The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-02-26
Will Enrich Florida.

investigate the phosphate interests OF
Florida, concludes as follows long artl-
Gle on that subject, written at BrOOksville:
"The more recent developments indi-
Gates that phosphates are not confined to
this region but are scattered all over the
State. There is also no doubt that the
richest deposits are in fernando, Citrus
and Marion counties. There are thous-
ands of acres O. land outside of the terri
tory named that contain phosphate de-
posits of lower grades, sometimes in beds
and pockets and sometimes, the more fire.
quently perhaps, mixed with sand and
other varieties of soil. These deposits
are generally in small quantities, and will
not analyze more than 35 per cent.
Where this is the case it will not pay to
work them for export, but they can be
utilized in their natural state at a cost to
the farmer of not more than $3.50 per
ton at almost any point accessible by rail
or water, thus rendering what are now
poor, valueless lands fertile and capable
OF producing almost any crop adapted to
this climate, thus making all our land de-
sirable and inducing settlers to locate in
really attractive localities that, but for
this discovery, would have remained I'M
occupied by reason of their poverty. An
other interesting feature is the fact that
it will keep thousands of dollars at home
that before this discovery went out of the
State to enrich the foreign manufacturers
1t will in fact bring these factories to
Florida; it will necessitate the employ
ment of thousands of hands in mining and
handling the phosphate; it will cause the
expenditure of millions of dollars in the
construction of works and canals; it will
cause more land to be cultivated to feed
the busy workers, and make a ready mar
ket for all that the farmer, gardener and
fruit grower can produce. In fact, there
is not an industry in the State that will
not soon feel the vivifying effect of this
great discovery.
'"The demand for phosphate is grow
ing one, but the expense Of mining and
manufacturing has been so heavy that
many were unable to use it, even when It's
application was a manifest necessity; but
the discovery of phosphate here will en-
able the manufacturer to place it on the
market at figures that will put it in the
reach of everyone. 1t may be urged that
the immense quantities produced will glut
the market and make it's manufacture
Improbable. This can never come to
pass from the fact that the reduced price
will so greatly multiply the consumption
that no matter how large the output it
will always be in demand, and large
profits will be realized, because Florida
phosphates are of high grade, inexpensive
to mine and easy to handle.
Immense quantities of phosphates are
annually exported to Europe now, and
the cause that produces this demand will
produce constantly increasing demand
for foreign export, while the broad acres
North and South will, as the years roll
on consume all that can be produced in
replacing the exhausted energies that
once brought abundant harvests to the
husbandman, but who, for want of such
harvests, now gazes sadly at his scantily
filled baskets and lank pOcket-bOOks.