The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-10-06
WEEV|L BLESSING
IN DISGUISE TO
WESTERN FLORIDA

IL might be peculiar thing to
say" said w. M. Herrider, Just home
from . trip through West Florida.
and especially through the cotton
producing territory, ''but l maintain,
and am amply supported by farmers
throughout the cotton-producinp sec
ton of the western part of the state.
that the boil weevil has been to them
real blessing in disguise. People,
not forgetting their losses from the
ravages of the pest the past. have
taken to devoting their attention to
stock raising, and that is going to be
one of the best-paying and surest
propositions that the West Florida
farmer has ever undertaken. And it
might be stated that the propaganda,
made possible by the recent trip of
cattlemen through Kentucky, has
had lot to do with melting interest
in this direction"
Mr.. Herrider spent two weeks in
various communities in West Florida
extending business trip as far az
Tallahassee. and he made many OBJ
servations. "Stock-raising is the real
backbone of the farmer, and they are
coming around to a realization of
that truth. No, there is nothing like
encouragement to the tillers of the
soil, for, something. new which / OBJ
served on this trip is the earnestness
with which they are going about the
matter of recouping their losses from
the July storm. At many points
communities are going to follow the
steps of Mariana, which has one now,
and build grain elevators, like that
/ took note of. These elevators are
used to store corn and hold it until
the buyer is ready to let it go. I
mean by this, that practically the en-
tire crop is now reasonable safe. The
elevator man buys it from the far
mer, the latter thus being permitted
a cash sale for all he produces.
"But corn raising is only one of
the industries which is now occupy
ing West Florida people. w. H.
Leonard, of Calhoun county, has just
closed deal for furnishing $4,000
worth of cane syrup. He has 100
acres under cultivation on his place,
and the product of his neighbors will
be drawn upon, thus encouraging the
cultivation of cane to no small de-
gree in that county. 1t may be the
same elsewhere, but if so it did not
come under my observation at this
trip. You know Grand Ridge section
is one of the largest producers of cane
syrup to be found in this part of the
state.
"In five years, predict, many far
mers, small and medium, are going Co
replace their present-day mule and
pillow with an up-to-date tractor, sub
stituting gasoline for the mule. 1t
may be sooner, and it would not be
surprising if it did come about.
"Would it surprise you Co know
that rice is produced in West Flor
ida? Well, I'm here to tell you that
5000 bushels of upland rice were
grown in Holmes county in 1915 and
Jackson county is producing some
wheat. For the present wheat is be-
ing raised for home consumption
only, but its cultivation will be in
creased.
"Bonifay and Chipley. where vel
quantities, are both manufacturing
and offering to the trade, feed made
up of those products, which has thus
far found ready sale. This feed is
not only for the home counties, but
for the outside trade as well.
"West Florida, noted, has so
many agricultural possibilities that /
must predict great things for this
section of the state0