Milford chronicle., 1921-05-20
A LETTER FROM FLORIDA

The following letter from R. H
Pierce, who is now in Florida, will be
of interest to our readers:
May 13, 1921
Col. Theodore Townsend,
Milford, Del.
My Dear Sir:-
After very pleasant trip I arriv-
ed at Green Cove Springs, Fla, at 500
P. NJ, May 10th. I had been told by
parties who visited Florida in the
winter that I was going South at the
wrong season of the year, because of
the heat, but I have found this to be
mistake, as they are having very
pleasant summer weather and the
nights delightful, having slept with a
sheet and spread over me each night
while here.
Believing that a short letter from
this part of the country might be of
interest to your readers, especially
those interested in farming, I will
| try to give some idea of a few of the
things that 1 am seeing in this won
derful country.
Green Cove Springs is a beautiful
little city of about 1000 population,
/
sOnVille, on the west bank of the st.
Johns river, which at this point is
said to be four miles wide. The great
est activities in this section are cen
tered around the operations of the
Florida Farms and Industries Com
pany, which, besides operating a large
lumber mill, barrel, lathe and shingle
mills, and railroad connecting its
land holdings with Green Cove
Springs, is developing more than 1OO,-
900 acres of land. Already several
thousands acres are in a high state of
cultivation and other lands are being
cleared, fenced, and put into crops
ready for settlers. I found them Just
the digging and shipping of
their 500 acre crop of Irish potatoes,
which is averaging 40 barrels per
acre, for which they are finding a
ready market at prices averaging
$500 per barrel, f. o. b., their
shipping stations. These crops are be- |
ing followed with corn, velvet beans, |
sweet potatoes, cowpeas and other
crops. In addition they have about /
500 acres in early sweet potatoes |
which they expect to have on the nor |
hundred acres in sugar cane, which /
is sure and good paying crop here
besides several hundred acres in corn,
velvet beans, watermelons and other
crops, and they are now preparing to
put out not less than 500 acres of
late sweet potatoes for fall crop.
l find peaches ripe here equal in
luality and flavor to our Delaware
peaches and the soil here seems to
De as well adapted to the growing of
)ther fruits as our Delaware soil.
This Company has about 1000 heads
II hogs, including a nice herd of pure
)reds and more than 1000 head of cat
lie, mostly beef cattle, but they are
low arranging to establish in the
lear future a modern diary with high
srade stock.
The Florida Farms and Industries
company is sub-dividing their cleared
ands as rapidly as possible into what
hey call "ready-built" farms of 20
.cres and up, on which they are build
ng comfortable homes and have crops {
rowing and other crops being plant !
d ready for purchasers to begin MAX /
1g money from the outset. It seems
ossible here to plant and harvest :
ONE kind of a money-making crop
practically every week in the year. y
f course, one can find unimproved, !
+ partially improved land if desired. !
1 am so well pleased with what 1 ,
ave seen, and so confident of the fu-
Ire of this development that have >,
lvested in some of the land myself. !,
nd feel that I am doing my friends L
indness in helping them learn more I
the possibilities offered in this =.
)untry of great opportunities. L
Yours very truly, :,
R. H. PIERCE y y