The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-03-19

where they grow, it goes long way
toward balancing the velvet bean feel
which is a strong protein. In addition
to this they have a feed very high 10
protein known as cowpeas, OF which
they make three crops per year on
ordinary pine land Cut two OF
them and feed the other out Of hand
/ These will produce from two TO three
tons of dry forage to the acre. l ma
! another valuable feed that can be Ied
from June until frost Is the Japanese
cane. This feed is exceedingly strong
in carbohydrates and a fine fattenins
food Oats can be produced as tair
pasturage for short time in the year,
and para grass is excellent for nine
months in the year.
In addition to the cultivated feeds
mentioned above for finishing and
fattening, Florida produces for main
tenance the many varied wild grasses
from nine to twelve months in the
year Velvet beans will grow on any
of the high lands of FLORIDA without
fertilizer. Cassava and the other
cultivated feeds require little fertil-
izer, say two hundred pounds to the
acre, at a cost of S28 per ton.
From my talk with several of the
successful stock people and observa-
tons generally, L verify believe that
in very few years Florida will be the
greatest cattle-raising state in the
Union. Hundreds of thousands of
acres of the most excellent stock land
can be bought to-day for 81 to 81 per
acre; and lands adjoining, | am re-
liably informed. are netting the pro-
ducers to-day from $50 to 5000 and Over
per acre in beans, tomatoes, celery an /
other vegetables, as was fully set forth
in my article in the January number.
1t was clearly shown by speakers at
the great cattle convention last year
that states like Florida have infinite
advantage over the west in forage
plant, in feeding in winter, in shelter,
in shorter period of fattening, in lower
percentage of losses by death from all
causes. The cattle of Florida do not
die of drouth in summer or blizzard
in winter as on the great ranges OF
the far west. The testimony of the
cattlemen's convention last year was
also convincing that improvement in
size and quality by breeding upon the
OIdCLlCaOlGs
The above facts which l have set
forth very briefly have aroused such
widespread interest among the great
ranch owners and cattle breeders of
the United States that the next ma
tional convention of the American Cat
tie Breeders Association Will be held
at Jacksonville in March. All the
great cattle breeders hold membership
In the association, and so impressed
have many of them become with the
advantages of Florida for large cattle !
ranches that many of them are taking
options on large tracts of land in that
state for cattle raising. One large
real estate firm at Jacksonville con- 1
trolls over one million acres of excel |
lent grazing lands that they can sell |
at from 81 to 81 per acre.
Our Florida lands are especially
adapted for forage crops, such as sor-
ghum, peas, velvet beans, cassava,
etc. We believe you know
the great value of sorghum as a for
age and fattener. We have statements
of northern farmers who are now resi-
dents of Florida that they produce
from six to fifteen tons of sorghum
per acre, and 1t is conceded by the
agricultural experiment colleges that
sorghum at SIS per ton is more valuable
as producer of fat and grain than
corn at 80 cents a bushel. 1t needs no
further comment, therefore, to snow
the value OF this land for the purpose
Of producing cattle, hogs and horses.
Velvet beans and cassava (tne latter a
succulent root which is an exceedingly
good food adjunct to the velvet beans)
will maintain at least three head of
steers to the acre, and will fatten two.
In fact, more than this has been done.
All our Florida lands, excepting those
very low and swampy, will produce
velvet beans abundantly with little or
no fertilizer. Fifty bushels to the
here is small yield. A little fertilizer
s necessary for cassava, say 250
pounds to the acre, at q cost Of SIS
per ton. Our cowpeas, of which wei
make three crops per year, producing
hree to five tons per acre each crop,
s very high feed in protein. and
Turing the winter season with com
no trouble a green pastur-
lge of winter rye or winter oats will
Keep stock in better condition than
shSA4N6N AAooC W wi II anu leu Out !
| silo. One of the crops which are
specially adapted for the growth and
development of live stock, as well as
or cows which are used in the dairy,
S crop known as Japanese sugar
.ane, which crop can be cut every two
II three weeks during the spring, SUM-
ner and fall seasons, so as to produce
large amount of green fodder con-
aiming a very large per cent of sac
harine matter.
Cattle will subsist on our Florida
rasses, Bermuda, st. Augustine, crab.
gater. crowfoot and others at least
en- months in the year The increase
n cattle has averaged IS to 80 per
ent where no green feed is given
hem. This country is specially adapt.
d for raising early maturing pony
eef cattle
Florida is the only state in the
MON where lambs are dropped out Of
oors in January. This gives sheen
reeders the May and June markets
Then lambs sell at SO to S13 per hun
red for New York trade. All sheep
reeders have averaged 80 to los per
t. e.