Litchfield enquirer., 1870-03-31
TRIP TO FLORIDA.-III.

EDITOR ENou1RER:-We found the wealth CT at Jacksonville parching hot, the ther- mometer, Feb. 27, reaching nearly 800 in the shade, while the sun was very power full. Northerners still wore their thick clothes, and open wood fires were still kept up in the hotel psrlors. This was to &C., commodate the sick, rather than for the comfort of the we'll. Children about the streets, half clad and barefoot, appeared more comfortable than those better cloth ed. Jacksonville had also suffered from the frost, hardly affecting the orange trees. yet sufficient to kill banana.
 Jacksonville is clear sand, no turf grow ing in these torrid regions. Few attempts were made at gardening or farming. Or anges appeared to thrive when planted. Farther mp the St. Johns River, which flows from the south. the climate and soil are still more favorable for the orange. This region is favorite resort for invalids and pleasure.seeker from the north, but as did not design to remain through till warm weather, thought it best to return before becamA mad 4~ 4h~ hAo4
 In visit to the cemetery, the following epitaph arrested my attention:-
 "When am dead and in my grave,
 And my bones they are all rotten,
 When this you see remember me,
 That may not be forgotten"
 In returning, we took the Railroad to Savannah. 260 miles. Fare, seven dollars; birth in sleeping car, two dollars. Competition with the boats, keeps the fare low. The train runs in the night, and we had very nice sleeping-car. The time re- quired was only fourteen hours. In ap- preaching Savannah, the road has but one curve in sixty miles, and the motion of the cars is very easy.
 From Savannah we took tickets by rail, for New York, costing thirty-five dollars. There is a choice of numerous routes at the same price. We were unfortunate in not taking the shortest route. but came by the way of Augusta, Columbia, Raleigh, Petersburg, and Richmond, to Washing ton. The time is the same as by the short CT route through Danville, being about fifty-six hours to New York. These cities contain many fine buildings, and have considerable trade, but even in the cities, there is want of that neatness and care about their dwellings so characteristic in the North, while ia the rural districts, as far as seen from the railroads, the word shanty would be used ten times to indicate a habitation, where the word house would be used but once. They have no hay, and. of course, no barns. Their cattle are spring poor, and where they pick their scanty liv- ing, it is difficult to see. They are about the size of two year olds at the North, and of all colors and no breed. Mules are generally used for work. .
 The long leaved and common yellow pine form the bulk of the forests. When these are cut of, scrub.oaks take their place. Scanty crops of cotton and corn are produced for @ few years after clear ing; then the land is given up. When fields are inclosed, you see rail-fences of ten or twelve rails high. The rails are small and very straight. The soil, or earth, or sand (call it what you please), for hund- reds of miles, is red, about the color of bright red brick.
 The freedmen, as class, are disposed to be idle and shiftless. A vast deal of pa- tience will be requirediu training them to habits of regular industry their natural disposition, as well as their long training, teaching them to be improvident and care less. About the cities, you see many &C., tive and strong truck-men and porters, but as class, the appear inferior to the color ed race as seen at the North. While many are gathered into the sunday schools and churches, there are great many who neg lect these privileges. We heard good sermon from colored preacher at Jack seville, sound in doctrine and well en- forced. Employers complain that as la borers in the field and house servants, they are unreliable, rejoicing in their new.found liberty. Capital does not find safe re- turn, when it has to deal with such uncer- tain labor, and, without capital, they can do but little for themselves. Hiring has not proved satisfactory, and the system of leasing on shares rarely works we'll They
 
 have got to be trained to the new condi-