The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-05-24


tered by the newcomer that locates
here.
There seems to be q, general ten
dency i'm this direction, shared i'm alike
by the press and the people.
Thousands of good people have come
to Florida to secure the benefit of her
climate, which lis good, supposing, on
the representation made ON products
and prices, that an honest living could
be eked out of her soil, only to find
out after diligent and persistent effort
again and again repeated, that very
little but disappointment awaited them
ON every hand. Usually, the ex-
cheQuer, which was limited when they
came, is by this time at low abb.
But the climate abounds. o, yes; and
the newcomer takes all the SatlSfac-
ton he can out of lit, but the wife and
little ones are not used to living ON it
exclusively, so he feels that he is at the
end of his resources, a condition that
might have been avoided had he been
correctly informed, and adopted meth
DDS that were peculiar OFT Florida.
The Florida press and some of her
enthusiastic admirers have proclaimed
loudly to the world that the resources
of the State in the production OF su-
gar came were almost unlimited. In
other words they have claimed that
there were millions in it. But l fear
it will be long time before they will
materialize. AS a rule the writer's of
such statements are theorists, not prac-
teal men. They do not produce cane
in any quantity, neither are they in
strumental in having it done.
1t is a fact that we can raise a fine
quality of sugar cane, and it is equally
true that we can produce fair guam
tity to the acre, perhaps as much as
can be produced in other cane growing
sections, but we must place the ele
ments in the soil to make the cane, 9th
erwise we fail.
Came patches in Florida are usually
fine and numerous, but they are only
patches and limited to the area cow
penned.
Twelve years of careful observation
Justify me in making this statement,
But what of the muck lands, so much
talked Of; will they not produce cane?
Yes, for a short time; but the fact that
the managers of the st. Cloud sugar
planta tiOn have been using large
quantity of their muck land for vege-
table growing, am industry so cOmpH-
GATED, and filled with uncertainty, ar
CUES very strongly against the profit
able growing of cane on muck land in
Florida.
Sugar cane growing in Florida has
passed the experimental stage. And
the muck lands of Florida re accessi-
Bile to capt talists, and the fact that
thov ara mot taken III and utilized
when there are millions of capital seek
ing profitable investment, tends to COR
roborate what / say. If we could
demonstrate to capitalists that our
hands are fruitful, they would speedily
take up every available spot in the
State, for the reason that our climatic
conditions are favorable alike to grow
ing and manufacturing the crop.
Florida is noted for it's resouces in
small things. Those that succeed here
succeed in a small way, comparatively
speaking. The man that despises the
day of small things should stay away
from Florida. To man that aspllfs
to run large farm, plantation or DIS
mess can find fields more inviting,
fields that will pay a better dlvldend
on his investments.
industrious, economical people can
earn a. livelihood in Florida, and tiose
that want to settle into quiet way
of living. those wishing to cultivate
snirit of cOntentment and patience,
those wishing to live largely in com
munion with nature and climate, will
find in Florida all that they need.-W.
w DAMS. in Louisiana Planter.