The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-16
Agricultural Possibilities
IN Walton County
n. oeFun Breeze.
BY =. W. storrs. EDITOR oeFuniak sreeze.

s
What are the crops that the section
/ am looking to will produce with the
most certainty Of an adequate return
for my labor and investment IL
buy farm in that section can I grow
crops for which there is q market
certain market, and which I can get
to that market without paying the
larger part of for transportation?
This is particularly true If he has
been lead to investigate the conditions
in South and East Florida. where such
glowing stories have been told OF the
yields Of hundreds OF dollars from a
single acre, which he has found to be
the shining exception rather than the
rule, and where he has found the ruins
OF many wrecked hopes In the shape Of
those who, without previous experience
and knowledge, have undertaken to
grow such highly specialized crops as
citrus fruits and vegetables for the
early markets.
Mark you, I do not say that these
yields have not been made. and that
citrus fruit and vegetable growers
have not become rich. for they have.
but where hundreds have succeeded.
thousands have failed. because sue
cessfuI production of highly specialized
crops everywhere is IN the hands OF
those VINO know how In the highest
degree.
There are many OF these crops that
can be successfully grown in Walton
county, and in time TO come VIII De
grown for market as they are now
for private or local consumption, our
7 am not advising any one 20 come
here with these things IN view a.
profitable money crops at this time,
because here, or anywhere else, they
&Rs@&a 4a%
and under a system OF cooperation
10 insure carload shipments and sys-
tematfc marketing. / say they can
be successfully grown here because
some of them have grown myself,
and / have seen my neighbors grow
others of them. There are men VINO
have small groves OF Sa4suma oranges
that are paying them. ! have grown
in a small way, early vegetables and
had them ready for market at sea-
SON when they were bringing top
prices in the markets OF the north and
west.
have grown Irish potatoes on Land
not a hundred yards outside the IN
corporate limits OF DeFuniak Springs
and had them ready for market In
ca Iy May even IN an uafavorable sea-
son. at the rate OF 100 barrels per
mere / have had cucnrnbers ready Tor
market when they were bringing w
q crate in Chicago. so that 1 Know
that these things can be done here,
and are in the agricultural POSSIBLE
tiles of Walton county.
But it is my purpose to speak or the
standard, stand by crops that are good
one year after another
AT the head OF these ] would place
sugar cane and the production OF
are particularly adapted to this crop.
The higher lands make cane tn-t
vields a syrup of particularly nne
flavor and color and the yield based
on actual examples has run as nigh
a. $50 gallons per acre for ordinary
cane ana as high as 900 gallons per
acre for Japanese cane. This syrup In
the open market is worth 60 cents
per gallon when put up In retail pack
ages, and allowing 10 cents Tor Iness
packages it would make the syrup net
worth so cents per gallon SI5 VIII
plant, cultivate and manufacture an
acre of cane. Figure the profit Tor
yourself
Cane. too, Is a never falling crop.
Never has failed in the history OF the
county. The product can be marketed
when IL Is ready or it can be held Tor
one. two, three months or year. II
need be, without deterioration.
takes a, low rate of freight and can be
shipped any where at any time.
Hay is another crop OF which not
nearly enough is grown to supply the
local market and for the making OF
which we have number or crops al
snirably adapted. That 1t isn't grown
q because Of the disposition Of SO
rnanv farmers to stick to cotton and
because there is not vet enough OF
our lands cleared OF this which
they must be--to permit the use or
machinery to handle this crop, but IL
IL one OF the agricultural possibilitles
of Walton county. Land that can De
bought for ten dollars per acre will
make two or three tons Of beggar-weed
hay per acre. worth as much as the
best timothy for feed. Ask your fee5
merchant the price. Compare tnese
Yields and the land price with yours
where you grow timothy and clover.
Ten years ago the average yield OF
corn was not over 10 bushels per acre,
and one of twenty-five would have
been questioned. Last year meas
ured yield Of nearly SIS bushels was
secured, and the average the county
over has been doubled. and Ike m
crease il vet possible. No state in the
south produces as much corn as 1t
uses. so that the market Tor that IS
not far to seek.
Back of all prosperity in agriculture
lies live stock No where in the United
states Ca broad assertion but capable
Of demonstrationl are there better OPP
portunities for profitable live stock
production, whether the finished
product is TO be beef. pork. mutton.
fowls. eggs or dairy products. than
In Walton county. Take dairytng as an
example. Last year one farmer on the
high sand hills made over 90 tons OF
Japanese cane per acre. feed almost
as rich in carbohydrates as corn. Vel
vet beans, and beans and COW peas
and beggar weed win furnish the pro-
tein. and these are all crops indigenous
to the soil and climate, but even u II
were necessary to use such concen-
trates as cottonseed meal to furnish
this. ninety per cent of the fertilizlng
- n NrResi L sr