The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-02
CANTELOPE 3
CROPS Large
PLANTERS IN VICINITY OF RUT.
LAND ARE PREPARING TO MOVE
THE MELONS, WHICH ARE Ex-
IRA FINE THIS YEAR
Special to The journal.

Rutland, via Spar, Fla. June l.
Preparations are being made to pick
pack and move the big canteloupe
crop from this section. The shipping
will begin about next Monday, June
5. There are several hundred acres
within natural eyesight of my home.
and in this community the acreage
will go UP into the thousands. The
crop SO far is extra good. 1t is said
that some fields here will average one
hundred crates to the acre.
Contractors are on the ground who
will contract the picking and packing
Of the large crops. They are experts
in their trade and it Is said that pack
ages put up by expert packers bring
better prices in the city markets
The place is situated twelve miles
north of Ocala, in Marion county. The
large plantations we live near are one
and one-haf miles west Of Spar, con-
nected with hard roads with Spar,
Ocala and other points Of interest. This
is said to be one of the prettiest spots
in the state. 1t is the old General
Owens plantation, built with slave la
Dor before the war of the states.
The famous old mansion still stands
here, and is kept In perfect repair just
the same as it was fifty years ago.
The only member of the family now
living is General Owenss youngest
child, Miss lessee Owens, who lives
alone with one old slave colored wo-
man, who has ever remained faithful
to her young mistress.
Miss Owens, though very wealthy,
lives a plain Unpretentious life here
among the plain good people she has
selected and sold homes to. She is a
Christian lady, and does a great deal
for the poor around her, but always in
a quiet way, not seeking notoriety or a
big newspaper article for every gift
she makes.
Rev. W. F. Martin, of Laurel Hin,
was a recent visitor here. He was
delightfully."- surprised in the country.
When shown corn that will produce ut
lowest twenty-five bushels per acre
without a pound of fertilizer. he said
he didn't know there was such land
on the peninsular. Lots Of people like
him.
This is a great corn growing sec
ton. The average yield Is about 20
bushels per acre without fertilizer.
Beggar weed is a natural growth
here and lots Of hay it saved.
The farmers have planted heavily
of velevt beans this season. Most Of
the Canteloupe fields are planted to
up as the canteloupe is beginning to
ship. This makes two crops Of a very
fine combination.
1t is said that two cars of cante-
lOupeS were sold on the track at Cand-
Ter, Marion county, last week for thir-
teen hundred dollars. I am not boost
ing this section. No one is doing that.
We are living here, quietly and peacea-
bly,, a good sturdy citizenship. Every
one owns his home and are satisfied.
Nothing being pushed on the market
at all-but canteloupes and vegeta-
bles
West Florida has some fine cante-
loupe lands. The writer has spent
much time talking and writing Of this
industry and its possibilities up there,
but it appears a hard task to get those
farmers to take hold.
Listen: When farmers plant cante-
loupes by the hundred acres on land
that will produce on an average TWEEN
ty bushels Of corn per acre without a
pound of fertilizer, then why do the
West Florida farmers plant corn and
cotton instead Of canteloupes? Come
down, boys. and see how its done; go
back and show your neighbOr the