It is astonishing to people who are unacquainted with the details of Florida business life to hear of the amount of business done in the little towns in the interior and along the coast. Indeed, it surprises some of those who live here to see the summing up of the annual business done by individual firms in those towns, and if one didn’t in some way get at some tangible reason for these figures one would be disposed to question their correctness. But when one drives out into the surrounding country and sees the many orange groves and the many broad acres planted in vegetables a key is found that unlocks the situation.
In Florida, instead of large areas of land in cultivation, there are the native growths only dotted here and there with openings, and planted to fruits and vegetables. It requires but little stock to cultivate them and but few hands, comparatively speaking, to do the work. The crop raised on one acre of Florida soil on an average is equal to that of fifteen to twenty acres in cotton regions, and every dollar is for export, the grower receiving the cash for his crop, and then he reinvests it for the necessaries of his household and farm. There is where the volume of business done by the Florida merchants comes in.—Jacksonville Times-Union.
The cultivation of the castor bean may be attempted in Texas on a larger scale than heretofore. The United States Consul at Breslau, Germany, Mr. Frederick Opp, has been making inquiries about the climate and soil of Texas for Max Strahl, who is thinking of purchasing land in Bexar county for the purpose of raising the plants mentioned. According to Mr. Strahl’s statement, the castor plant requires much less rain than cotton; can be harvested in a much shorter space of time; requires only one-third of the amount of labor, and yields a much greater profit to the producer.
In a letter to the San Antonio Express Mr. Opp says: “I have sent a sample of the beans to the Department of Agriculture at Washington. I trust that Mr. Strahl will soon positively decide to settle in Texas and inaugurate the enterprise. He is an expert in castor plant growing and raises large quantities in India.”
The Rock Island & Texas Town Co. owns a 300 acre tract of land near Boyd, Texas, which has been divided into ten acre tracts for small fruit and vegetable farms.
The citizens of Nacogdoches, Texas, have organized a society, the purpose of which will be to induce immigration to Nacogdoches county and advance the general interests of that section. Lists of lands for sale, with prices, &c., and general information about the locality will be furnished on application. The president of the society is George H. Davidson.
Mr. Guy M. Bryan, a banker of Bryan, Texas, who owns large areas of property in Brazoria county, near Velasco on the Gulf coast, is arranging to bore artesian wells to flood a considerable area of ancient lake beds, which he will convert into extensive rice farms.
A report now being prepared by Mr. F. H. Newell, of the United States Geological Survey, on the condition, amount, and location of the public land still in the hands of the government, shows that there are about 600,000,000 acres of government lands. The report states, however, that all the vacant land remaining to the government in the West is either mountain country or else land which, owing to scanty rainfall or other conditions, is fit only for grazing.
The National Builders’ Association of the United States will hold its next convention in Baltimore in October, 1895. Mr. Noble H. Greager, of Baltimore, is president of the association; Mr. Charles A. Rupp, of Buffalo, first vice-president; Mr. James Meath, of Detroit, Mich., second vice-president; Mr. Wm. H. Sayward, of Boston, secretary, and Mr. George Tapperk, of Chicago, treasurer.
The Rock Hill Cotton Factory Co., of Rock Hill, S. C., which has heretofore made yarns only, is now adding 192 looms to its plant.