The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-12
ANOTHER INJUSTICE TO FLORIDA.

The ignorance OF the people Of the United States
in regard to Florida is almost incredible and THIS
ignorance must continue to greater or less degree
until there is some uniform method devised by
which the facts about Florida may be properly pre-
scented.
Even the most reputable of the magazines OF the
country seem to have but hazy idea OF Florida
and its products and possibilities, and again and
again The Country Gentleman has erred in present
ing material Injurious to Florida, and directly
posed TO the facts.
Recently the Country Gentleman carried what pur-
ported to be a soil survey Of the United States,
which practically the entire peninsular portion
of Florida classified desert The Florida Devel-
opment Board one Of the objects of which is to dis
seminate correct information about Florida, imme
diateIy took the matter the Bureau of Soils and
also with the editor of The Country Gentleman
asking that they make correction for the nforma-
ton OF their readers Besides classifying the penin-
sula portion of the state desert. all Of North
Florida is classified in the map very poor soil.
L. F. Marbut, in charge Of the Soil Survey in re-
ply says: An article THE Soil-Our Basis
Wealth" by John r. Mcmahon in the current number
Of the Country Gentleman does great injustice to
many parts of the country. especially the South,
and to the Bureau of soils through the publication
without permission of old map prepared several
years ago to show approximate grouping of the
soils of the country on the basis OF their content
of organic matter and carbonate of lime 1t was pre-
pared by me merely effort to see what could
be done in that regard but account of its lack
of any particular Significance.
In spite of the fact that Mr.. Marbut says at was
made perfectly clear to him that did not intend
that he should publish It." the map, with an "old
legend, condensed used in such a way as to
make the map say that southern soils are poor"
For the information OF the Country Gentleman,
the Florida Development Board. has written that
publication that the shipments of citrus fruits and
vegetables out of Florida for the as hours ending
at noon on March 9Th 600 car loads. The is
hour period was used because no report was made
en- the 7th which was Sunday
1t was shown that the load shipments of
fruit and vegetables by freight since the beginning
of the season, September 10 i9i9 totals 2ss7s not
including hundreds of car loads sent out by express
and boats, does it include the staple crop
shipments.
Whether or not The Country Gentleman accedes
to the request of the Florida Development Board and
publishes REPUTATION OF the false information con-
tanned in the map, the fact remains that need to
acquaint the people of the United States with the
possibilities and resources of Florida in some prac-
teal way.
When we have learned the value of ADVERTISING as
California has realized it, shall get somewhere.
And while are Advertising we do not want to
overlook 1.-THE staple crops" in reports. 1t is
these same staple crops. and particularly the kind
grown in West Florida. that want particularly
to advertise to the world. All but the ignor-
ant know that South Florida grows citrus fruits and
early vegetables They have them served daily in
the wintertme their own tables. But few real
lie that the corn and potatoes grown in West
Florida rival the anne products grown in the state
of Iowa.
Let get busy. and advertise these things to the
world And let us not only Support the Florida De-
veopment Board, but let insist that when they
disseminate their information they do not forget
the fact that West Florida is the banner section of
the state, when it comes to growing staple crops,
which, after all. what count most when 1t comes
to feeding a nation.