The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-02-04
M AND MARION COUNTIES HAVE
4 BEST POTATO LANDS IN THE STATE
can be turned on or off as conditions
demand and in many instances used
for power of small water motors.


Shipping Facilities.
Palatka is great shipping center
and has not only four main line rail
roads with seven different tracks ra-
dating to all, points of the compass
but has the advantage Of water con-
nections to the Atlantic and New Eng
land cities, such as Norfolk, Balti-
more, Philadelphia, New York, Bos-
ton and other points, and Palatka be-
ing at the head of deep-water naviga-
ton enjoys port rate which is su-
perior to any inland cities or points.
Good highways also pass through all
sections surrounding Palatka and
hauling is easy. These highways are
now being improved and paved in ma
ny instances with brick.
Production.
The average production is various
ly estimated, and will run from forty
to one hundred barrels per acre de-
pending ON improved condition of soil
and culture. The general average
however, will be safe from fifty to six
ty barrels to the acre, the older plant
ers who have been in the business for
some years, having much larger av-
erage.
Instances of Success.
The writer of this letter was pres
ent few days ago, when a planter
of this district refused $4,000 for his
crop from an eighty acre field at
East Palatka. The original cost Of
this land few years ago was thirty
dollars an acre.
In this section six years ago an
other gentlemen with but little capi-
tai but large amount of determina-
tion, started in the potato business
with a ten acre field which he has en-
larged from time to time until this
year his income will be above $1O,-
900, from his potato crop alone.
/ could go on and state instances
of success and point out growers
who have cleared from thirty to fifty
thousand dollars a year but l wish to
be conservative and can at all times
prove results far beyond any state
ment herein made.
Estimated Crop for 1916.
The crop of this district for the
year 1915 was 1000 Cars of potatoes
of 200 barrels each and the price re-
ceived from $500 per barrel to $500
dependent on grade and time of har-
vesting.
The crop for 1916 is now estimated
from 2500 to 5000 cars as the crop has
an increased acreage and from pres
ent indications the prices received will
be the greatest ever obtained as any
one can ascertain from the present
prices of the old crop on hand bring
ing now about $3.50 to $4.00 per bar
rel in New York, while last year at
the same time old potatoes were a
drug on the market.
Cost of Land.
The present cost of undeveloped
land in this section varies, and de-
pends on location, access, cost of
clearing and draining, but runs from
$40, 900 per acre and up
Cost of Clearing and Developing.
This cost is likewise varied and will
range from $4,000 to $4,000 per acre
and in favorable places less.
.. Other Crops.
The uninformed must also bear in
mind that after this potatoe crop is
off the land it then becomes available
for crop of corn, peas beans or
other summer crops which will ordi-
narily pay the farmers expense and
his potato crop will be net. This
land is also adapted to most all gar
den truck.-The New Florida.