The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-04-16
THE FARMER AND THE AGRIcUL
TURIST

Audl1 llOIu 81. AuSuoIlAC, AAOA' W. -
MacWilliams, during lull in the pro-
ceedings in the Florida legislature,
thus delivered himself: THE differ
ence, gentleman, between an agricul-
turist and a farmtr is this: A farmer
makes his money in the country and
spends it in town, while an agricul-
turist makes his money in town and
spends it in the country"
This epigramatic axiom or axiomat-
ic Cd epigram is here reproduced for
the purpose of refutatiOn, and like
many others of like calibre, belongs
in this twentieth century to be con-
signed to a state of inocuous desue-
tude. For today in this era of applied
science, in this age of labor and time
saving devices the type of successful
man is he of diversified interests who
finds rest and recreation in diVers1-
fed pursuits; in fact, often his pri-
mary success leading him to even
greater achievements in his ultimate
work-on his side issues. to use the
vernacular. l can give no better IL
lustration than that of Mr.. Flagler,
the great developer of the east coast.
My plea or argument is this-that
our business and professional men
consider, and consider carefully and
wisely, the possibilities of farming,
fruit and truck growing, stock raising
and kindred pursuits as for the in
vestment of both their surplus cash
and energy. Don't only read of the
fellow that clears his thousand or so
dollars an acre, but go thou and do
likewise"
Florida is land-poor in the sense
that she has so many thousands of
acres of land that are capable of
yielding great returns, adding to the
material wealth of the state and en-
riching her people.
The business or professional man is
not by any manner of means always
unsuccessful in his farming opera
lions. Take, for instance, the most
prosperous of our inland cities
Ocala. 1t is often a matter of COM
ment that her business is good all
the year round; that there is hardly
any Off-season and that without many
of the advantages of our seaport
towns she continues her steady
growth, and, notwithstanding disas-
tiers, steadily increases in wealth.
l attribute in no small degree this
fact to the other fact that many of !
our most prominent citizens are, with !
out injury to their other pursuits, ac-
lively engaged in collecting their full
tribute from mother earth.
The president and vice president of |
our oldest bank are not only the larg- !
est breeders of fine Shorthorn cattle (
in the state, but are among the most /
extensive truck growers in Florida. I |
think they have this year about 100
acres in melons alone. The managers
Of our other bank are also extensive
farmers and use every means to pro-
mote agriculture.
The mayor of Ocala is a very large
truck grower Also The president of
the city council, in addition to large
interests, operates
four large farms, and everyone mod
ern and clearly up-to-date. And
could go on through a long list of our
eading citizens.
Again, and in the limited space al
otted to me, l want to ask for
.hought and investigation of this idea
IN the part of the business and pro-
essional men of Florida. With intel
lgent effort success will come, and
'ou will be better off mentally. NOR
lly' physically, as well as financially.
And the benefits will be doubled
or by increasing the income from az
lcultural products in your section
'ou will naturally increase the vol
lme of business of your town or city.
And you wont come into competition
With anyone, either Florida can SELL
much more than she will ever produce
or very many years yet to come.
Of course we want more immi-
rants, thousands more, but while we
re waiting for them, let's get busy
I have not here dwelt
realty upon the point that in the till
ng of the soil it is necessary to COM
inc a certain amount of intelligence
nd labor. If a man doesn't know
without being told that he must now
days give to all agricultural pursuits
he same careful thought, study. time.
mercy and enthusiasm he would give
o any other business than he is fitted
o be neither farmer Of an agricul-
urist-Or anything else-L. ]. Brum-
". Editor of the Florida Fruit and