The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-10-16
FORAGE GRASSES
AND FORESTRY
Are Recommended by j. M.
Foy to Lift Florida to
Front.

J. M. Foy, who lives four miles
southwest of town on the old Pencil
road, came here ten years ago from
Kansas on account of his health. Be-
fore coming to Florida he travelled
extensively in the Rocky Mountain
and Pacific Coast States. By COM
ing here he says he has heightened
his span of life and it is now close
to the three score and ten period,
though he feels that ne has a good
many seasons of activity before him,
Mr.. Foy has experimental consider
ably with various kinds of froage
grasses, and says that the northwest
and Pacific coast cannot compare with
this State in varieties and posslblll-
ties in that direction. He says that
Florida ought to become one OF the
great live stock states Of the Union,
He has also been successful with
trees, having a small but profitable
orange grove and as fine peach trees
as can be found in the state. Wmle
in California he was much taken with
the success attending the growth OF
eucalyptus trees, of which there are
many varieties. Six years ago, al,
ter careful investigation, he planted
seeds of the red gum, Australian ma
hogony and white iron bark varie-
ties of the eucalyptus, procured from
one of the most successful growers
lin California. The first two are Ger
tainlv adapted to conditions here, Ia
iudge bv his success. The TALES,
of his red gum trees has now height
of about 40 feet, and meaures "a feet
around one foot from the ground
The leaf is long and narrow and the
limbs hang down like the weeping
willow, and altogether is very sym,
metrical in appearance. Inc Woo
for a rapid grower is very duraDie
and can be used for many purposes
being unusually resistant against eN'
posure to the weather. 1t can be prop,
ogated by layers, the limbs beng pen!
down and covered with earth WI
take root and new trees spring up
so that one tree could be indefinitely
extended and acres covered after th'
manner of the banyan tree In INDIA
The Australian mahogany, Whlcf
off in the island continent attalhS
height of, 400 feet, has not been
fast grower. his highest tree not be
ing over 18 feet high with a grin o,
81 inches a foot from the ground, L
has a broad leaf and makes hn'
shade. In Australia it does oesf 7 II
swampy conditions, and Mr. 70!
thinks it could be made prohtaole II
low, wet places here in Florida;
The white iron wood varieties OF
which he tried two kinds, did not &c
we'll after the first year or two, ane
oil of them finally died, a fact ne
thinks due to not having been plant
ed in the right kind of 'H'"
The Australian mahogany trees or
Mr.. Fov's place are now, IN bloom
with clusters of small white FUZZY
flowers and grouped numerouslN
among the green leaves, are altogth
or verv attractive from an orname,n
tai and shade standpoint. 1t IS th'
red gum that Mr.. Foy thinks best o.
for general purposes: us raplo
growth and the durability OF the Woo
for posts, ties, timber, etc, ought L
commend it to the consideration OF al
who plan for he future. The natlV'
forest trees are fast disappearing un
der the Entertainments of modern de
mands. and scrub growths are allow
ed to cucumber the ground.
In foreign countries much attentloi
is being given to forestry with yer!
profitable results. There are munici
palities in Germany, Sweden and Nor
, way where a large part of the loca
expenses are paid from revenues de
rived from forest plantations. Ger
many NAV have lost its head by en-
; gaging in a foolish and awful war
but it could give the United state
: signal examples of success, not onl,
in forestry, but in all phases, OF farm
life, in dometic science and indus
Mr.. Foy is of the opinion that j
fires had not been allowed to destro'
so much vegetation each year In th
forests of Florida there would be les
talk of poor soil. 1t was the success
! i've decay of vegetation that made II
, soils of the north and west so rich.
Specimens of the foliage of the re-
gum and mahogany trees were left a
, The board of trade rooms by Mr.. Foy