The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-04
From the ". o. True Delta.


| TALLAHASSEE, Aug. 5.-The great tropical
territory known as South Florida, region OF
which the geography and peculiar local features
are 80 little known, demands from its growing
Importance more than passing notice.
The prospect of speedy removal of the
Seminoles will remove the only obstac le to set
tlemaSt and emigration, and region 80 little in
contact with the emigration and travel OF the
country, would probably remain almost unknown
without some effort on the part of the press, to
unvei It. mysteries and report its true value.
The climate of South Florida is without
doubt the most desirable winter climate in the
Union, presenting to the invalid the most de-
liphtful and heathful retreat to be imagined.
AS an instance of the health of the climate, q
corps of the u s. troops were stationed at
Miami, on Key Bescayne, during the pas,
eighteen months, and it was matter of surprise
| to the surgeon, that there was no case of sick
ness among the soldiers during that period.
| Although the summers are warm, the cool
easterly winds prevail throughout the day
during that period, rendering it comfortable for
| laborers to pursue their vocations at all times
| Dide county, stretching along the Atlantic
seaboard between % and &c degrees, possesses
an excellent harbor, for vessels drawing nine
feet of water, with lighthouse at its entrance
making the channel into the bay (key Bees
cayne,) which extends thirty miles, North and
South.
Numer ius streams discharge into ii from the
Everglades, on all Of which its water power
controlled at little expenee, with fall Of about
five feet, which may be employed for nrrow-root
| or lumber mills the necessary supplies for run
ming either being found in abundance, directly
on the banks of the streams. A spontaneous
growth Of arrow-root is here fonnd, inviting the
man of enterprise to avail himself of the water
power so abundant, or a small steam engine
or horse power, when he may with little ex.
pense, prepare arrow-root for market, which
would yield him 800 to the acre.
If any pers should inquire why such vaua.
BILE lands should 80 long remain unoccupied and
unknown, the only reply would be, the Semi
| noles; and that Dade county has been the scene
Of many bloody encounters and massacres. The
Southern portion Of this county comprises nu-
merous keys. which are owned and retained by
the United States government but If once open
to settlement, would yield rich harvest to emf
grants. Wherever the original growth is cleared
away, the bird pepper grows spontaneously, and
in the create It profusion. On these keys alone,
may be raised sufficient to supply our entire
home market, for which large quantities are an
nualIy imported from Africa and South America.
They bear the entire year. and yield perpetual
harvest.
The palma christy, the plant from which the
caster oil is made, is peculiarly adapted to this
soil and climate. grows continuously about -four
years, and becomes a large tree in constant bear
ing ripening ts rich clusters Of beans in such
profusion, that from actual experiment one hun
bred bushels may be produced to the acre annu
ally, and their produot Of oil two gallons to th'
bushel
The sisal hemp is growing throughout thes
| counties, and is natural TO the whole southern
part Of the peninsula. With the aid OF labor
saving machinery, there is no doubt Il could b.
made profitable pursuit, even in competition
with the native labor Of Mexico.
The Florida Keys furnish an immense feel,
for the manufacture Of salt, which is now mad
on large scale at Key West, superior in qualit
\ 10 Turks Island Many Of the keys in thu
vicinity, furnish equal advantages TO the one re
ferred 10.
4 The Everglades. that extensive region o
swamp land. comprising an era of one hundre'
n and sixty miles long by sixty broad, of valuable
tropical territory is thought to be perfectly aus
ceptibe of being rendered valuable ,ilable lnnt
\ by the process Of draining, as the overflow j.
believed to be csuscd entirely by tbe rains; ans
40 vast IL tbe surface, confined to aimost a dead
level, that the natural outlets are insufficient to
drain Il off