Connecticut western news., 1879-04-09
Florida Letter.

One of the pleasing features of central Florida. are the numerous lakes which dot the landscape. Riding from Orlando to Sanford, distance Of twenty miles. one may count between thirty and forty oi conference. Most of the land. known as lake fronts around these sheets of water, have been cleared by settlers, and hsve fine groves in cultivation on them. Their waters yield large supply of fish. mostly plckerel. trout, and two varieties of bass, while the alligator IS acommon inhabitant. Down ID the hammock lands near lake Jessup, the alligator hunting becomes rare sport. Early Tn the morning they leave the water and he for several hours upon the land to sun themselves. Their call or bel low resembles that of herd of cattle, and can ba heard for miles. Upon the approach of boat they roll back into the water. but never modest the intruder. Tho other morning while gliding h boat along the shore of lake Jessup, counted twenty five of the ungalnly monsters, from two to ten feet in lenRth. Many of the lazy fellows bumped against the boat as they tried to get out of the way. We saw the carcass of one dead, which measured twelve feet in length. Its head had been taken of. prob ably for the teeth. as they are of consider able value when made into trinkets and iewelrv.
 The low hammock lands of Jessup are said to grow a super1or orange. The fruit are seldom rusty Ill color, and are certain ly two weeks earlier in season than fruit grown on the adjacent fine lands.
 There are many beautiful groves in this section. Among them are two. the prop ertv of Dr. Foster of Clifton Springs, San- itarlan. Though not now ln a state of ma turity. they promise to be valuable ID Q few years. The doctors residence is an un pretentlous, though more comfortable house than many of it's neighb bors, situated among grove of oaks about two miles uu from the river, Tn very comfortable and healthy locality. Quite a we'll stocked store has been recently opened. at what ll known as Wh'tes Landing, which affords supplies to the inha abitants of Orlando and Maitland, who were formerly obliged to Ro to Sanford for such necessities, matter ot some SIX miles further. At this same lano- ing the rlver boat "Carrie," from Palaths stops every Tuesday. This is the only river boat that enters the lake. for though 1t is some eighteen miles in length, no boat can enter it drawing more tban three feet of water.
 The unoleared shores of lake Jessup ars covered with dense growth of magn0lias oaks, gums and palmettos. ths leaves of tbs latter growing some six feet ID diameter The whole scene is sem:-tropical. Lofty palmettos, some with white smooth trunk. and others with their arn,or of spears, Inf their umbrella shaped tops forty and sixty feet from the ground. The wide topped oaks, gums and magnolias swing iron their branches the somber curtains of Span ish moss, while the Efeless trunks are GOV cred with mIstletoe, resurrection moss, ant aud the many varieties of that wondroul bit of vegetation known as the air plant In shape it resembles the top of a pine apple, and IS four d chLglng to any bit o old wood sending forth it's fiberous leaves some delicate green, others tinted with a dark red and brown.
 There are also several shell mounds neal the shore. composed wholly of white mus sels shells. They are supposed to hay, been thrown there by the Indians. wht used their meat as means of substance.
 JOHN GossIP.
 Orange O., Fla, March 1872