ound elsewhere; among these are a mild,
equable and healthful climate, comparative freedom from animal diseases,
a long grazing season, vast areas of cheap lands, a soil adapted to the
growing of numerous improved grasses and forage crops (especially such
legumes as the velvet bean, the cow pea, the soy bean, the vetches, the
indigenous beggar-weed, the peanut, and certain clovers), a copious and
well-distributed rainfall, and countless springs, streams and lakes,
providing almost everywhere an abundant and unfailing supply of pure
water.

There can be no doubt, I believe, that Florida will take a leading place
in the near future among the important live stock states of the Union.
What she needs is additional thousands of intelligent, energetic,
thrifty and experienced farmers, who will take advantage of the
opportunities she offers and develop to the full her immense and latent
resources.

Lake Monroe, February, 1918.

POSSIBILITIES OF BEEF PRODUCTION IN FLORIDA.

_By Frank S. Hastings, Manager of the S. M. S. Ranch,
Stamford, Texas, who spent two weeks studying conditions in
Florida just previous to the Sixth Annual Convention of the
Florida State Live Stock Association, at which he was one of
the speakers. These impressions have been prepared by Mr.
Hastings for the benefit of the cattle men of Florida._

Before coming to the State I asked that I might see as many classes of
cattle as possible and in as many different parts of the State as
possible.

My first trip was through the Everglades. I then made a trip near
Gainesville, and visited the registered Hereford herd owned by Mr. N. A.
Callison; also the grade herd of both Herefords and Shorthorns owned by
Mr. A. L. Jackson of Gainesville, and the pure-bred and graded Shorthorn
herd owned by Mr. S. H. Gaitskill of McIntosh. Then followed a four
days' careful trip over the properties and herd of the Kissimmee Island
Cattle Company, where I saw Brahma cattle, Hereford cattle and Shorthorn
cattle in various grades, and their herd of Florida cattle bought last
year. Then over the Indian Prairie country, the Osceola prairie country,
including Halpatioka Flats, the marsh country of Okeechobee, with an
unusually good opportunity for seeing the cattle scattered over the open
range and to observe conditions on the open range.

Incident to this great expanse, comprehending over six hundred miles in
actual auto driving, I did not