The National tribune., 1911-04-27

that they will study all the methods
presented to them and adopt that
which is the best and most economi-
cal.
The Productive Sand.
The continual amazement of the
visitor from the North is over the pro-
ductiveness Of the sand that he finds
everywhere. The best illustration of
this that ! found was in the fine
Grange and grapefruit grove of Mr..
II. w Hill, q few miles east of ST.
Cloud. Mr.. Hill is progressive, en-
crgetic man, who is not in Florida for
his health, but to make money by an
intelligent adaptation of labor and
care to his plantation. He has as fine
a citrus grove as can be found in Flor
ida, ana gets a revenue from il that
would satisfy any moderate man. Of
ferS are constantly made for the pur-
chase Of his grove, but he invariably
answers that his farm is not for sale,
and he will place no price on 1t. He
is man who knows that he has de-
vclOped a good thing, something that
VIII satisfy his desires and aspirations,
and there is no need of his changing
TO something else. The most exactinE
farmer in the North could find no
fault with the looks of Mr.. Hills
grove. Every tree is growing as thrift
lily and syn1metrically as can be imag-
incd, with not dead tree or even a
dead limb, not tree which is even
scanty of bearing visible anywhere.
The sand around the trees is as white
as chalk, but it is as clean as the floor
of kitchen. It has been plowed,
diskcd and narrowed time and again
and kept in the highest state of tilth.
The constant narrowing and raking
breaks up any crust that may tend to
lorrn. and conserveS the moisture un-
der the fine dust blanket of the sur
face.
Mr.. Hill is q fine illustration of how
much more the man is than his sur
rcundings. Mr.. Hill came TO this
country years ago with the English
colony. without any knowledge what
ever of farming, orcharding or other
REQUISITE information. He had been a
sailor and risen to be a mate on
vessel, He secured employment as a
teamster, and then obtained a small
tract Of land. He made all sorts Of
mistakes, but learned from every one
Of them; and being determined to
master his business, rapidly acquired
the necessary knowledge. He made
himself perfectly acquainted with his
son, with the trees and all their pos
slbilities. He watches every tree and
every foot of ground as carefully as
any man who succeeds in any busi-
ness must study the minutest details
Each tree became an intimate per-
sonal acquaintance. and he cared for
II as he would the education of a
child. II it was too thrifty, he checked
lts growth. If it was not thrifty
enough, he found the reason and an
piled the remedy. lie studied the
most attractive ways of packing his
truit, dealt in good faith with his Gus
toners, and on small tract of ground
has accumulated a handsome little
fortune. He never suffers an orange
or grapefruit to' be shipped that is not
OF the very best and packed in the
most sHillful way. He does not hsIe
II advertise his fruit; it advertises IT.
self, and he has demands every year
for more than he can sell at prices
higher than others can obtain.
Pcculiaritics cs the Sand.
BY taking up a handful OF the sand
one at once sees and feels 1t very dis-
fercnt from the sand of the North |
1t Is soft and velvety to the touch. |
which goes o'confrm the theory that
II is largely made up of infinitely |
small shells the work of some species
OF the coral Insect. The orange, lime. |
lemon and grapefruit trees seem to |
thrive best where the sand is whitest |
Corn ana vegetables do better where |
the sand IS darker. Where these are |
attempted to be raised, however, the |
white sand Is soon darkened by turn
ing under cowpeas, velvet beans, beg
sarweed and other fertilizing legumi. |
nous crops. These put humus into |
the soil. darken the color OF the sand. |
and white sand can be readily trans
formed into darker by this means. AS |
there can be three crops raised a year. |
ana TWO very easily, the cultivator
can readily afford to make one OF I