The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1851-10-15
EAST FLORIDA.
Prom the East Florida conserva,or.


East Florida is that part nl the D ninsu-
h IRON the Suwannee river easl aud south.
This region is naturally divided into The
ssull and Atlantic slopes. aud The rabIe
'snds--a slightly elevated plain between
thetwo slopes. The table lands rise grad
uaI ) from The Suwsnnce river rouh 10
thc head Nv alers of The Wilhlacnocher, ave.
fsging IN width sbou, twenty. miles. with
bus lev streams of running waller. and on
" occasional fresh water lakes. varying in
size from thar ei mere pond. 10 one oI
twenty 10 thirty miles circuit. These
lakes are few. and stock wafer is rather
-<A----- = 80 =
The Gulf slope is iIiIersecicd by numer-
Gus shoit rivers, formed by single springs
bursting up all along the coast, from FIVE
10 fifteen or twenty miles from The Gulf.
The Atlantic slope is divided BY The ST.
Johns rivera magnificent stream, aver.
aging more than two miles in width. ris-
ink in the ukeclIobee lake, al The head
Of the everglades, running north al the
distance ofsome eighteen or twenty miles
from The Atlantic coast. widening in
many places into extensive lakes, aud
finally, turning east, not far from The north.
ern boundary oflhe Stale into The allan-
tie.
The table lanli is the most desirable por-
lion Of the country on many accounts, es-
pecial'y the counties &c Ailachua, Mari
on, and fernando, formerly Benton. The
rich lard is better dltl'used. allowing better
chance for good neighborhoods. likely 10
prove healthy. free from insects, soil quite
as rich, and climate pretty much the same
as The slopes. On the Atlantic side there
is lille good land. except near New Smyr-
ma and on the Indian river inlet. The
81. johns affords but little firsl-raIe land,
though where there is body Of good
land OH this river il is destined TO he very
valuable for sugar and lrnpical fruits.
On the Gulf side there is much good
land, but in large and dense hammocks,
all along The coast, only divided by sholl
rivers. hese lands will become i'm.
mensely valuable for sugar, but will nev-
er be settled BY large white population.
They will be owned by heavy planters,
who will either reside upon the keys or in
the interior.
The soil is Of every variety, from The
poorest pine 10 The richest alluvlons. The
hammocks OF The table lands are OF vari-
Gus sizes, from half an acre 10 forty thou,
sand acres.
The most wonderful appearance oil
these hammocks is their elevation above
The surrounding pine and hickory lands.
Tie whole region is high and rolling. bul
on coming out OF a hammock. which ap-
pears whilst YOU are in Il like vast river
bolloIn, You are astonished to find ,our
self going down hill into the pine barren.
The soil is mixture Of lime, sand, al
lnmina. aud vegetable matter. In some
places the sand largely predominales. in
others The clay. bo,h IN the pine barrens
and in the hammucks. In The hammocks
the soil is Of every color, has ,asi quanli-
lies both Of lime and vegetable matter
rendering them vastly productive and al
most inrxhauslible. A singular feature
in The country generally IS that The higher
portions are almos; invariably the richer
4. This part Of Florida is evidently an up
heave, caused by subterraneous fire. Ii
travelling over the high lands you see "a