The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-19
NO LONGER A JOKE

A few years ago in almost any
part of the North, the man who
wished to make himself the butt of
ridicule simply stated that he own
ed land in Florida Most people in
the North thought there was very
little land in Florida. They had
read a good many stories about peo-
.ple buying Florida land by the quart
and imagined that the state was one
large swamp or lake. densely popu-
lated by alligators, snakes and mos
Quitoes. This was especially true In
parts of the middle west where the
fathers and grandfathers of the
present population located on so
cent government land fifty years
ago and wore themselves out with
hardships and privations. making
the barest kind of a living for their
families
AS time passed on more and more
of these pioneers came from barren
farm lands in eastern states and fin
ally general conditions began to i'm
prove. The land steadily increased
, in value until today some of the so
cent lands sell for $3.50 per acre.
/ Those old-timers who lived through
it now sit around trying to look like
captains of industry. They have a
that fhnir ell dnn anA
business acumen placed them on
easy street instead of the mere nat
ural increase in the value of their
lands which invariably goes hand
finland with the increase in popu-
lation.
Many Northern farmers are not
netting themselves over two or
three per cent on the present value
of their farms. Tine average farm
in Iowa and Illinois will not bring
a sufficient gross rental to pay over
four per cent on the investment it
| represents. Out of this must come
takes and repairs so if it were not
for the continual advance in farm
values few people wiuld be interest
ed in owning farms in those states.
| Florida farm lands have several
advantages over those of any Sec
tion of the North. In the first
| place, their crops are far more val
liable and il is also possible to raise
from two to four crops per year on
the average Florida farm. Another
very important point is the present
low selling price of Florida lands
none but the rich can buy a farm
| in Iowa or Illinois. whereas the poor
may own a Florida farm that will
earn for him, under proper condi-
tions, more than four times the in
| come per acre that he could expect
on a Northern farm. One of the
last and perhaps one of the greatest
advantages in favor of the Florida
farm is the climate that goes with
it, No long months of snow and
bitter cold weather-just bright
WARM udys anu bOu SuHSHlHe-
free to everybody.
Florida farms are steadily ad-
| vancing in price. Three years ago
it was an easy matter to find fertile
unimproved farm lands in almost
| any part of this state selling for $40
per acre. Today they are $50, $50
and SIS per acre. The next advance
is due next fall and winter. The
Northern man who has been plan
ming TO own a Florida farm some
| day had better make his selection
during this summer.
No longer is the Florida farm
owner the butt of ridicule in the
North-even in those self-satisfied
| agricultural sections like Iowa and
Illinois. The reason is that many
of the native sons of those states
have come, seen and purchased and
are proud OF their Florida holdings.
They know that Florida land makes
good.-Florida Farmer and Home
seeker