136 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION September 



water when pumped. Although the agriculture, and created an active de- 

 state has a heavy mean annual rainfall, mand for the old machinery in all parts 

 it is subject to severe drouths during of the state. With a better knowledge 

 the growing period between February of the soil, fertilizer, and water require- 

 and June. The soil is naturally non- ments of certain vegetables came ini- 

 retentive of moisture, and owing to the proved yields and greater profits, and 

 great heat, evaporation is excessive. irrigation and truck farming began to 

 During the dry seasons the need of irri- extend all over the state. The results 

 gation is imperative, especially as the have been so generally satisfactory that 

 products of the truck farms and groves much interest and enthusiasm on the 

 are of great commercial value, rendering subject have been aroused among the 

 even a partial loss of crops very costly, progressive farmers and among those 



In general, the lands of Florida may interested in farm investments in the 



be classified as hammock, high pine, state. 



flat wood, and swamp. The hammock In comparison with the soil of west- 

 land is covered with Live Oak, Hickory, ern states, that of Florida is very poor. 

 Cedar, Palm, and Magnolia. When Successful farming requires large quan- 

 cleared it is the most fertile, and is tities of fertilizer and frequent and care- 

 usually planted in truck. High pine ful cultivation. It is therefore some- 

 land is favorable for horticulture, but what remarkable to find a state which 

 as the soil is thin, heavy fertilization is has been thought to require the impor- 

 required. The flat woods are largely tation of a soil before it could produce 

 given to grazing, although in some sec- a crop holding such a prominent place 

 tions they have been found well suited in the truck-producing region. While 

 to the growing of potatoes. The swamps Florida contains extensive phosphate 

 when drained are peculiarly adapted to beds, very little, if any, of this valuable 

 the cultivation of rice and sugar. fertilizer is used within her borders, 



The history of irrigation and inten- nearly all that is mined being shipped 

 sive farming in Florida dates from the outside of the state. The principal corn- 

 two severe successive frosts of the winter mercial fertilizer used comes from the 

 1894-' 95, which destroyed nearly all of large packing-houses and from manu- 

 the large orange groves of the state. facturers of fertilizer in other states. 

 Previous to that time irrigation was con- The Florida truck farmer enjoys a 

 fined to an occasional watering of orange distinct advantage in being able to plant 

 groves during the periods of spring in September and to place the products 

 drouth. Many of these irrigation sys- of his fields on the northern markets 

 terns were large and expensive, consist- when there is no competition and when 

 ing of engines, pumps, reservoirs, and prices are highest. He harvests in Jan- 

 iron pipes. After the frost they were uary, February, March, and April, and 

 abandoned, and for several years were is practically through with his crops be- 

 left to rust and decay. fore the truck from other states is ready 



About this time truck farming began for shipment. Intensive cultivation of 

 to assume considerable proportions, and small areas therefore brings greater 

 a number of orchardists turned their profits than are derived from large tracts 

 attention to this industry. In the first devoted to the same crops in other states, 

 experiments with irrigation in the grow- and instances are common where with 

 ing of early vegetables the old engines careful irrigation 5 or 10 acres yield a 

 and pumps were utilized, many of them comfortable living with but a few 

 by the orchardists themselves, who were months' work. Intensive agriculture 

 forced by circumstances to engage in when combined with irrigation tends to 

 the industry. A majority of these old promote the growth of small, compact 

 plants, however, were secured for little communities, affording the farmers a 

 or nothing by small farmers and trans- greater degree of social enjoyment, 

 ferred by them to other parts of the better schools, and numerous other ad- 

 state. The first trial of irrigation gave vantages which are unusual in ordinary 

 a hint of the possibilities of intensive farming communities. 



