FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
23 
We feel that the Florida State Horti¬ 
cultural Society owes no apology to the 
city of Jacksonville for coming here. It 
was my pleasure, not many years ago, to 
be connected with an industry that came 
directly in contact with the farming 
industry of this State. I was in 
the fertilizer business and often 
crossed bats with my friend, Mr. 
E. O. Painter, about prices on acid phos¬ 
phate, high-grade potash, etc. I know 
whereof I speak when I tell you that the 
members of your association have helped 
Jacksonville to a wonderful extent. We 
used to ship phosphate rock to Eastern 
points to have it reduced to acid phosphate, 
and then it was shipped back to Florida 
and put into the ground. Phosphate rock 
is no longer sent to Eastern ports, but 
made into acid phosphate and put back 
into the ground without leaving Florida. 
Where we formerly found it necessary to 
go to other ports for potash and kainit, 
today we are able to bring it direct to 
Jacksonville from foreign lands. Of 
course, there are many reasons that have 
brought this about, but the primary rea¬ 
son is this: the members of the Florida 
Horticultural Society and the others en¬ 
gaged in the same line of work, have 
made the fruit and vegetable products of 
Florida so much in demand that these 
other things were brought about as a mat¬ 
ter of course. 
Only a few years ago, Florida depend¬ 
ed primarily and almost solely upon its 
fruit industry. Only a few years ago, 
when a man sent his fruit to the North 
he took the money that he received for it 
and went North himself to spend it, and 
figured that was all he had to do. 
To my mind, a blessing in disguise 
came with the freeze. With that calam¬ 
ity the optimist came to the front and 
said, “Florida is hard hit, but she is not 
dead yet. She is going to be a great 
State in the raising of vegetable products. 
Just watch,” and then he put his shoulder 
to the wheel to help make his hopes come 
true. They did come true, and look now 
at our diversified crops. There is hardly 
any time of the whole year but that some¬ 
thing is moving from here, and that is 
brought about, to my mind, by the mem¬ 
bers of this Florida Horticultural Society 
and the people whom you represent. 
The Jacksonville Board of Trade has 
arranged for a little excursion for you, 
and at the proper time our secretary will 
tell you about the details. We extend 
you a welcome, because we are glad to 
meet you, as members of this association, 
and as men. We know that your meet¬ 
ings bring about a vast deal of good to 
your industry, and through you, to the 
citizens of the entire State. We want you 
to make yourselves at home in the Jack¬ 
sonville Board of Trade building. Use 
our offices, our employes, etc., and in 
every way we ask that you make your¬ 
selves thoroughly at home. I hope you 
will have a delightful time, and I thank 
you for your attention. 
