The Brooksville Journal

November Crop Figures
Indicate Few Changes
By H. A. MARKS

RAINFALL since early in October has been light in most sections of Florida. This was favorable for the harvesting of crops already matured, but was unfavorable for the growth of later crops. Planting of oats was retarded in the northern counties, while further south the setting out of cabbage and strawberry plants was delayed. The dry weather has interfered with the sizing of citrus and there has been an increase in the dropping of fruit.

CITRUS SHOWS DROP

Citrus conditions on November 1 were slightly under that of a month previous. Condition of oranges was reported at 74 percent of normal compared with 76 per cent on October 1 and 82 per cent on November 1 of the preceding year. Grapefruit was reported at 67 per cent of normal compared with 69 per cent of October 1 and 81 per cent on November 1, 1930. Tangerines were reported at 72 per cent compared with 72 per cent on October 1 and 81 per cent a year ago. The crop is late and maturing of the fruit has been further delayed by the continued warm weather. Since this report there has been a continuation of the dry weather. No change was made in the citrus estimate, in November, but a recheck is now being made and any changes in the crop will be shown in the December estimate.

DROUGHT AFFECTS STAPLES

There was no material change in the prospects for the staple crops during October, although there was a slight downward tendency, due to the prolonged dry weather. Cotton is estimated at 42,000 bales, compared with 50,000 bales harvested from approximately the same acreage a year ago. With the shift from Sea Island to short staple cotton, there has been an increase in the average Florida yields, but yields have been unusually high during the past two seasons due to the unusually dry weather. Yields of corn, sweet potatoes, sugar cane and tobacco are all running under last year. The peanut yield is slightly above that of last year and there will be a material increase in production, with an acreage for nuts around 20 per cent above that of a year ago.

TRUCK CROP ACREAGE

Of the truck crops, the acreage of fall snap beans was estimated at 12,000 acres compared with 14,000 a year ago. The winter acreage will be larger than that of last season due to increased plantings around Lake Okeechobee. Present intentions are for around 14,000 acres compared with 10,000 acres a year ago. In addition there will be 2,000 acres of lima beans in the Lake Okeechobee section. Setting of cabbage was delayed by dry weather and final plantings will be under last year. There is also some reduction from last year in plantings of strawberries. Celery will run 500 acres over last year, with the increase in spring celery. The intended acreage of South Florida tomatoes is 5,400 compared with 11,000 planted and 5,400 harvested during the season of 1930-31.

BEAN CROP BRINGS
BOOM TIMES BACK
TO BIG LAKE AREA

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workers are employed as to create an acute housing situation. More than 4,000 workers are employed in the Belle Glade area alone, with similar numbers around the other two points. According to Associated Press dispatches from West Palm Beach, every available house, cottage, shanty and room is occupied. New tenements are being rushed to completion, these dispatches say, but applicants for accommodations are so numerous as to make it necessary for hundreds of the "hands" to sleep in tents and improvised shelters. A few days ago it was stated that many of these workers, employed in the bean fields, are compelled to sleep in automobiles, on billiard and pool tables, and not a few roll up in blankets and spend the nights in the open beside camp fires.

A survey by an Associated Press correspondent on November 28 showed that the usual small population of the Canal Point-Pahokee area has increased to more than 5,000.

Most of the workers in these almost unbelievably fertile truck growing areas are bean pickers, and growers declare that this season's crop is far in excess of any ever before produced there. Owing to the flat, level character of the area, the drought, it is stated, has not affected crops materially, as it is easily possible to irrigate a great part of the vegetable growing sections at small expense.

Up to November 28 a total of 1,183 solid carloads of fall vegetables, by far the greater part of which has been beans, has been shipped from the Belle Glade, Canal Point and Pahokee areas, and for the bean crop alone the growers were said to have received at least $500,000. The season might be said to be only well under way, according to growers and shippers. No heavy rains, storms or other adverse weather conditions have been experienced in any part of the area this season, and the boom times are expected to continue throughout the greater part of the winter, as northern and eastern demand is heavy, owing to the closing of the season for growing fresh vegetables in any part of the north and east.

TRUCK CROPS UNHURT

Where vegetable growers in Martin county have properly sprayed and dusted so far this season there has been very little damage from insects and diseases, reports C. P. Heuck, county agent.

Farm and Grove Section's Free Information Bureau, Hillsboro Hotel, Tampa, Fla.