The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-04-12
SENATOR FLETcHEs
PRAISES HIS STATE


The following was written by Sen
ator Fletcher for the Jersey Review:
According to the last census, the
population of Florida is 96s,470. Dur
ing the winter months you may add
100, 900 and more
/ The land area of the state is 35,111,-
700; in crops, 2,2OO. 900; unimproved
in farms, $500, 900; in merchantable
timber, 5000, 900; cut-over lands, H.
900 900; swamp land. 5000 900; over
flow lands, 100000; number of
farms, 54,005.
The assessed valuation of state,
$4O0, 900 900. Bonded Indebtedness of
state, none, except what is held by
the school fund of the state. Florida
enjoys the distinction which is shared
by only six other states, of having no
outstanding Indebtedness is to /
say, all the existing bonds of the /
state, amounting to about six hundred /
thousand dollars, are held by the I
state authorities. who are trustees in j
charge of the educational funds, and /
have invested those funds in the I
states bonds. Florida owes itself, !
therefore, the amount of all its out /
standing bonds.
Farm lands have increased in value
during the last ten years from II per
cent in some counties to 616 per cent
in others.
There were 66,792 carloads of fruit
and vegetables, consisting of over 200
different farm, garden and grove
products, shipped out of the state
last year to domestic markets.
Over two million tons of her prod
ucts will be exported this year.
Due attention is given to the build
ing of good roadside counties have
. spent, during the three years ending
September, 1919, s17,0S5,432 on roads
: and bridges.
The northern portion of the state
produces staples, such as corn, cot
ton, hay, wheat, velvet beans, peas,
sugar cane, grasses, livestock. fruits,
: nuts and vegetables.
: The peninsula portion yields abund-
o antly, corn, sugar cane, potatoes and
e early vegetables of all kinds, tobacco,
e grasses, livestock and citrus fruits.
II The annual rainfall is about 62
: inches and is quite evenly distributed
y Throughout the year.
The two prime factors in the max
: ing of an agricultural state are pres
ent, to-wit: sufficient heat and mois-
ture.,
II The chief industries, besides agri-
, culture in general, may be stated as:
IS 1. The naval stores industry, which
e is in operation in all, portions of the
. sttae. Florida is now producing
e more turpentine and rosin than any
a state in the Union.
e 2. The phosphate industry is most
q important and is operated in the pc
q ninsula portion. Florida now pro-
(. duces ~ per cent of all the phos-
l. phate mined in the United States and
a about so per cent of all that is pro-
: duced in the world. The high grade
d hard rock and the pebbles, lower
% grade, are found in inexhaustible
s quantities.
Is 8. The lumber industry is extens-
n GEOGRAPHICALLY yellow pine and cy-
e press-and is statewide.
e 4. Florida produces about one
% third of all the long staple Sea Island
!. cotton produced in this country, and
= also a considerable quantity of the
= short staple.
& 5. The state can produce the raw
4 material for everything required by
3 man and beast and is manufacturing
& in large part much of the finished
3 products.
3 6. The state now yields about g.
= 100000 boxes of oranges and 3,O0O,-
3 600 boxes Of grapefruit annually-the
81 finest grown in the world.
y 2. The livestock industry is de-
q veloping rapidly and has been most
n successful, particularly as to cattle
Y and hogs.
: g. Early fruits and vegetables are
ready for markets before other por-
o tons of the country can offer them,
/ such as potatoes, strawberries, let
f, tuce, peppers, beans, cucumbers, peas,
celery, cabbage and the like, produced
in increasing quantities and with
great success.
9. Fish, oysters, shrimp abound
- along the coast, extending, 600 miles
on the Atlantic and 800 miles on the