Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-10-31
Fr.oRIDAs REAL CONDITION
AS SEEN ny REV a. I. HOPE
New settlers Have Many Serious
Problems 20 Face.

Problems 20 race.
Editor Reflector + have been +,
Of writing to the Reflector
Tor some time but desired TO get bet
ter acquainted with conditions andiI
the true status OF things before writ
ing. 1t is not my intention to en-
bcllish anything, but 70 present
things in home like way. Ny main
object shall be to present the truth
This is the time OF the year when
we may expect great influx OF
people from the north. and q good
many perhaps coming to spend the
winter or establish homes. ! have
lived in tn enorthern part OF Flor
ida for nine months and have made
pretty thorough investigation Of
things in this section Of the state.
/ would advise those contemplating
coming here with the intention OF
making this their home; to come and
see first, come and investigate and
see for y0urseH.
A person coming here must re-
member that they cannot live en-
tirely on scenery and sea breeze, al
though the scenery is magnificent
and the sea breeze fine and brac-
ing. This country Is beneficial for
some ailments, and for some others
1t is not, this country Is not q cure
ALL" Some people come here and
are greatly benefited, and others
are not helped; people are differ
emily constituted and what may be
helpful to some may not be to 9TH
ers. If any person desires coming
here for their health would advise
them not to buy property with the
intention of living at one place, for
it may be that different part OF
the state may be better adopted to
ones special ailment.
Remember there are 'land sharks
here as well as elsewhere. The pine
trees look fine. tall and majestic,
their appearance helps the sale OF
the land.
We are living % miles south OF
Jacksonville and pine land Is sell
ing from $50 to $35 per acre, $50
for cash, $s5 on the installment
plan. In many cases the pine trees
, would pay for the land but It must
be remembered that nearly all the
timber is leased, and by former con-
tracts the timber can be cut down
and taken away as soon as the land
"a sold. If q person should happen
to make specific inquiry as to the
the timber the agent explains that
the timber will be taken off for
the accommodation 90 of the buy
er. SO the general rule is you haye
your land, covered with stumps'
Nothing broken out, no sheds, sta
bles, etc. If you live on 1t house
must be erected, and farming imple-
ments and horses or mules must be
purchased. D.
It should not be forgotten that
farming here is quite different than
in the northern states. If you should
ask about fertilizing they (agents)
will often tell you that you can pro-
duce your own fertilizer. But
bunch Of cattle will cost quite 9
little sum of money, and the cattle
will have to be driven up and placed
in pens at night, and the pens will
have to be changed pretty often, Il
YOU buy fertilizer 1t will cost from
1 $50 to $40. per ton, and there must
be at least a ton of fertilizer pei
acre. The soil here is lacking In
potash and the land is not produc-
tive unless it is fertilized, and this
fertilization process must be with
every new crop planting.
Sweet potatoes seem to be the
main crop raised in this part of the
country. Three hundred bushels to
the acre Is conservative estimate
and on the average the potatoes
bring about one dollar per bushel'
It takes about three months to raise
crop and one man can attend to
from five to eight acres. depends
on the "man behind the hoe"
Calculation must be made In re-
gard to the cost of shipping to q
market. The way and distance OF
shipping must be taken into con-
sideration. Not many farmers or
people who live on farms put In
more than two or three acres Of po-
tatoes, a great many times they
work In a saw mill or in the tnrpen-
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