The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-02-02
" h aMarp.
Florida.

Florida.
AS the articles published few weeks ago, were
read with much interest, we add another found IN
monthly periodical published in New York 1t is
written by "Charles Beecher" Whether he is one
of the "Beechers'' we know not; the editor states
that he had "just returned from an exploration OF
the Eastern section of Florida. His personal
knowledge does not extend to the region around
Clear Water Harbor, but it will be observed that he
speaks very favorably of it. He writes with de-
gree of intelligence and sobriety of view that COM
mends his remarks to the attention of those seeking
information concerning that country.
The writer is, however, certainly mistaken IN
stating that the orange lemon and lime can be cu
tivated to advantage in the northern part OF the
State. The only part well suited is the peninsula,
or southern section, and there can be no question
that of this the portion lying on the west, or Cult
coast, has superior advantages over all others, A
few years will give it commercial facilities, and then
these lands will bring price equal to those of the
St. Johns on the eastern side.
The best authenticated facts from all sources
fully confirm the statement as to the general health
fitness of Florida At the same time it is true that
large part of the State is sicky far concerns
fever and ague. But this is balanced by exemption
from many diseases which are prevalent and often
fatal here The great advantage of the region OF
Clear Water Harbor is that it is so exempt even
from Florida diseases.-ED. Gen. PRES.
Florida is one of the great States of the
Union in point of territorial extent, con-
tanning 9,268 SQUARE miles, or 3S,000,000
acres. The New England States together
little exceeds this. As the traveller sails up
the magnificent St. Johns, two hundred
miles, he receives almost as profound an i'm
preston of the vastness of the wild and
beautiful region through which heis passing,
as though he were on the Mississippi, the
Father of Waters. Yet he has seen but one
narrow strip of the great State. With
Southern Florida and its Everglades, its
keys, its prairies, its strictly tropical vegeta-
ton, he is as yet unacquainted; of West
Florida, on the coast of the Gulf, by many
regarded as the best part of the State, he
has seen nothing; to Northwest Florida, with
its fine rolling surface, he is stranger
nay, of Central Florida he knows compare
lively nothing. One should ride through
the State from Fernandina to Cedar Keys,
or from Jacksonville to Pensacola on the
cars, passing through an almost unbroken
wilderness; he should sail from St. Marks
to Key West, and from Key West to Fer
nandina-to obtain some suitable conception
of the territorial greatness of Florida.
Florida is adapted to be the home of q
vast population. On the st. Johns river
under the stimulus of emigration, property
has risen in value, so that land is no longer
cheap; but back from the river, or anywhere
in Western or Southern Florida, land Of
good quality can be bought at very low
figure. And here, in passing, it observed
that what is called good soil in Florida, diff
fers materially from good soil at the NORTH
and West Outside the swamps, and the
hummocks, the soil of Florida is fine sandy
loan, varying in richness as it varies in color
from deep brown to white. To Northern
eye it seems as though nothing could be
raised on such soil; and yet when properly
fortified with ashes, lime, and muck, every
where abundant it yields a bountiful re
turn. There are places where excellent
lands will be given away to actual settlers
There are large tracts where they can b.
bought at prices varying from five cents tc
five dollars an acre. Fortunate will those
be who first avail themselves of the oppor
tunity to secure for themselves a pleasant
home. Nothing can be more certain thar
that this State is destined to contain anC
richly to support an immense population
Almostall vegetables cultivated in the NORTH
can be raised in Florida and sent North tt
an early market, besides cotton, sugar-cane
and variety of tropical and semi-tropica
productions. But it is in fruit raising thai
the greatest source of profit is to be found
The orange, lemon, and lime can be cult
waited throughout the whole State, with some
risk of frost in the northern part, but no
enough to discourage. Peaches thrive won
derfully, and by planting proper selection
of early and late trees, ripen from the 10th
of June to the 18th of October. For these
as for oranges, the producer finds a ready
market, without the necessity of shipping tC
New York.
New York is his dernier resort. Places
like Augusta, Macon, Atlanta, Savannah
Jacksonville, for some time to come will take
all that can be raised. Peach trees can BIZ
bought in Southern nurseries (as, for exam!
pie, Berckmans, Augusta, Ca, at $50 pei
hundred, bearing the second or third yeal
after transplanting.
The grape also finds congenial home IL
Florida. AS to the Scuppernong we neeC
not speak-except to mention single vine
we recollect to have seen near St. Mark s
covering an arbor fifty feet by forty. The
black Hamburg sOiUtAriue there wonderfully
and all the finer and more costly foreign
grapes may be grown there without glass
and without risk. Can it be doubted tina
such State will at no distant day be filled
with thriving population?
Florida, moreover, will be the healthies
State in the Union. As in all new countries
there will be at first liabilities to chills an(
fever; but these liabilities, always less thar
in several of the Western States, will de
crease with the increase of population. il
the main, taking the whole catalogue of dis
eases, it is believed Florida is and will b.
the healthiest in the Union. The Census
reports of 1860 show the average number O
deaths from consumption to have been az
follows
Massachusetts 1 in 254.
New York l in 473.
Virginia. 1 in 757.
Minnesota. l in 1889.
Florida in 14l7