Facts and Figures or the ABC 

 of Florida Trucking 



CHAPTER I. 



SOIL. 



To grow good vegetables, field crops or fruit in Florida 

 or any where else, you must have good soil, but it is not a 

 hard matter to find this in all parts of the State. 



I am going to divide Florida land, suitable for successful 

 truck growing, into three classes — the pine land, the prairie 

 or muck land, and the hammock land. The principal thing 

 to watch in selcting your tract is to see that it is underlaid 

 with clay, marl or hard pan ; clay or marl is preferred, but if 

 the hardpan is down about fourteen to eighteen inches, it 

 will work to perfection. The value of this bottom to the land 

 is to hold the moisture and keep the fertilizer from washing 

 down too deep, out of reach of the plants' roots or feeders. 



The prairie and hammock land are best, as they contain 

 some fertilizing elements, particularly nitrogen or ammonia, 

 from decayed vegetable matter. You will find some ham- 

 mock and muck land containing all the nitrogen your crops 

 will require for the first year or two, and if they do, all you 

 have to supply will be the potash and phosphoric acid that 

 the crops will need. One thing I want to impress upon 

 you is that no matter how rich your land is, if vou keep 

 planting it. without putting back the elements the plants are 

 drawing out you will soon exhaust it. 



