Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1853-02-05

/ The climate, position and varied productions
of Florida, are hereafter to render her one Of
the most important States Of the South. Not
withstanding her very large proportion Of poor
SOIL it is reduced to a certainty by actual expert
ment, that small farmer can live there in more
comfort, than anywhere else. The seemingly
/ poor soil produces more than many Of our rich
acres the almost tropical climate renders unnec-
essary, any large, expenditure for housing and
clothing the laborers, and the prolific growth Of
/ the potatoe variety, furnishes, in abundance, an
excellent article Of food We have had our at
tention turned to the State for some time, but
have said little about her. as We did not care to
give any additional impetus to the emigration
there from our own State II will 60 fast enough
without any uid from us. Her cheap and gen
erous lands will certainly attract the poor whilst
the vast sugar hammocks, yet untouched, of the
South, and the long-cotton fields Of Middle
/ Florida, will as surely draw there many Of orr
rich planters. As we are TO lose in this way,
would ii not be well for us to consider how the
breach sto be repairedl Shall we suffer all tho
loss, and allow New-York TO get all the benefit
| What are our merchants doing to secure the dry
goods and general assortment trade Of this peo-
plc who are certain to be large consumers Of fine
articlesl What are our factors doing to bring
their sea islands TO our market, the best this side
the Atlantic, or to encourage the sugar culture
on the Atlantic coast, or 10 reach that just COM
menced on the Gulf Constr Thousands Of hogs
heads viii soon be made there, only to swell the
receipts Of New-Orleans, though IL may after
wards find its way to us, by long and danger
Gus passage around the Keys. From many points
on the st. Johns, where our steamboats, now 20,
to one of the best harbors of the Gulf, the dis
tance is less then hundred miles, and yet the
trade not only of that portion Of the Gulf, but
also of that Of the interior much nearer to US,
finds no outlet TO the Atlantic We venture the
assertion that there are wholesale grocery mer-
chants in Charleston, who sell, hundreds Of box
es of Florida Starch which comes to Charleston
by the way Of New-York This one little artic-
le from Florida, if We had the wisdom, by our
merchantile connections, to encourage its produc-
ton, would soon become large item in our d.
rect trade with that State The root which pro.
duces it, grows spontaneous all over the South Of
Florida. The inhabitants have only to remove
the thin soil to gather the roots by the cart load
The machinery for manufacturing IL, can be
made in a day by any laborer who knows the use
of the axe, the hammer and the punch. Thus
provided with the noots and the machinery, the
manufacture of the starch Is simple and rapid
late description thereof by the Scientific
american may serve us here "rhe roots, car
ried by mules to the mill situated upon the edge
of some one Of the numerous streams running
from the glades to the sea, are thrown into
large cylinder, the circumference OF which is
formed Of bars Of wood and separated from each
other few inches. The cylinder removes and
stream Of water constantly flows upon the roots
they are thus thoroughly clcanscd, and their sur
face coming in contact with the rough edge Of
the transverse bars the roots are peeled and ready
for the grinder. This machine reduces them 10
pulp, which is passed through watts Of fresh
water, and thoroughly eleansed from all impuri-
ties. The mass is now milky white, resemb-
ling curd, and must be spread upon frames with
cotton-duck bottoms, to the thickness Of three
inches, aud exposed 10 the sun. The drying
process quite rapid in that hot climate, and is
the last preparation (save raking the pulp and
breaking the mass into small grains) in the man
uiaciure II is then boxed and ready for mark.
Ct The whole process Of digging, .peeling,
washing, grinding and drying, may be gone
through with between sun and SUM-"
With such facilities for the manufacture of
this article, Florida could supply IT to Charleston
in quantities sufficient for the whole interior and
even for export And this is but one Of the
products whereby she is hereafter to swell our
commerce. We have only to reach out our arms
IN every side 10 become the city Of our antcipa-
ions aud our longings. But il we fold them as
Se have heretofore done--if we permit North
,rn enterprise and Northern merchants TO push
is from every opening market-if we despise or
,eglect the small beginnings, we might as we'll
Il once pull down the aag and dismantle the
hip Charleston Standard.