The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-05-15
Florida Mirror, May 81
Elorida.s DnnOrtaAiaY.

Florida's Opportunity.
The remarkable advance which Florida tas
made within the last five years is not meresac
cident, but is founded upon a substantial bN'is
People do not settle in new countries and rake
large investments without strong inducements.
What the gold and silver Of California ind
Nevada and Colorado have been to those STAGES,
ange-growing and truck farming are to Flo&l
The excellence of our fruit, the adar iatic Pol
our climate to its production, the readiness tt
which it can he prOpagated and disseminated,
have attracted the attention OF tens of thousatds
to Florida with the view Of engaging in so plst $
ant and profitable an industry.
Hardly less important has been the evidescr
given of the adap,ability OF most portions Of pr
State to the raising Of early vegetables, q
monty called truck farming. The latter is il b.
infancy comparatively. but has progressed ia,
enough to establish its claims rs a future -ou, a.
of wealth and profit equal even 10 orangc-grst
ing
Happily, our State presents an abundant III ~
OF enterprise for those who would engage u
either pursuit. The climate OF the W.
insula of Florida is suitable to orange .."wlse
and in large degree to truck iaricing, with
Middle Florida, where orange growing is 4
ondary in its fertile fields, presents superior
vantages in some of the most profitable depstA
ments of truck farming. The Irish potato, gr. N
peas, cabbages and onions can probably be groscil
to greater advantage along the line OF the -
trail i Western Railroad, in its fertile rrgion-e'i
country extending from Lake City To Marian.s,,
than anywhere else in the South.
The extent to which truck farming in oor
State may carried on can be judged by the fat
that the little island of Bermuda sends 10 tiss
country annually four hundred thousand boy =
of onions, besides large quantities of Irish poga
toes and tomatoes.
There is really hardly any assignablc limit /"
this business of truck farming. The same ~
mark may be made Of orange growing, which
like truck farming is still comparatively in: its
infancy ::
The sudden and rapid growth Of these two N,
duslres has been caused by increased facilities 81
transportation. 1T is selfevdent that nrilieI
fruit nor vegetables would he profitable pro,is5s
without speedy access TO market. both beieg
pershable and the time OF reaching MAJ XII
the test OF profitable production. Il.
The markets which must be reached are W nc
spread, extending over the whole United Stase4
Specify railway and steamship transportation 3
ford the only means of reaching them. :
To carry on orange-growing or truck farming
successfully the best transportation facilities ~,
absolutely necessary. ..
Large crops Of fruit and vegetables retIls.4
constant and rapid movement. Such la 80
groves az Bishop and Hoyt's, Harris, ETC. M Iii
be able to ship off their fruit daily. Truhh-
farmers must have the opportunity Of shipping
as rapidly rs their vegetables reach the stag,4of
ripeness suitable for transportation 10 market, tr
they become worthless. Truck farming is MIST
profitable when engaged in on large scale
The shipper must know when he ships his
produce how many days and hours il will be pa
the road When the Middle Florida ship.er
starts his car load of new potatoes, or cabbage
or green peas, or LeConie pears, he must know
when it will reach its destination.
Two elements then are requsite-cerMtnty
and dispatch
We have now the opportunity of obtaining
the assurance of both these requisites
The Mallory Line of steamships from this p'st
TO New York, have been very valuable to the
| fruit and truck growers of Florida hut as thay
make but one trip per week, neither the fin;t
grower nor truck farmer could hold back IDS
shipments for their weekly trips and the facE-
| ties offered at Charleston and Savannah by more
frequent steamers, has diverted to those ports he
shipments which, with similar advantage of fre-
quency, would have been made from our own
port.
What the Florida producer now needs is Tie
assurance of equal advantages here and he will
| gladly avail himself of them.
We need at once semi ,oeelly line of steamns
from this port to New York in place of a ,oe.Ly9
line
With steamers leaving Fernandina, say 90
Tuesdays and Fridays, the present demand Sir
rapid and safe transportation could he met The
management OF the principal lines of railway sn
Florida having been unified, no difficulty NEIL
be experienced in arranging for special ~
trains from all points TO meet The sailing days Of
these ships. L
1t rests with the people OF Florida 10 give suS
encouragement to the Me-srs Mallory "a to i;
duce the carrying out of the plans which. W
learn. they have under consideration. of estai:
fishing a semi weekly line of steamers direct r,
New York
This is Floridas opportunity for establishing
on firm footing her growing and most profitk
bile industries Ii would place all parts OF lke
State upon an equal footing, and help all. Le4u
county would he as near to New York as Mar.,1
fernando and Sumter, and with the b,lsintys
concentrated enlarged facilities could and won a.
be given 10 meet whatever the demands migk.
be- even to daily steamers To New York, whict
it is moi unlikely, will he required in few yeaF.
There is business enough now in the way 81
incoming freighls if concentrated, to keep mp "a
semi weekly line of steamers, and the boulil
ireights will be large nearly all the year.
! The press do much in the interior in n
recting public sentiment to the consideration 81
interests which are :" important 10 our present.
and future wei, being.
GOV. BlOx halm "a nd HI~ Wark.
| Special O the Times Democrat