The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-08-09
Millions Invested in the
Great Tobacco Industry
Alone.
General Farm Crops OF all
Kinds Produce Bounti-
fully.

Gadsden county is located in the
north central portion Of the state lof
Florida. Quincy, the county seat with
. population of approximately $500.
being 1870 niles west Of Jacksonville
and IT'S miles east Of Pensacola. The
county is bounded on the north by the
state of Georgia, the eastern boundary
Is the Ocl1locknee river and the west
err the Apalachicola river. Wakulla
and Liberty counties form the south
ernk boundary. The F. & A. division
of the Louisville and Nashville Rail-
county at River Junction. connecting
with the Seaboard Air Line. which ira
verses the county from east to west.
The Georgia, Florida and Alabama
Railroad passes through the eastern
portion of the county, and the Apa-
lachicola Northern Railroad through
THO western portion south from River
Junction. The Atirntic Coast Line
also touches at River Junction. The
county is one of the richest in the
state of Florida, although next to the
smallest III size. its principal product
being tobacco, for which 1t has been
noted for many years and in the pro-
duction and handling of which mil
lions Of dollars are invested. General
farm crops of all kinds are bountiful
county and those who have engaged
IN the raising of truck have been well
repaid for their efforts. Satsuma
oranges do well in every section of the
county, although this industry is
vet in It's infancy, and peaches. grapes,
pears. igs and berries of all kinds do
remarkably well. although not grown
In shipping quantities.
The First Settlement
The first settlements in Ga dsden
hatwQen
1880, but the population was small for
many years after the arrival of the
first settlers from more northerly
states. The early settlers were drawn
chiefly from the Carolinas, with a few
from Georgia and Virginia. Toba eco.
corn and cotton constituted the crops
of the early settlers, and the produc-
ton of these had grown to large pro-
portions by the middle Of the last
century. Cotton was the most i'm
and short staple varieties being
grown, and the production was much
heavier in the early days than at pres
ent. The tobacco grown was known
Of which is said to have been brought
into the county from Virginia about
the year 1880. 1t was grown entirely
upon virgin hammock land and pro-
duced light spotted leaf, suita BILE for
cigar wrappers. The product from the
was much inferior and the practice
was to plant this crop on newly clear
ed land exclusively, using the fields
subsequently for corn and cotton.
Conditions today are different from
these during the first forty or fifty
years of agricultural development. for
the large plantations OF the past have
given way to smaller holdings, or to
the tenant system. The crops grown
are about the same, but their relative
importance has changed. tobacco hav-
ing taken the lead since the develop
ment of the Sumatra shade grown
and the Cuban filler leaf industries
Today the tobacco crop of Gadsden
county approximates five million
pounds, all of which is handled by the
Gadsden packing houses, where it is
prepared for manufacture ThOusan dS
find employment in the tobacco indus
try. one large corporation alone Civ
ing employment to $500 hands
throughout the year, principally col
ored labor.
Farming Conditions.
Diversified farming has. in great
measure, solved the agricultural prob
lens of Gadsden county and the far
mer of today. instead of devoting him.
self solely to the growing of tobacco
or other single crop, handles his land
upon a scientific basis, devoting rea-
sonable acreage to the different va
ricties of farm products and but a
small portion OF the land to the money
rrop--toba eco. Years ago the Gads
Den county farmer learned the lesson
of over-production and inferior quail
lty and today. w hile tobacco is still an
important factor with the farmer, no
more is planted than can be handled
in such a manner as to produce the
highest quality, for which there is a
constant demand. The soil conditions
prevailing throughout the county are
such as to permit much larger ex-
tension Of the agricultural interests.
The sugar cane industry may be
greatly extended on the areas of Nor
folk fine sandy loan. and the manu-
facture of the cane into syrup is al
ready a paying industry. Legumes
may be grown throughout the year
and furnish unlimited forage for crops
and humus for the soil. Three crops
every year are possible anywhere in
the county and forage crops of diff
ferent kinds are possible throughout
the year.
Corn, sweet potatoes. Irish potatoes,
peas. beans, peanuts, sugar cane and
garden truck of all kinds may be
raised in quantity and with mimi
mum of labor anywhere in Gadsden
county, and unusual opportunities are
offered the stock raiser and the dairy
man. Corn, on ordinarily good land,
will produce from so to 75 bushels
per acre, with proper cultivation;
sweet potatoes $50 to 400 bushels and
other crops in proportion. Garden
truck of all kinds is readily marketable
in the various towns throughout the
profit to the cities of Jacksonville,
Pensacola, cambridge or elsewhere.
Gadsden county offers an unusual