The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-24
Many Former Quaker City Peo-
pie Now Located in Thriv-
ing FIorida-Two Raising
Garden Produce.
PROSPERING ARE THE
LOCAL EXPATRIATES
Farming Land Is Very VaIua-
BILE, Selling From 500 to
$1,000 Per Acre-CeIery
Principal Product.
A. w. Hempleman.

A. w. Hempleman.
Sanford, Fla, Jan. 1S.-A letter from
from Sanford may be of interest to
the readers of the Palladium because
the large Richmond contingent now re-
siding here, most Of whom we find en-
gagged in the cultivation of celery. let
tuce, caulifower and kindred produce
for the supply of the tables in the
north where it Is impossible to produce
them under similar conditions at this
season of the year.
This brings us to the cultivation of
celery-the standard product of this
community; and no one in the must
consider for one moment that the rails
ing of celery is a cinch, or that any
one unskilled in the business can come
here and find everything ready for his
reaping the immense profits of which
every one at interest is ready to fill
your ears.
H. Property Valuable.
First the ground must be bought,
and this this is held at enormously
high prices, ranging from 500 to
$1,000 per acre.
Second the preparing of the ground
for cultivation which consists of dig
ging out the trees, the palmettOs and
every root to be found in the soil must
be removed.
ri no ~ oil %
which is a sorry problem. The palmet-
tos you can not burn and they are of
no earthly account for anything. All
this can be accomplished at cost of
from $500 to $500 per acre.
To prepare this ground for celery,
usually the first crop is potatoes,
which will pay reasonably WE'LL Now
the ground is ready for celery plant
ing. The celery seed from which the
ulants are raised is all imported from
France; the plants are set in rows
30 inches apart, and the plants pa
inches apart in the rows, requiring
10000 plants to the acre. The plants
can be bought for about $500 per
thousand making an additional cost of
$50 per care, besides the cost of set
ting the plants which the expert will
set from $4,000 to $1,000 per day OF
ten hours.
Use Deep Wells.
In the foregoing l have not included
the expense of an artesian we'll, which
Is necessary in every case, and the TIL
ing which is laid at short intervals
over the field; this water is found in
abundant quantities at depth of
about IL feet.
The main tile for the supply of wa
ter to the lateral tiles is about inches
while the lateral tiles are only inches
and gives them underground irriga-
ton.
Eternal vigilance" is said to be the
price of liberty" and it may be said
with equal force to be the price Of
success in raising celery. Abundant
use of fertilizers must be made: pow
ders to prevent the ravages of insects
must be used: at the proper time it
must be boarded for bleaching pur-
poses, then it must be cut and trim
med for market and shipped north. and
then the man who has done all this is
commission house men.
Stories Are Fabulous.
But what does he realize from all
this outlay and hand labor. Well, the
stories they tell here are fabulous. and
may even be discounted a good per
cent. and still seem almost incredible.
Men whose word would go without
veracity do not for a moment doubt
have cited me instances where net
profits from single acre of ground
have been realized amounting to 81 500
to $1,000 and even as high as $4,000
net. We must remember however, that
in such cases the best are always Sc
lected as samples" Among the Rich
mond contingent here, of whom l have
seen quite a number. there is one uni
versal expression of satisfaction with
conditions. All seem to be very hope
full and we'll contented.
Brown is Prosperous.
A few words may not be amiss con.
corning the undertaking of our former
fellow townsman Mr.. Edgar e. Brown,
at one time connected with the Rail
road Store Of Richmond. and the en-
terprise he has displayed in the de-
velopment of a 240 acre tract Of land,
about four and one-half miles from
Sanford. We boast OF what our fore
fathers did in seeking the west and
settling upon a piece OF timber land
and commenc the clearing of a farm.
but this does not compare with the
gigantic efforts of Mr.. Brown in his
work on Beck Hummock'' as 1t was
called.
This he has divided into five and
ten acre lots. making magnificent
streets and avenues, with strips of
native trees and palmettos and drive
ways on either side, ultimately to be
very handsome and must become very
popular. These five and ten acre lots
he Is clearing off ready for cultivation
about one half SO that the purchaser
may at once begin his planting and
have something 70 show Tor his labors