The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-03-08

lowed to stand continues to bloom and
bear for many weeks, and is immense
ly enjoyed by the neighbors' chickens.
Florida clover, degraded by beggarly
name, is in every way the equal of
redclover, and possibly more produc-
tive. The velvet bean is very promis-
ing, but the cowpea is the keystone
of the arch of Southern agriculture,
because it produces more feed and
better feed with the least outlay for
labor, nothing for fertilizer and re-
turns to the soil more than it takes
away.
Yes, cOwpeas are difficult to cure,
and yet l cut my summer crop be-
tween showers, put it at once in we'll
ventilated barn and succeeded without
mishap. Of course the autumn crop,
following corn or summer pea crop is
harvested after the close CT the rainy
season and so is exempt from danger.
Then, too, there is the chufa for
pigs and poultry, and casSava, sweet
potatoes, Irish potatoes, pumpkins and
melons in endless variety, and rice,
sugar cane, paragrass, Japan clover;
y
out invitation and tarries without well
come, together with the Whole cata-
lOgue of vegetab les.
And, beside being valuable feed.
cassava has become a cash crop, aaI
others will be added to the list. Then
there is tobacco growing-but 1 don,
recommend it. Like other product.
which cater to vice, 1t attracts shame
less dealers whose tricks are a burden
to decency. Two fine crops grown
here have been "gotten away with"
bodily, and it is we'll enough-indeed
providential, for those who cater to
vice must eXpec. to suffer here and
now. This | know, is home made
theology, and may not track with that
taught from the text, out it has ali
the sadness of beng true, and in view
Of this fact let us stick to the cow and
the cOwpea.
With the advent of stock raising
md general farming the fence con-
tentiOn will loom up; but, like the in
iectiOns of childhOOu, it must be met
and borne. For siXtyfour years
have dwelt upon the ragged edge Of
struggle from the eastern slope to the
setting sun. 1 have heard the plant
OF the poor mans cow" and recOg-
nize it as a plea Tor special privileges
to the lazy and shiftless who will want
my crop when the highways fail, and
who is always gla>. for the chances
of gates ajar. But things are different
here. Farming must be intensive in
order to succeed, and stock must be
kept up in order to supply the means.
But where the stock interest is para.
mount, habitatiOns distant, and fields
few and small, it is only fair that the
fields should bear the burden. Indeed,
| would not trus. my crops without
some protection but this I'd give in
right, for if there ever was a gro
tesque, roaring, ridiculous absurdity,
destitute of sense, reason or right it
is that of requiring a man to fence
his crops against his neighbours stock.
Crops do not prowl about, trespass,
assail aggravate, disturb the peace,
or incite disorder, and therefore it
would be interesting to know what
perversity impels lawmakers to con-
dem in advance the unoffending vic
tim and reward the aggressor.
But the fence question will adjust
itself as civilization advances. First
secure the means Of living, then some
thing to sell, and if more is grown
than can be consumed or sold, the cow
off 111o ~