The daily gazette., 1879-03-13
IN THE SUNNY SOUTH.
rom the West Chester Local News

From the West Chester Local News.
OW readers will remember our making
mention last month of Mr.. Davis Gar
rett, OF Willistown township, going to
Florida for the purpose Of observation
and pleasure. We have two letters of
private character written by him-one to
NJ. 4. Bartram, of Willistown, the other
to our townsman, Mr.. Harry Warren, and
from them we are permitted to make the
following extracts, which go to show that
Mr.. Garrett has taken both his eyes with
him, as it is evident little escapes his no.
tice. He describes the Florida State Fair
briefly as follows OF oranges he speaks
OF ten filling peck measure, some weigh
ing pound each, among them beng the
variety known as the "Bidnell PRICE,
and others even larger. Florida grasses,
such as Pearl Millet and Golden Millet,
in seed and by the bushel, very fine.-
Early Rose, winter growth, good size fol
table use' Green Rye taken from the
field in head white and yellow corn in
variety and very fine. Upland rice in
five different lots heads of cabbage, each
so large as to require effort to get them
into bushel basket, and very solid. l
think Florida excels all other States ex-
cept California for cabbages. Indian
squash, Gamma starch and Caulifower,
the largest ever saw, some of them as
large as half-bushel. The display of
verbenas, phlox, hyacnth, daphnies, ca
melias and violets attracted my attention
by their great beauty and the artistic
manner of arrangement. The collection
OF native ferns was also very beautiful.
N no inrr l,a I
shaddocks "a inches in girth. The dis
play of citrons, mandarins, lines, lem
ons, bananas, etc, forcibly reminded me
of our own fall exhibition; but when
recalled the fact of this being in mdwin-
ter, the similarity was somewhat dispell-
ed. There were large lots of sugar-cane
and variety of sugars and syrups. A
plate OF winter-ripened guaras from
Manitee county, large display of TASTE
ful wines from the orange and grape,
while preserves and jellies, made from
the many fruits, elected much favorable
comment.
The vegetable kingdom was well rep
resented in turnips, radishes, beets, cab
bages, caulfiowers, beans in pod, lettuce,
onions and fresh sweet potatoes from
Manitee county, where 200 bushels to
the acre are raised on pine land with
ease, without the aid Of manure. I saw
some lemons that measured Is inches
girth measure, the party displaying them
having 100 trees, all thrifty and in bear
ing condition. One gentleman told me
his orange trees were 30 years old and
they still average him 8 barrels per tree,
which he sells in New York at SO per
barrel, after paying 81 % freight per bar
rel. They require but little cultivation
and he grows potatoes between the rows.
l find good display of poultry: Turk
eys, pure white ones; bronze and wild
geese and a splendid pen OF wild Canada
ducks. Nearly all the varieties of chick
ems were displayed, while rabbits, dogs
and two pens of wild deer (perfec1y
tame) served to interest many. The dis
play of farm machinery was poor aud in
complete. A dump cart, something new
here, attracted much attention. IL was
poorly constructed and | wished / had
one of the Chester county kind to show
what good cart really is.
As for pigs the Jersey Reds and Ber-
shires formed the display, and some of
them were about one-third head. Hong
ed for few samples of the good old
Chester White stock, with my friend +.
Asbridge in charge.
The horses were quite fine ones, and
racing much indulged in, but to this fea-
ture gave but little attention. | was
surprised at seeing the natives coming
to the Fair. Whole families came crowd
Ell into one-horsce cart with the driver
astride the horse--lnes seldom being
used. Many families camp out on the
Fair Grounds during the entire fair, and
The scene is tiuly motley one. | no.
ticed on the cars they were more colored
than white, and they sit promiscuously.
| see little discrimination as to color OBJ
served. On my train we Were honored
by having on board the ex-member of
Congress from Stark county, to Mantee;
| am in excellent health. The country Is
beautiful. Flowers are blooming on all
trees are blooming beautifully. l will
write again, DAVIS GARNETT