The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-10-09
Florida Good Field For
Stock Raising
By CAPT. J. c. PATTERSON

As requested, information on ami
NAL industry from the Farmers Bulle-
tin advocating the stock raising in
Florida. Florida has a field for beef
production that is no section Of the
country which can produce cattle
more cheaply than Florida, especially
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties
The grazing is good. the pasture sea-
son is long, feed can be produced at
minimum cost, and inexpensive shelter
only is required for young stock during
the winter months. The native cattle
are not large. but they are also cheap
in price and they are good foundation
stock from which may be produced an.
excellent herd OF beef animals by ju-
dicious selection and by the continued
use of pure bred bulls. Cheap lands
for the foundation of stock makes it
possible to start a cattle business ia
this part of Florida without an unusn-
al outlay Of capital for less than any
other part or section OF the country
No expensive barns are necessary.
the only shelter needed is open sheds
facing the south for young stock which
may take shelter from cold winds and
rain. Mature beef cattle need no
other shelter than that afforded by
trees, hedges. underbrNsh, canebrakes
and other natural shelters.
OF the total land area Of the south,
70 per cent is made up Of grazing
lands, wood or waste lands and very
large portion OF the latter win pro-
duce excellent pasture for the cattle;
the type of soil and nature OF the land
vary widely in each county Of the
state, but in each case you find soil
which produces abundant grazing.t
Escambia county especially possesses
as fine soil as viii be found IN any
county of the state. The natural
grasses of the gulf region are the Ber-
muda, carpet grass and lepedeza, and
the much despised nut grass. Burr
clover should be planted on the sod.
II pasture grasses are planted, some
Italian rag grass should be planted
with the other side as these grasses !
will grow rapidly and furnish early
spring grass grazing before the other
grasses start. This is for range cattle. /
For cattle that are fenced in the best
pasture in the world is made from the /
Kudzu as a permanent pasture and a |
soil builder. No fertilizing is required I
after the first planting. This legume I
for cattle grows prolific in the county I
Cow peas. velvet beans, soya beans, I
peanuts and victs.
There IS much confusion among
farmers because fertilizer is so high.
They forget that al Iegumes are soil /
builders. They have the bacteria
germs which live upon the roots. The
germs feed upon the nitrogen Of the
air and store it in the inner tissues
IF the plant and nitrogen exists in the /
air in large quantities. almost price
less. It can be gotten for cattle with
less labor and cheaper than any other
plant food element All you have to
10 is to plant such legume crops
mentioned and they viii do the rest.
The soil Of Florida needs much nj
.rogen and these plants are adapted TO
1ur soil and are soil builders and the
inest stock feed in the world is the
fudzu. the king of all forage. No re-
planting after tho first year It needs
rood soil to set out the plants: after
he first planting It requires nothing
nore Becarae # IS a soil builder takes
n the NITROGEN from the air by It's
caves and takes I'D the slilDhuric acid
ind the pntash from the subsoil byl
-ea son IT fits long roots
Then we have the late imported
lapier erase by the United states gov
,rnment from South Africa While
'ot leeune # IS a wonde~ftil stock
eed. It looks li're srear care. and #
$ a cane ard the rencrts from the
tations ard farms that hove and are
lanting # Is Up to 20 tons 20 tae acre
r green feed It is not Tire the kUdzu
= A aoI builder The leaves are ike
ane leaves. Il IS fine both as d~ied
nd green. ANY stochman who has
hose two for pasture AMI cutt'uz. the
udzu and the NAPIER. will realize 10
0us Of kudzu 70 the acre in F5scarabfa
ountv. further south 70 to IL tons.
alued By the commissioners 1t s35