The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-25
camped under them three hundred years
ago, and 80 small as to be mere brushwood.

one slde deep green, the other sllvery.
To sec one of these old monarchs, under
whose giant limbs Indian, Spaniard,
Frenchman, Englishman, and American,
have reposed in turn during the past four
centuries, standing alone, long streamers Of
Spanish moss sweeping down from his huge
limbs, immense tufts of mistletoe crowning
his branches here and there, the wind
changing the hue of his leaves as the sun
shines on them-all make up picture Of
grandeur and beauty equalled nowhere
else. have never met with any tree that
impressed me 30 powerfully as the live oak.
1t is not necessary to speak of every tree
met with here. Many of the kinds we have
with us. One popularity / noticed except
the pine, which thrives on o sandy soil, YOU
rarely see two of one kind together. You
do not find grove of magnolias unless you
make one by cutting out oil other trees.
Even the wild orange, which spreads itself
from the seed of its dropped fruit, has o
perpetual quarrel with the other trees for
possession and mastery.
| The magnolia grows very large, and when
in bloom is q magnificent sight. "
The orange is beautiful but oppressive.
To enter grove in blossom will make one
sick; you feel like dying of sweet odors.
Nothing can be more beautiful, however.
| The rich green leaf, set off by the white
flowers, and contrasted with the round,
golden orange, make up picture of perfect
beauty.
Near Enterprise, on Lake Monroe. saw
q fine grove of this fruit, and beyond it
the dense forest Of tall trees. For o hun
dred yards long, and from ground to tree
top, they were covered with the yellow les
samine vine in full bloom. This beautiful
sight was in January. A botanist would
run mad, or at least wild, in these woods,
if he was not previously drowned in some
of the swamps. | never studied botany,
and thus kept my senses. The air plant is
a curious vegetable. I have seen it grow
ing on dead limb or the top of gate-post.
1t is very much like the top of pineapple,
only with taller and narrower leaves. They
are caught and hung in baskets, put on
shelves, &c.; very pretty ornament is to
place one on the top of every post and along
the fence about the house. In winter espe-
cially the appearance is very pretty.
Passing through one of the shallow lakes
by railroad, I.noticed in the morning the
whole surface of the water covered with the
broad leaves of the water lilies, and thickly
interspcrscd, the white flowers of the lily
showing their rich, cream-like color. It was
exquisitely lovely. On the succeeding day,
repassing, and eagerly looking out, not O
flower was to be seen. It was evening, though
not dark, yet every one had closed its cup
like form tits days work Of beauty being
oycr) and folded leaf over leaf until no
thing hut little green knob could be seen
a. c1n fho,
had arrayed itself in loneliness. The lake
was there; the broad green leaves foated
and undulatcd there was beauty in it
still but the charm was gone. Yet on the
) morrow resurrection took place; the water
: again shonc with beauty.
: In many Of the smaller streams these
water-plants, lilies, moses, and grass-fll
the water and cover the surface, yielding
as YOU pass over them and springing up
: again behind your boat. Everywhere, even
among the pines, you find depressions in
the surface filed with water and covered
with plants. These afford winter pasture
for cattle and horses; and it is curious in
: deed TO sec them wading about, and even
swimming, to Craze, sinking their heads
= far below the surface, and keeping them sc
long submerged that one would think them
drowned.
The grass of the country is coarse
kind, growing in tufts. In fall and winter
it becomes too dry and hard to be eaten. Il
is then fired, and at night presents beau
tiful sight. These fires never spread far, q
, swamp, q road, or belt of sand, soon
stop them.
The wild lettuce, a floating water plant,
. | IL t.
curious to see masses of this plant swim
ming on the water, the roots covered with
little spongioles, gathering nourishment
only from the water. You may fasten it in
, the mud, but it prefers to float freely in the
water. It is like our lettuce in shape,
though smaller, and is q favorite food for
t cattle.
In the smaller streams it impedes navi-
CATION, frequently blocking up the way, not
Welding as the rooted plants do, but push
ing before the boat until the mass is SC
large and thick that you have to stop and
cut it out of your path. These masses are
called bonncts, and become. so thick and
large that the alligators crawl up on them
to sleep in the sunshine. I have seen the
surface of large river-the St. Johns
dotted over with single plants or with float
ing families of them; it is O beautiful
sight.
Hedges are made of the Cherokee rose,
of live oak, of wild orange, of cedar, and OF
the small palm called Spanish bayonet
The last has short, sharp leaves, with q
spike like steel at the end. To naked
, Indian it is impenetrable.
Near st. Augustine every garden, and
, | banana
, ones, are surrounded by tall, thick hedges
| The wind is thus kept off the fruit. I have
, seen these hedges twenty-five feet high and
three feet thick, trimmed up like the wall
of house on each side, and within trees
growing 30 closely that their branches inter.
| lock. This mode of cultivation for delicate
fruits might we'll be adopted in lower Vir-
ginia it keeps off the wind and concentrates
, heat. About two acres were thus surround
ed for each garden if the space was larger
there were partition hedges or high board
fences. think it worth trying here.
: Flowers are abundant, and grow with
: very little care, although fruit is chiefly
raised. Tallahassee is city of flower gar.
dens-erery house is thus! surrounded, and
it is charming to pass through it, and still
more so to know its people and visit their
!, beautiful residences.
One rose that saw in St. Augustine sur
passed anything else. 1t grew out of mere
sand with both hands could barely span
its stem, and at three feet from the ground
it divided into two stout branches, and in
the fork have often taken seat. 1t was
sylphide, and it's limbs spread over .
space of forty feet in circumference. Il
may be found in the garden of Mr.. Olivares