The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-22


cultivated intelligently, can be and
have been made to blossom as the
rose.
1t is difficult to do justice, except in
a series of articles. to Florida The
difference in soil, climate and habit Of
growth is so great that a description
Of one section will not describe an
other.
Magazine writer's tell Of the beauties
and luxurience OF the orchid and mag
nolia, Of the stately palm and vivid
hibiscus and all manner of tropical
growth such as the banana, pineapple,
grapefruit, etc. These articles are all
beautifully illustrated and the readers
take it as true of the whole state, then
when they see the growth above the
frost line they are disappointed and
say that the state has been misrepre-
scented.
Now the truth of the matter is. If
the prospective settler knows what he
wants, and he should be sure Of that,
then, as the Dutchman said, you pays
your money and you takes your
choice"
Where He Should Go.
IF the buyer wants to raise oranges.
lemons, grapefruit, pineapples, etc,
then he should go to South Florida,
where the climate is suitable for citrus
fruits. If he wishes to make a speciality
Of celery, get the land adapted for that.
If one knows what one wants that
want can. without doubt, be supplied
in some part OF Florida.
Yes, we have sand and plenty of it.
ranging from the white to the dark
gray, from the cream color to the dark
red. In some sections this sand has
good clay subsoil. Other sections
seem to be nothing but sand and water
runs through it almost as through a
sieve. Other portions of the state
have a deep black loan.
One would suppose the white sand
with no subsoil would be utterly
worthless and it was doubtless such a
bit Of land that Barber described in
his Infamous article, but even that,
with proper cultivation, will yield
| abundantly. This has been tried with
success.
A homesteader filed a claim on $50
| acres in West Florida and found the
| part selected for the home site was
| white sand with no subsoil This
| homesteader was told that nothing
| would grow on it-that it was such
thirsty land that rains had no effect
and that the drouth would burn every
| thing to cinder.
But the homesteader said there was
some strength and fertility in the soil
| or there would not be such a dense
| growth Of scrub, and went to work to
prove 1t.
The homesteader subscribed for a
| good farm paper, though nothing
\ exactly suited to the needs Of this par
ticular location could be found. Gaia
logues from Florida nurseries and
| pamphlets from the agricultural de-
4 ma ~ ant a. NJ
! and studied. particular attention being
| given to the subject Of fertilizers.
Farming by Experience.
This was book farming and did well
| until real farming was learned by ex-
| perience. A note book was kept ia
which was written the time Of plant
] ing, OF terminating and the failure and
success; IL failure, the reason for 1t Il
| known.
| Now after seven years of careful
| study and intelligent work a part OF
that desert of white sand has beer
cleared and has an orchard Of peach
trees, grown from seed (note that
and many OF the trees came true from
seed and are large, fine fruit. This
orchard has had two crops of peaches
pears and plum trees bearing, a large
strawberry bed and number of tropica
fruits in the experimental stage. A
large arbor of scuppernong grapes thai
was loaded this year with the luscious
fruit, is in the second year of bearing
from which was made jelly preserves
grape butter, spiced grapes and wine
another arbor Of black grapes, differ
ent varieties Of the muskidine, these
also bearing. The famed Tokay grape
of California, the white. red and blacl
Tokay are growing on this homestead
cuttings having been obtained from
California. Seventy cuttings were set
| From this number 81 rooted and havt
made an immense growth. They wer,
pruned back to the second eye thi
spring and some have thrown out tw'
branches, both of which have growl
Is feet (by actual measurement sine,
March. These are trellised and Dor
a few grapes this year. These are II
the nature of an experiment II the.
prove successful they can be made o
great commercial value in this section
Irish potatoes this homesteade
raises for an early crop and sweet pc
tatoes for late one; peanuts are sue
cessfully grown and the delicious pea
! nut butter free from cottonseed oil ant
| perfectly pure is made at home.
Vegetables such as lettuce, radishes
eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, turnips
carrots, snap beans, Lima beans
! onions celery, sweet corn, cucumber
and squash, water melons and musl
melons are grown on this white sand
Is lOE IHe IaDl6 eXC6p
! dry groceries as sugar flour, etc, 81
| the high price Of living does not Gu
much figure.
Fresh fruit is had in abundance
! during the season and the fruit close
| is filled with canned fruit, preserves
jellies, -spiced fruit and wine for us
during winter, all home grown on thi
white sand
i These are facts and any doubling
| Thomas can be shown.
With irrigation even the bottomies
| white sand can be made to yield abun
| dainty all the year.
No Fertilizer Used.
Not an ounce Of commercial fer
tilizer has been used on this home
| stead, but barnyard fertilizer, and tina
from the duck and chicken yards havt
! been used without stint; all watel
| from wash tubs, all ashes. everything
in the shape Of compost has been util
ICED and a speciality has been made o
green fertilizer.
Velvet beans are planted and lef
| until they mature and are turned
under. All vines, such as pea vinei
| and sweet potato vines are turned
| under as soon as the vegetables ar,
| gathered They are turned under Will,
! green. thus returning to the soil ever
| year more than is taken from il