The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-22


shout: / want to be booster. And
with the Boosters stand, With a
knocker over barrel, And o spank
er in my hand.
The observant TRAVELLER in tbs
south, after, seeing the immense
production from the small acreage
under cultivation and noting the
manufacturing and commercial op-
portunities and the wealth Of miner
al deposits, cannot help but agree
with the statement of Judge Kelley,
made many years ago that the de-
velopment of the south means the
enrichment of the nation. This Is
particularly true of Florida, which
is old in point of settlement. but
young indeed in the matter OF the
Only a very small percentage of the
tillable land in Florida is under
cultivation, less than 100000 acres
out OF 100000 suitable for culti-
walton, yet the value of farm pro-
ducts in the state for 1919 according
10 government reports, was over
$3.50. 100000. We, of Minnesota, think
of Florida mostly in terms OF or,
anges, grapefruit, alligators AM. ana
winter resorts. l had some sucn
vague ideas myself before coming
here to see, so for the information
of my friends and readers ! am going
to give a few statistics concerning
this land of sunshine and MOWERS,
believing that they will be not only
interesting but educational.
The Citrus Industry
The citrus fruit industry, though
comparatively speaking only IN It's
infancy brought the producers some,
thing over S16,000.000 in 1918 and
rnnraCQntS lass
thpn IL per cent of the value of ag-
riculturai products. The balance
consists of vegetables, corn. oats,
peanuts, cocopeas, velvet beans, soy
beans, rice, hay, cassava, sugar cane
syrup, pecans, cotton, both upland
and sea island, tobacco; fruits sucn
as peaches, pears, plums, grapes.
figs, pineapples, bananas, mangoes,
Japanese persimmons, avocaooes,
sapodillas and guavas; ana livestock
and poultry. More than 10000 cars OF
Irish potatoes and 1000 cars OF wa
termelons were shipped out of the
state last year and the value OF
livestock, dairy and poultry products
amounted to over S75,00O,000:
From Florida forests are taken an /
nually 10000 barrels. of turpentine,
335, 900 barrels of rosin and i,ooo,-
600 900 feet of lumber, which latter
by the way, can be purchased any,
where for about S25 per Thousand
Eighty per cent of the total out
nut of phosphate in the United Sta
ties is mined in Florida and the state
PRODUCES more fuller's earth than all
the other states combined.
Did we see any alligators? Oh yes,
we saw hundreds Of them. but they
were all in yards on the alligator
farms. There are still many aliiga-
tors wild, l am informed, but they
are rarely seen outside the ever
glades.
I should like to give you more
first hand statistics concerning the
states agricultural resources and ad,
yantages but time and space will
not permit, but before ! leave TINS
subject / want to add that seventy
per cent Of the farmers OF Florida
are white; seventy three per cent
own their own homes: eighty -nve
ate own farms, and the total amount
of farm mortgages is less than two
per cent of the total farm values.
These statistics were secured from
bankers and repeatedly verified.
There are 215 state banks and
trust companies in the state, having
total assets of Silt 100000 and nifty
national banks with total assets OF
$50, 0O0, 900.
Great Winter Resort
Florida is a great winter resort.
According to the people who live
here and those who come here to
spend the winter away from the
cold and snow 1t is the greatest
winter resort in the United states.
Personally l do not feel that am
competent to Judge concerning THIS;
but / do know that / should be glad
to spend my remaining winters mere
enjoying the sunshine, the flowers
birds. fruit, boating, bathing, hunting
and fishing. might add that ! had
the pleasure of meeting several de-
jightful people from California who
we're spending the winter in Florida.
There can be no doubt that the
influx of northern visitors to Florida
has been the means OF interesting
northern capital in the state ana mas
started it's development. Florida, as
/ look at it. is northern PROPOSE
ton. Northerners admit the success
of the citrus industry is due to the
faith and perseverance Of the ma
tiyes. but in this also they have had
help. A large number of winter
visitors make investments in one
way or another, and three invest
ments, backed with average Yankee
acuteness, have usually prospereu
whether devoted to real estate, no.
tells. citrus groves, truck gardening
diarying, stockraising, manufactur-
ing or general business.
Though livestock forms a large
item in the states wealth the un
developed condition Of this profitable
industry is deplorable. Climatic con
ditions are particularly favorable to
| the raising of cattle, hogs and sheep
This is true because of the year
around open range, plentious supply
of pure. crystal clear, healthful water
and minimum cost of feed produc-
ton. This is particularly. true with
reference to certain sections where
grass grows in abundance and en-
silage crops are easily grown and
produce a large tonnage per acre.
The greater part Of the cattle now
| raised are Of the native variety
Very small. interbred and neglected
for many years, until it would be
considered absolutely valueless in
Minnesota. except for the hide and
bones, and would not begin to- pay
| the cost of production. But here
where cattle mostly run wild, and
reach maturity without any atten-
ton or expense. or In some in
stances, I am told, without the own
Il sk ~ n A.