The Florida agriculturist., 1906-02-28
Florida for Stock Raising.

Jacksonville Board Of Trade, furnish
ed to the Baltimore Manufacturers
Record, an article on this subject
which contains some valuable infor-
nation and statistics.
1t must be that conditions around
Jacksonville are much better than in
other parts of the state, for he says
that the razOr-back has been absorbed
by grading up with improved breeds.
This may be the case in Duval county,
but there are still plenty of razor
backs left in other counties.
OF nearly 35,OOO,OOO acres of land
surface in Florida, about 100000
acres are included in farms, improved
and unimprOved, thus leaving over
30, 100000 acres available as grazing
lands for cattle and sheep. 1t is not
to be inferred from this that no cattle
or sheep are raised in Florida, for in
reality there were on the ranges last
year, i'm round numbers about 10000
cattle. What we want to show that
there is abundant room for 5000, 900
herd in place of the small number
noted here. it is for the purpose of
demonstrating to the thousands of
people who are interested in stock
raising outside of Florida that we
make these statements to prove to
them, that it is not necessary to go to
the bleak northwest or the far south
west in order to make StOckraiSing
a successful and highly profitable in
dustry. Having the vast area above
stated, unsurpassed in extent and suit
ability for the raising of live stock of
every kind, it would seem unaccoun-
table that this industry should so long
remain in a comparatively chaotic or
passive condition. A reasonable so
luton to the trouble would seem to be
twO-fOld: First, ignorance Of the true
situation on the part of those people
in other states interested i'm such mat
ters. mainly because the real condi-
ton has never been placed before
them in a proper and attractive form;
second. because of certain sort of
prejudice that exists in the minds Of
many persons. to the effect that the
growing of stock cannot succeed in
what they are pleased, through erro-
neOusly, to call hot climate. scOurged
with insect pests of every kind fatal
to the animal life. In the first in
stance people cannot know the truth
simply by intuition. and second, there
is absolutely not the slightest foun- |
datiOn for such belief. The truth is
the climate of Florida is an ideal one
for stock raising. In southern Florida !
is found the greatest grazing region |
east of the Mississippi
Where good water is i'm bOuntiful |
supply at all seasons of the year. |
Even the longest drought known has |
failed to produce a scarcity of water |
1t is never hot enough to iniure |
stock, and insect pests are only |
troublesome during parts of the |
months of May and June: after which |
time they disappear. In this country |
it is never so cold as to require hOus-
ing and feed does not have to be
grown for winter USE The grasses
grow the winter round. and stock |
thrive on it at all seasons In all J
this territory the water never fails,
as it does in the west-Texas for in
where herds must be driven
many miles to stagnant water holes |
while thousands die of thirst on the
way. something wholly unknown here
In Florida the hundreds of springs.
creeks, rivers and lakes that never 60
dry furnish the fresh water convenient