but that which attracts the
attention of the stranger is the great number
of holes in the ground, almost everywhere in
this desert of pine What is it that makes
them or more properly of what use are they?
You must know again that from these holes
comes West Florida's staple vegetable, the
"GOpher' Thousands are marketed in Pen
sacola and shipped into the interior at all
seasons of the year. No stress of weather, or
lack of Transportation. has any effect on their
growth or increase. Let me describe it.
The Gopher Is a land turtle, SAID to contain
the flesh of the chicken, pig, beef, mutton and
fish. 1t is certainly queer customer, and the
mode of catching them is equally curious. A
piney woodsman takes his cart goes into the
woods, and when he comes to hole he goes
behind it, and blows blast of his breath so as
not to make a loud noise, but one similar to
the kissing through the teeth. This kind of
noise, or putting sound, made by some other /
Gopher, before the door ofan enemy, is an invl- ,
tation to mortal combat, and never fails to bring
forth the challenged party. The conflict at
once begins, and with their long claws, as
weapons, infct CHASTITY wounds on the face /
and long neck of each other, and when the de- !
feated party concludes to
Throw up the sponge" I
he turns on his heels and makes for his hole. /
His enemy does not follow, as his glory is suf- /
ficient in being surrounded by several of the
"fair SEX who generally make their appear