The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-11-30
FLORIDA THE nRIGHTEST
STAR ON THE FLAG


1900 Of 1900 people there may be found
some manufacturing plant In one
city alone fully 100000 high-grade
cigars are made every working day
in the year. Florida manufactures
more Havana cigars than any other
state in the Union.
Whose clouds all other clouds dispel.
And wrap you in the light
Turpentine and Naval stores
Florida is producing one-half of the
Iturpentine and naval stores OF the
country. Florida is a greater lumber
producing state. We do not, however,
get the full benefit of our lumber, be-
cause we have little manufacturing OF
furniture. Florida has pine and all
kinds of hard wood. 1 have a list be-
fore me showing the numer OF varie
ties of trees growing in Florida to be
over 800. Florida is producing one
half of the phosphate Of the United
States. and one-third Of the phosphate
of the world. Phosphate is shipped to
various portions of the United States
and Europe, serving as a fountain of
youth to WORKOUT soil. Florida is pro-
ducing much Of the Fu11er's earth
consumed by the nation. In some por
lions of the state the rich mines Of
clay are being used for pottery.
Florida has 4,274 miles Of railroad.
The number of miles of navigable riv-
ers and lakes is not known to me. Ow-
ing to the great number of these lakes
and rivers, and to the ease Of securing
water from them, and to the ease Of
securing artesian water, the irrigation
problem is easily solved in Florida.
However, with such water facilities.
there is little excuse for fruit or veg
n To he m q
much. provided there is suitable rain.
Many of our farmers. fruit and truck
growers. however. pay no attention to
| irrigation. Some Of them evidently go
on the principle, as related in the Ar
kansas Traveller who, it will be re-
membered, when asked whey he did not
put roof on his house. said that when
| it was not raining no roof was needed.
| and when it was raining it was too
wet to buld a roof.
A Bale to the Acre
Florida soil will produce as much to
the acre. of that to which it is suited.
| as any land in the world. AS previ-
ously stated. though not what is call
| ed producing state. still as
much as IS to ITO bushels Of corn have
| been raised to the acre. Under proper
cultivation, a bale of cotton is raised
| to the acre. Florida is producing be-
tween one-third and one-haf Of the
Sea Island cotton of the United States.
| Most any of it's lands will produce
from ESQ to 800 bushels of sweet po-
tatoes; from 100 to 800 barrels Of Irish
potatoes is an ordinary yield: 400 to
500 crates Of vegetables: 500 to 500
quarts of strawberries; several hum
dred crates or oranges and grapefruit.
| trr ho nd
Of the trees; from one to three tons
Of pineapples: great yields of sugar
cane; ten to twelve hundred pounds of
high grade tobacco, etc.
| Beggarweed, field peas and velvet
beans grow abundantly. This makes
| splendid hay for stock. In some por-
tions of the state there are vast prai-
ries on which stock is raised. the stock
never being fed or housed.
| The tourist crop of Florida is one Of
the great staple crops, representing in
some of our cities many hundred thou
ands of dollars to the acre.
The religious and educational devel-
| opment of the state are keeping time
with the material development. I am
reliably informed that for the three
years ending June 80, 1910. there will
have been expended 100000 in the
erection Of high school buildings in
this state. 1 can recall now even col
leges established in this state.
| The population of Florida is COM
posed Of progressive and enterprising
| men and women from all parts of the
United States, and from all portions Of
| the world, representing some of the
best from your own great state-Geor-
gia.
| In 1860 Florida had a population Of
lac. 900 people. In 1910 it had popu-
1ation of 725.0OO. For the last twenty
years Florida has been increasing in
population at the rate Of 35 per cent,
second to no other Southern state ex-
cept Texas, 1914 per cent. According
| to this rate of increase, in fifty years
Florida will have population of
3,292,097
My understanding is that the Manu-
facturers' Record, Of Baltimore, Md,
was the first to invite attention to the
following:
Florida as a whole has the highest
production per acre of any OF the big
corn producing states. 1.-The United
States department of agriculture year
book shows earnings per acre at the
following figures:
illinois. s31.54; Wisconsin, $23.S4;
Pennsylvania, 5000; Alabama, $36.5s
Texas. $54.56; Florida, $3.50.
There are 100000 acres Of land in
Florida If this were all in cultivation
the total yield Of $125 per acre would
ANNUALLY represent $4,250. 100000.
The present annual value of the ag-
ricultural products of the South is
$4,000, 100000. and Of the entire United
States is ,425.
With such soil, with such climate
with such natural resources. and with
such men and women, Florida will soon
be reckoned as among the creates,
states of the Union.