The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-02-25
1NrEREsT1Na FROM FLORIDA.
its Productions and Resources.
sending Eanail u Lines.
.preparations for9Acaivo OperatiOns.

FrnNANnrNA. Fla. Feb. 6. 1859

Florida is more generally known at the
Eorth az The homo iof Alligator and
Seminoles-vaos everglades Astounding in
venomous reptiles, malaria and fever, aud
intsTspsreed with, inaccessible cham
mocks," iit hiding places for fugitive
slaves and combinations Indians. But
il is, in fact, a State of undeveloped re-
sonr9saud lateatwealth WHICH will UNI
DIR the new impetus of free labor, render
itsous of DE hnestSlaies ofHhe Union.
Ithas al area Of pger $4,000 serArSpiIes,
being over 5, 900 square miles larger than
Wisconsin, and $4,000 larger than New
York. 1t has a much larger line Of sea
coast ihan, any other Slats. Like most
or the Southern Atlantic States, its soil
is light and sandy, much like the portion.
OF Wisconsin lying north Of the Fox
and Wisconsin rivers, aad west Of the
M0lG... Not as fertile as most Of the
Western States, but in variety of pro-
DUCTS, climate,l facility oflcuhiyatipn,
etc, more than remuneraiing for any de-
iciency in this respect East Florida is
less fertile, and mpre, healthy thai West.
The climate is more even than ia Texas,
and crops are generally more certain.
|, Fire. .ssveatns abeand ia fish;.Ahd the
coast and. mlets Bitb delicious oysters in
inexhaustible quantities. The winters
are SO light 1hat stock never reqpires TO
be. hSused aud fed,~uhd stscleNrasing
Yields an. annual profit Of 20 per cent,
The duality of-cattle aud horses IL infe-
rior, as thus far no attention has been
giVen toimproging+u the eatHerunning
Wild in vast herds, with no care save 10
brand and mark them, and the horses
being marsh ponies, some better than buP
Indian ponies of the North, but inferior
to the French. Grasses are not cultiya-
ted to any extent, as labor could be
| much more prOiitably employed, and the
small quality OF hay required could be
more cheaply procured from the North.
| The forests abound In yellow pine ofthe
1 best quality, and live OAK, both Of which
/ are Ia large defhahd for naval purposes.
The total population of the State at u e
last census was only 10000, over ,OOU
/ of whom were slaves.
! Wild honey abounds. ard every family
raises enough cane to furnish sugar and
syrup for home consumption Cation is
the heaviest staple prodpct and there are
estimated to be over 100000 bales now in
the hands Of the rebel producers. To-
baecpaseems act TO haEe been as exten-
isively cultivated asin some Other States
but it is of superior quality, much like
the Havana. The cotton is generally OF
the best quality also, even abe upland
i cotton being more like ehc sea island
than can be produced in other States
I From November to February, inclusive,
is the best season for putting in garden
seeds, also for planting corn and Irish Po-
taioes; of the former two crops can be
| r.,ised each year. The CLIMATE par,akes
Of the nature both Of the tropical and OF
temperate parts of the earth--so 10 will
be found that vegetation natural TO the
country partakes of the same double
eharaoteristics. ~
OF vegetables, potatoes, Qrish and
sweet,( yams, peas and beans of every
variety, artichokes, beet-root carrots and
parsnips, Nlcumbers and tomatoes, rad
ishes, celery, 0kra, Indian kale, various
salads, (aSbages, &c, all tlourishes ia
abundance. Every month presents {
4 4resh-coAection Of Fruits and vegetables
aud some species are at maturity all th'
year round. The cocoa-nut plantain
and banana, alligator pear, the luscious
melon, Zig, pine, sugar, and custard APP
pies; the orange, lime, lemon, mango
grape, guava, pomegranate, plum, tams
rind, melon, mulberry, olive, date, citron
peach, apricot, and many other delicious
fruits, all arrive At perfection.
Many OF the tibrons plants Of Indii
would find = congenial soil and climate
in Florida. The richest wines are pro
| duced in the Island of Madeira aud Ca
nairies, in the leland OF Cyprus, and il
other parts Of the Leyant lying nearll
nthe latitude of East Florida. Give /
Florida sober, industrious people, skillet
in the culture of cotton, vines raisins
eurrants, olives, almonds, and silk worm
or her soil and climate is adapted {
every one of them--and the country wa
soon exhibit degree Of prosperity un
surpassed by any other State. 1t is esti
mated that there are over one hundred
thousand acres { { ow-root, equal TO th
Bermuda, now growing in East Floridr
| Indigo may be-cnltivated TO the creates
advantage.
Old as its settlement is, for its occupa
ton by the Spaniards dates back NOR
than 300 years, Florida is still a new an
1 developed country, and contains owe
two milton acres of government Ian
subject TO the operations Of the home
stead act,-isee occupation by all.
has been cursed by slaveholdihg arts
tocracy suffered under the corrupt rul
! of David l.. Yulee, but the mass Of il
people were loyal, and If left to them
, selves would never have entertained a
,, idea Of secession,