New-York tribune., 1877-10-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
LAND IMPROVEMENTS IN FLORIDA.

THE COUNTRY BACK or THE ST. JOIINs-POPU-
LAlIOS RAPIDLY FLOWING IN-ORANGE CCL-
TURE-pRoFIrs AND COST OF ia RECENT
LITTER CRITICISED
To the EdttOr OF The TrtbUne.
SIR: | had expected, ere this, to hear
through your columns from Florida. in re2y TO Mr..
smallcy's structures on t in your issue Of the 18Th
ut, aud subsequent ndorscmentb by zone who Knows"
Perhaps in default OF other defence you will permit me,
at this late date to enter briefly disclaimer to the many
inaccuracies of those letters Mr. smaey has evidently
lttlc Of Florida from the ST. Johns RIVER and
its banks certainly snow. from a steamboat little cuti
walton; but the country rises, rccede from the
river and is RAPIDLY filing up with settlers. will only
speak Of my own neighborhood- Sanford and Meonyc
mot Mitonyie)-at The terminus for large river steam
er5 on Lake MunTOe The country back-Orangc County
for forty miles is studded with Improvements, and
population which, for healthfulness exceeded in
NewEnsand, aud for character and culture surpasses
any ncwly-scttled country have known. As for the
petty cearngs he speaks Of such is, indeed their char
actcr along the river banks; but for one, have, within
three miles Of the river. two Of IJ and 100 respect
iyely, devoted to oranges and semi-tropca fruits.
ncishbor, Judge Markham. has another OF 100
There are 100 groves Sanford Grant alone and
some LOO in Orange County back OF Sanford where,
notwithstanding his estimate Of a population of 100,
eighteen boats weekly supply the wants Of back p0pu
lation of $1,000 When began there, I'm 1863, that
population vas 5000; there were three postoices,
where there are now twentyhrce and nut three boats
on ply and perhaps dozen orange groves
This tes its own story OF improvements and OF IN
ducements to settlers vino generally understand their
best interests IN fixing upon their future homes The
enormous returns from oranges mad MI Smdey landed
at Sanford he could have within mile distance
s,yenacre Ocange grove, the result of seed planted
twenty-five years ago by consumptyc woman from
the oranges sac ate and which for years past my
kuowsdgr has yielded without culture from $1,000 to
$4,000 income 20 It's ownrr), the returns from orange
cu iure, say. has stimulated greatly the culture %
to the iect OF other crops. such SEA Island
cotton and sugar which m Orange County ar ot very
superior quality The soil j. less sandy aud barren than
1t appears and gives wonderful returns Tor cane culture
and fertilizers OF whh nature furnishes IN ample store
in abundant much-beds The frequent dried-up lake
depths pure ycgctahe deposits nothing could he better
for truck gardening sugar. etc. Indeed could my sugar
worth double for apart The expenses and risks OF ditch
ing, levees, etc., would have not only richer soii but
two in"ntas more time for rpcnlns cane which could
wait til Christmas for grinding.
The settler not expect in the rich aluyium OF
the West get fine crop aHd support for his family the
first year He requires more means to bcgln but once
started the Floridan is infinitely better of than his
Northwestern brother. Apart from the culture OF
oranges etc. which require more time and money,
there other TO be raised ia fact, all
that raised I'm the North-the most lucrative, Civ
ing quickest returns to the poor mas to-lay tic cul-
turc OF early vegetables which is destined TO suppaut
that Of the states north, aud Bermuda well. The
vicinity TRANSFORMATION is great advantage In
erallng him TO put down in the great market, New
York hIs products To get one bushel to market does
not cost three | have it stated with regard to
Western iowa Again, he need not toll in Summer
10 raise the Winter supply for his cattle, which cost
nothing for corn or hay or shelter but puck mp Their FOOD
the through As TO the price or lahd thcIe j sun
large amount Of Government land open for honeSteadS
aud il constantly being taken such or course, the
State good dra and sells Al low rates In private
hands where. pTlcts depend Oh qudy and oca-
tiOu. On SANFORD Grant have sold via ldht lcr
culture at 300 per acre and on the same grant
NFafftl nig4 a MI ar
river To acual settlers gave 10 each Swcde IN the
e 'ony, u ISL deed for five acres oi land some Of
winch. owing to tner culture Is worth today $1,000 an
acre. ana iu few years will yield that per dnnuin, II
Iuey do m Detcr than their neg iDors wh0se groves
IN bearing These 5Yees, whose numerous rOsy-chcckcd
children the best comm ntary on the assertions o.
speIally to orange culture, making contracts for clear
mg pnnting aud keeng the land, and NJ lower ahd
VERY .r,ut prices rom those given Mr. ouallcy's
le t,r rhclr rouny ON my rant has attracted many
the country, wherc they thrive wonderfully III every
respect. -
As,.n a. to The long and nervous waiting for orange
trees 10 bear. II is proved 20 be uunocess Try; hat
'mxcd culture be applied, As IN Italy. til the trees
have grown thus Cultivating grapr-vines. pine
apples garden vegetables corn, sweet pottocs all the
hay tpeav.ne needed for lny stock. etc, "a my young
groves, AMI 10 advantage. Wild grove nave oh Oi-
ange Lake Ciarion County,, cleared and ouhied ths
year, expect, hereafter, wl more tI'n pIS its eN-
pemses truck garden, and without particle ot t'fu
lzer hummOck Ltnd a. nave lt pioducls uPPci
10 New York IN May. Bu will not enlar-e on subject
which, confess am an enthusiast hi,rr ,I.n, Years
eNpel eHcp and fear Dc-aes 10 trcspass on our soe'
II Is. my mind, iden tlat the coming Wa'oo en-
iguatlon and immigration Will be Southward. Slavery
and poti,a perturbation since the war, have tended TO
keep back Northern settlers capital and enterprise All
that as now passed aud they must be attracted thitheF
for the s1ua bids fair be the richest II Is now the
most prosperous portion of the Union Lands Tor hoth-
lag mucn lower than al tue NOrtl, pro-
ducug AL North produces. best les tue reler crops
of co.pf, sugar, rice, oranges, ec vicinity 10 water
trans atiou abundant aud chap liDor- tuese are
solid advantages, which. as thcy become generally
known attract the settlers and turn the tide south
|
tion exceeding health uuc, and facilities for markets.
and again by of tue large Northern populations
whose pt apd enterprise giving II wonderful de-
yelopmcnt and in Florida prefer tlat po non along
tine st. Johns River the lines OF railroad simply be
cause perhaps know it better than other Stale; but
these preferences aud opinions the result or some
what more experience aud wider Obse walton than the
Letters OF our correspondents wOuld Indicate.
Yours resp, ctflly, III. $ SANFORD.
RnIr.LIr. AI.r