The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-05
TIMELY TOPICS.
A Department Devoted to Rura1 Affairs and Comments
on Current Events.
Edited by W. E. 'Pabor.

The last report on Florida crops,
issued by 1.-THE United States Depart
mIent of Agriculture, cuts down cotrd1-
tions considerably below those existing
April 1st The May 1sIt statement is
(as follows:
Irish POTATOES, 81 Strawberries, 6o;
pineappIes, 65; orange trees, 6S; lemon
trees, 65; lime trees, 65; grapefruit,
60; peaches, IS; pears 40; cowpeas,
"A; cabbages, 6S; watermelons, 6S;
canta1oupes and muskmielons, IS, and
spring pasture, 70.
Is THE Bureau of Plant Industry
giving any attention to THE cultivation
of Persian dates in THE South? Year
by year the increase of imports shows
what an Important industry lit might
becoEniej If given attention where ut
would find congerlial conditions.
''America,'' it is said takes the best
quality of "wet" dates produced. I'm
1906 the increase was over 100 per
cent in imports. The packing season
begins lin August and LASTS for six
months. The yield is largely depend
emit Upon the rainfall and it is said that
THE crop of THE next two years is as
sured.
Would it NOT be good idea if it
cam be CARRIED out, for the Static Board
of Agriculture to have an agent at the
! Jamestown Exposition ito Distribute THE
( publications lit has ON hand, and ''take
up" Florida? If only a booth in THE
| Agricultural Department is established,
similar to THE ONE maintained by the
Times-Union and East Coast Railway
at St. Louis, could be maintained, l
venture to say, from observations I
made at that exposition, THAT it would
pay the state Mr.. Commissioner Nc
Lin, why mot see if this can be dome?
1t is true, Florida wants settlers. So
does every other state i'm the Union,
even Ito the New England ONES. Hun
dreds of thousands of inm1 grants land
yearly in New York and other Atlantic
ports, but a large per cent of them
come by direct call from relatives and
friends who have settled i'm THE north
western states where climatic condi-
tions similar to those in THE countries
they came from prevail. The South has
i'm it but few of this class and it is NOT
certain THAT tley can be induced TO
come here Tt may be THAT an In1nli-
gratiot1 Bureau cam do a great deal
toward prevailing upon foreigners ITO
come here, but it will bic cup against"
[ land corporations and timber corpora
tions and meet with obstacles ON every
hand
The statement that THE Florida Tax
laws are u1nconIstitt1ti suggests the
enquiry what is THE condition of THE
lands sold of latte years for non-pay-
ment of taxes that have gone Ito THE
static? 1t is hoped SOME lawyer reader
of THE Florida Agricr1ttrrist will give
it's readers tl1Ie benefit of his opitiion
regarding the effect be it NEAR or far
reaching. of the decision of Judge
Swayne in the United States Court
The order of the court states i'm effect
THAT tIe assess r1ef1t law of Florida
relative to THE assessment and co11ec-
ton of taxes upon real estate violates
the federal constitution, which graran-
tees the process of law Ito it's citizens,
} and is therefore unconstitutional
| While the decision was rendered upon
only one case it effects every county
III THE state, and movement lis now
On foot to have THE legislature, now in
session. ITO amend THE laws SO as Ito
make them CONSTITUTE ona1; which last
Of course. will NOT reach back into past
years. and There are. no doubt, those
especially tlhr ough THE rural Sections
who have had tfIeir lands sold for
taxes and have mot yet been able to
redeem Them.
| Florida Leads.