The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-03-14
CORN AND VELVET BEANS
y. c. Chamblf.s Offers Prizes To Grow.
ers Of the Latter Crop

those not closely acquainted with
farming how great an increase in
bushels, and in general interest, has
been brought about in Marion coun-
tvs corn crop by the generous work
of DR.. J. c. Boo er. Not only the boys
and rising generation, but mature far
mers as well. are planting more acres,
and making larger yields.
The Marion County Fair is entitled
to credit for the beginning of this
work for when in 1908, the first fair
was in preparation, the Munroe &
Chambliss Bank took occasion to offer
prizes of s25, SIS and SO for the first.
second and third best % ears of corn
shown by any boy under eighteen
years of age. 1t did not even require
him to grow the crop. but allowed him
to go to his fathers crib and make the
selections. There was at that time so
little interest in the matter that only
two exhibits were made. The hrst
prize corn shown by Joshua Gist Of
Mcintosh. was exceedingly good. so
DR.. Boozer bought a large quantity OF
is and distributed the seed, Offering
liberal prizes for the 1909 fair. Re-
spending TO his offers. the county fair
OF tnat year showed the enormous
total of 1873 exhibits.
Last years success of DR.. Boozer's
work with the boys is fresh in the
minds of all.
Nor is Marion county alone getting
the benefit of this corn boosting. 9th
er counties are awakened and at work
along the same lines. In the end the
whole state will reap benefits.
There is another crop needing atten-
ton. though il is now doing well. This
crop is more to the highlands of Flor
ida than is wheat to Dakota, alfalfa to
the west, or even corn to Illinois. This
crop is the wonderful VELVET BEAN.
Ii not only sells today in Ocala at 81. so
per buShel for seed, but those pods un-
gathered. on account of the great mass
of vines which hide them, fatten beef
which tops the market and rush the
growth of pigs. Our fields averaged to
yield of picked beans more than 90
bushels per acre the past season. But
the greatest value of this crop is for
fertilizer and humus, which every far
mer in Florida is buying.
The United States department of ag-
riculture and the Alabama and Florida
experiment stations have thought this
bean of sufficient Importance to issue
special bulletins covering it's growth.
The fertilizer value per acre is given
by the Florida station as being equal
to 1900 pounds of cotton seed meal
carrying tx per cent of ammonia.
(See Important Facts inside front
cover of bulletin No. 1922 which fgur-
ed at market price of fertilizer gives
the enormous value of S45.6O.
Now we have arrived at the point to
show its unlimited cashable worth to
this section. The Southern states have
planted cotton so long that all Of the
humus in their soils has been destroy
ed. Cotton farmers have read the bull
letins referred to and many hundreds
of them have made small paintings of
velvet beans. They realize this bean
is the redeemer of their robbed soils.
Their demand right now for seed Is
so insistent at $3.50 per bushel that
there is great danger that enough
seed will not be kept in Florida for
this years planting. This demand for
velvet beans is making sales in car
lots far each as Richmond, Vir-
ginia; north to Louisville. KY, and
west to New Orleans-even Texas is a
big buyer this year.
AS soon as all the South knows its
value the little belt where seed can
be grown tmainly in Florida) cannot
supply the demand. The cotton states
plant velvet beans for their fertilizer
and humus value alone; then cannot
mature seed, and the dry lands of
Florida will always enjoy a monopoly
as the beans require eight months to
mature, and wet, fiat lands will not
grow them. They require no fertiliz-
| ing.
Besides selling the product Of our
own farms, I have sold this season
| over $4,000 worth of beans for my
neighbors, the supply is exhausted and
am now sending back good checks
every day. This section is already In
| the lead raising velvet beans, and hop
ing to increase the growth of this
crop that the inflow of money will
be felt by merchants and every branch
of business, I propose giving the fol-
lowing