The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-13
Iowa Editor Writes
OF Florida, Its Soils
And Advantages

thSi PoPCi anu tCAA dOOuI
their trip through wonderland"
We like to have them do this so long
as they tell it straight, and most of
them do. OF course, we have learn
ed to allow them considerable lati-
tude in which to solve the negro
problem for us, as they almost in
variably do. Having never solved
a race problem in their public
schools up north these well-mean-
ing friends always want to solve
one for us, just for the novelty of
the thing.
But we must make allowances
for this, for you know we go north
sometimes and when we do we very
often try to solve this very same
problem for our northern neighbors
especially when a big black buck
comes in the car and wallops himself
down in the seat beside our women
folk. The injustice of the thing is
that We don't charge our northern
friends, but generally we have to
pay for several pounds Of negro
hide that enters into our solution
of the question
With these preliminary remarks
we wish to introduce some extracts
from a letter written by Editor G.
A. Mobiles, for his paper, the Esther
vile, Iowa, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
relating to tbe visit to Florida,
emitting his reference to the race
question:
About the first idea person gets
when he reaches Florida in the win
ter time is that it is not winter but
the gladstone spring time and that
he should at once return north and
get busy in the garden. Take our
advice and don't be in a hurry.
THE idea that all people in Flor
ida are lazy is erroneous. There is
once in a while person afflicted
with hook worm and these are the
lazy or apparently lazy sort. They
are not really lazy but diseased and
lack ambition. A very large ma
jority of the inhabitants, both ma
tive and foreign, are as wide-awake
and up-to-date as you will find any
where. They are healthy, know
how to enjoy life and do enjoy it.
They seem ready at all times to ex-
tend the glad hand to the worthy
newcomers and wayfaring folks.
| "The price of South Florida land
has kept pace with the advance in
the price Of farm lands in the north.
Fancy prices are being asked for
undeveloped tracts in favored Sec
tions undergoing development. The
price seems to depend more upon
the location than upon the quality
Of the soil. That holds good as far
as orange and grapefruit land IL
} concerned.
1.-The more the soil is studied the
more the people are inclined the be-
lief that there is very little waste
land in Florida. Considerable oil
the best land in the state is reclaim
ed land and was at one time under
water part Of the year. The sam'
! conditions exist there as existed II
I Iowa. In the level sections, boil
prairie and timber, drainage ditche
e are making these tracts the mos
valuable in the state. 1t is what i
< known as combination soil ant
t adapted to the growth Of citrus frui
l as we'll as to the growth of vegeta
bles, corn and hay. This kind o
I land requires very little II any ir
rigation except for celery and straw
berries and in some seasons there /
sufficient rainfall at all times TO
i, these. Some Of this land, at on
: time considered worthless, is nov
the highest priced land in Florida
e 1t was men from the north VIII
a found this out and many Of then
g have made comfortable fortunes cul
: tivating small tracts Of this muck
soil.
1.-The purely muck land is no
s adapted to the successful growth O
t oranges or grapefruit but to vege
}, tables or corn only. The high sand
: land. with proper subsoil, will groN
p citrus fruit successfully but no
vegetables. The combination sol
4 with proper drainagle will gro'
IS both. Pineapples do well on wha
: we consider very poor soil. All {
d the land should be fertilized. Som
G of 1t requires more than others.
Some people go to Florid
d with no capital and prosper. man
d are not so fortunate. Very few,
l. any, make failure, if they have
s little to start with and are indus
d trious. The more energy and brair
you have the better. 1t does nj
It matter SO much about the money
y 1t seems to be desirable place fe
o people Of moderate means as We
i.s for men Of wealth.
1.-The writer does not wish to |
& understood d. advising people
it sell out and go South. We like a
= Of Florida; we like South Florit
ID better. We believe it has a gree
ID future and that it offers great o.