The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-03-02

corn yield runs up to about 350,OO0,0O0
bushels, less than half the productive
capacity of the GlaGes.
Mr.. Walsh says that Nerth Dakota
is the leading wheat producing state
in the Union, and it's greatest yield
amounted to only one-fifth of the pos
sibilities of the Glades.
There seems to be no question as
to the richness of the soil. Eminent
authorities on soils are On record as
saying that in no spot of earth is
there anything like the soil of the Ey-
erglades, or near so rich in all the in
gradients that are needed in produc-
ing crops.
We make the following quotation
from Mr.. Walsh's admirable address:
1T is not necessary to go into de-
tails and present proofs as to the
richness and value of the soil of the
Everglades. Every investigator who
has ever made personal examination
and study since Andrew Jackson first
made his invasion of the Spanish de
tendency. has given the most glowing
evidence as to its extreme fertility;
whether it be the officers of the Unit
ed States army. following the Semi
mole war, or the emissaries of the
United States agricultural department
sent to report on its potential wealth,
or whether it be the actual settler or
! farmer along the coast who used it as
a fertilizer for his lean and hungry
sandy land the testimony is all to one
end-that the world knows no soil of
greater fertility"
The work already accomplished in
the way of drainage is quite enough
to show that it is possible to complete
the gigantic undertaking.
We remember an ancient writer to
have said: Man is the subduer of all
things: he is not fallen angel, but
an ascending God"
1t is true that God breathed into his
being part of his infinity, the proof
of which is shown in his marvellous
achievements, so he should not for
moment balk at this undertaking, es-
pecially when he has Hollands accom-
plishment before him which was a
much graver task.
The complaint those who have
bought land in good faith and settled
upon it in the Everglades. relying upon
the promise of the state to drain the
same is given by Mr.. Walsh. He
says:
1T is no part of my purpose to go
lat length into the history of our folk
and their experience since coming
here the disappointments they have
met. the hundreds of thousands of
dollars they have sunk; the crops
they have LOST.
Every engineer you have had on
this great work has pointed out to
you the immediate necessity for a
greater run-off to all these canals ir
order to carry the waters OF the rainy
season: and our own experience here
has shown to us. without attempting
to speak as to the necessities of the
other parts of the Glades, the absolute
importance of at once getting what is
known as the Dania cutoff, or anoth-
er mouth TO the South New River ca
nal
Our experience has shown to us
the possibility of producing a late fall
crop. planted in the summer and ma
turing after the first storms Of the
north in November have swept the
markets clean. that will be a sure
money-maker, and that will insure the
profits of the season, even though the
later winter crops are destroyed, as
they may once in a While be. by frOsts
But while every attempt to produce
the crop for the filling of this hiatus
il the northern market has shown it
can be done, it has also shown that
it can only be done under one condi-
ton; a lower stage must me had dur
ing the summer in the canals The
supersaturated condition of the sur
face soil, brought about by the insult
ficiency of yonder canal and its conse-
quent slow summer run-off, rots the
lower roots of the vegetation just as
it draws toward maturity, and. with a
crop apparently almost ready for mar
ket. it suddenly fails and the rich
fruits of summers labor is destroy
ed.
Each year have seen that expert
ence repeated here. Only the latter
part OF last October, upon my return
here from the north, | saw on a place
adjoining my own the most magnif-
cent promise Of a splendid money.
making crop of egg plants that I had