The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-08-24
FLORIDA VERSUS THE WEST
(Contributed)

Editor Star: A correspondent to
one of the Jacksonville papers, lately,
asked: "Why are there not more
farms and farmers in Duval county,
with so much uncultivated land, that
could and should produce the things
that are being shipped into Jackson
vile from states further north? ?"
The same conditions are in Marion
county. Why were the Dakotas, Ne
braska, western Iowa and other states
that have notably long and hard win
ters so quickly settled, and Florida
with her superb climate, and farming
land going begging? True, Florida
sod is inferior, but it easily produces
two crops a year.
When Mr. A settled in western
Iowa in 1880, he could buy land for
S1.25 to $12 per acre, depending upon
the location, distance from railroad,
etc. The same farms today sell for
s1e0 and $3.50 per acre. Mr.. A
paid So per acre for 16O acres, pay
ing one-fourth cash, balance on time.
His wealth consisted of good team,
ETC., and seed to plant. The first sea-
son he lived in tent. He began
plowing Immediately. His first crop
was flax, which he continued planting
until it was too late to plant. Then
ne struck out to earn some money
with his team and never saw his crop
until it was time to harvest. His
crop was not fenced, neither were any
of his neighbors' crops.
Many of his neighbors had cattle,
but only the milk cows were home,
and those were picketed out by ropes.
The others were in the neighborhood
herd, which consisted of several hun
dred head, in care of a couple of
young herdsmen who, when crops
were harvested, brought them in,
sleek and fat, receiving from the
owners pay for care of some.
By the time Mr.. A had made
his last payment, his land had earned
enough for improvement. He could
ride for miles with corn and small
grains on each side of the road. When
he came to a fenced track, the fence
had been made by the owner to keep
his stock in, not to keep some other
mans stock out And the stock was
good. 1t never pays to build any
fence for scrubs anywhere. Condi-
tions there were good for the man
with small means to get ahead and
he advised his friends to come and do
likewise; and they came.
Now, when Mr.. New Settler comes
to Florida, he can buy land as cheap
as he can anywhere, but, as the soil
is not as prolific, he will need more
acres of land for his farm. He has
no stock, but before he can sow a
seed he must build very good fence,
which may possibly cost as much or
more than the land. After planting, he
must stay and watch it day and night
for fear Mr.. Hogman's 81 razorback
will climb over, if he cannot root un-
der, and ruin the crop. Along about
February or March he must be Wig
liant, for Mr.. Cowman, who has some
walking skeletons that must have
something to sustain life, fires the
range, thereby destroying what ma
ture has provided to enrich the soil,
so that his cattle may get a little new
| growth wire grass. Mr.. Settler is
fortunate if, he does not have to do
more than rebuild half of his fence.
He wonders if it is true, when Mr..
Cowman tells him the law allows him
to fire most. anything he wants to in
| February and March. After becoIn-
/ ing acquainted with Mr.. Cowman and
Mr.. Hogman, he learns that they are
pretty good fellows-just victims Ct
circumstances. Mr.. Hognan does not
! belong to the kind he has heard of
who, when he goes out to round up a
hog, brings one, even If he has to
/ bring 1t with both ears cut off. He
/ would like to rid his stock of ticks
i But what's the use? For every head
INSIDE the fence, there are ten out.
side, seeding his pasture with ticks
So, when Mr.. Settlers friends write
and ask him how he likes Florida anc
would he advise them to come, he an
swers by telling of the ideal climate
sandy beaches and gems of lakes. HI
also says, that if conditions We're only
i different so that the man of small
imeans, the future permanent resi-
dent, able and willing to work, after
/ digging and scratching could get {
foothold to climb, inside of ten years
every section of land in Marion coun