The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-11-05

anu ChO IlllS lS uOL ulSJd0C Wl6n our
home markets will not only be sup.
piled, but we will be able to ship
North fruits before their season in
those markets, and realize handsome
prices. Our sister State of Georgia
has, for some time, been realizing
from her industry in this pursuit,
while we of Florida have only made
a move sufficient to- show us what
profits we are losing in not giving it
more attention. From our geograph-
ical position, we have the advantage
OF week to ten days over our more
Northern neighbor, and this of itself
gives us every advantage. Persons
who have watched the sale of early
vegetables in the Northern markets
are aware of the difference in price a
week will bring forth.
We have seen as fine Duchesse
d'Angouleme, White Doyiene,
Stevens Genessee, Louise Bon de ,Jer-
sey, Bartlett, and Belle Lucrative
Pears grown around Tallahassee as
we have seen at the North. On our
own grounds, the Belle Lucrative
produced and matured two crops of
fruit this season, the trees blossomiDg
and putting on their second crop
while the first was half grown. The
apple or orange-quince do well, while
the Chinese ounce produces fruit
OF remarkable isze. Peaches on
sandy loan yield we'll. We have
grown variety that averaged near
half pound to the peach, when the
fruit was properly thinned and; the
trees pruned.
Apples have heretofore received
but little attention, but trees are be-
ing planted out, and there is no
doubt but that the early or June ap-
pies will succeed we'll.
Plums of native varieties and of
the Chickasaw type yield abundantly,
while a species of Japan plum gives
us a lusnious fruit in the month of
March.
Figs of every variety grow and
yield as to the manor born.
There is no better country than this
for the production of the strawberry,
while the blackberry and dewberry
take possession of uncultivated
fields.
The orange, as our groves will
show, yields abundantly of it's golden
fruit. The lemon, citron and guava
will grow with some protection in
case of a heavy frost or slight freeze,
which we occasionally have.
The grape, in its varieties, except
that of Wits Vinifera, is produced in
perfection.
Though not properly coming under
the head Of fruits, we will here men,
tion that the almond, English and
black walnut and pecan, flourish with
US.
With such variety of fruits, a soil
adapted to their growth, and a mild
climate with its length of growing
season, nature having bestowed upon
us all we could ask, and there is re-
quired OF us nothing but emery and
perseverance, together with a knowl-
edge and love of this pursuit, to rem
der this section a vast field of or
chards and vineyards.
Our vines compare favorably with
those of any of the States. The esti.
mated yield is 1000 gallons to the
acre, while Italy to which our State
is often compared, averages but 44O
gallons.
The land of this section is gener.
ally high and rolling, hills and valleys
interspersed with beautiful clear wa
ter lakes, giving a variety of loca-
tions and soils suited to the different
fruits. In such country iudicious
and intelligent man must succeed.
We can picture to ourselves a neat
cottage, surrounded by variety of
fruit-ladened trees, a well-cared for
vineyard stretching out before you
with its mass of beautiful leaves va
ried in their forms and variegated in
their rich green tints, the dew-drops
with prismatic colors sparkling on
their velvet leaves like bright array
of diamonds; below in the distance
the crystalline waters of one of our
picturesque lakes, whose ripping
surface, famed by the gentle breeze
that watts toward you the honeyed