The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-05-17
WONDERFULLY FERTILE SECTION
IN THE HEART OF WEST FLORIDA
Thousands of Acres Await
the Magic Touch Of the
Husbandman.
A Land Of Health and Pros
perity for the Investor
or Homeseeker.

The County of Holmes bounded on
the east by Jackson county, on the
south by Washington a--zz on the north
Wy the state of Alabama, is the big
gest little county in the entire south
land and one of the most prosperous
and progressive in Yves. ern Florida
The area of the county is but q little
over four hundred square miles and
the total population is approximately
Is, 600, but practically every inch of 1t
is available for cultivation ana the
gently undulating lana. fertile, and
well drained, offers opportunities to
the homeseeker and farmer that few
counties can boast The county is di-
Vided by the ChOctawhatChee river. the
volume of which is augmented by
numerous WatercourSes having hea d
in immense crystal springs, and this
river, in bygone days. formed an i'm
portant cOnneC ion with the outside
world, for it is naVigabIe as far mort
as Geneva, Alabama. and although
the river traffic has dwindled since tn
advent of the railroads, there is good
reason for believing that the steam
boat trade will be rehabilitated az no
distant date. The main line of the
louisville & Nashville railroad crosses
the southern end of Holmes county
and the county seat, Bombay. is To-
Gated on this line 107 miles east of the
city of Pensacola. The northern Sec
ton of the county is \ z.rersed nv the
Graceville division of the Louisville &
Nashville. which leaves the main line
at Ceorgiana, between Montgomery
end Mobile. The two railroad lines
Places every section of the county
wi hin easy reach of transportation
and make the moving of crops to The
market centers of the country an easy
m"tffF Health Conditions.
The health of Holmes county Is be
yond criticism for the water IS pure
the greater portion of that consumed
by the people coming from deep arte-
sian wells, and every section of the
country is we'll drained. In fact,
swamp lands are noticea0fe 0rinCinal-
1y by their absence and exist onlv in
extremely small tracts near the wa
tercourses; never extending back from
the streams for any Great distance.
The soil is a rich sandy loan with
clay subsoi, the clay lying from is
to "a inches under the surface. The
land in general may be classed - high
grade pine land with a considerable
area OF rich hammock and the mod
ucts of the soil include practically
everything that can be raised in any
section of the country. Immense
tracts are used in the cultivation of
cotton and corn and thousands Of
acres are devoted to watermelons.
hundreds Of cars being shipped from
the county during the season, many
going to he markets of the north. The
stock industry is an important feat
ure of the county's activity. cattle,
mules and horses being raised by the
thousands. Hundreds of head of cat
tie are shipped from me stations
along the lines of the Louisville and
Nashville railroad every year. one or
two of the towns being noted in this
regard. or late there has been a ten
dency to improve the blood Of the
stock throughout the county and large
Continued on Next PageD