The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-08-21
RING PROSPERITY OUT OF
ADVERSELY

The lesson OF necessity or more anu
better farms and farming is being
further impressed ON our business
people just now as result of the
conditions in Europe, which have
practically closed the turpentine, ro-
sin and export lumber markets.
Not only are these commodities, up
on which we have earned 60 long de-
creasing in output with consequent
and reative decrease in the income
of the country, but now the market
for them is practically closed. This
is not only true because of the stop
ment of exports from all foreign
countries, competitors of our in the
worlds markets for food stuffs, but
it should be remembered that in all
those countries every able bodied man
is soldier and likely to be called in
to active service at any time, leaving
only the women and children at home
to till the fields and gather the har-
vest. To add to the shortage war
means often the destruction Of i'm
mense quantities. of stores of various
kinds, which adds to the demand
countries like ours will be called upon
to supply.
Outside of -four there is not sin
gle article of general food consump-
ton which Walton county cannot, and
ought not, to produce at home, wheth-
er for man or beast, and not only that
but quantities for export to make us
Independently rich as county.
Even this year with all its untoward
conditions we are going to have corn
crops of fifty bushels and upwards
per acre. Beef and pork can be made
cheaper, pound for pound, than any
where else on earth, but scrub stock
under range conditions is not going to
do it, any more than bull-tongue
scooter as the dependent implement
is going to make bumper corn crops.
Thousands of tons of hay are going
to waste that ought to be saved and
fed to stock, and the fertilizer turn
ed back to the land.
We are buying navy beans at big
prices from the north, when it is the
native home of the cow-pea, equally
good and valuable, and crop of peas
on our lands, turning under the vines
is gathering from the air abundant
supplies of the most expensive fer
tiliZers we buy-nitrOgen.
We can produce and preserve every
single standard article of canned
goods for which we are continually
sending money out of the county, but
we are not limited to them, for with
the limitations put on the purchasing
power of this section by the curtail-
ment of the markets for the products
it has been depending on, emphasizes
strongly the necessity of fall and win
ter gardens and field crops.
Save hay and other feed crops to
keep old Brindle through the winter,
that the milk and butter may take
the place in the domestic economy OF
the meat and lard you have been buy
ing. Put in day or two making pro-
visions for the poultry, that you and
not the possums and foxes, may enjoy
the delights of yellow-legged chicken,
and that early in the spring there may
be an abundant supply of eggs.
Fool the fertilizer people by having
an extra big compost heap this win
ter; in short, make virtue of the ne
cessities that face US, and prepare not
only to live at home, and board at the
same place, but out of the lesson Of
adversely let us gather prosperity.
If the European war brings us to a
realization of the Improvement of the
opportunities with which nature has
so abundantly blessed us, it will not
SO far as we are concerned, have been
without it's compensation. -DeFuniak
Breeze.