The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-11-19

Deand yOusia County, Florida Wednesday, November 1989

about two years. He took wild
land on the railroad tor the sake of
its convenience for shipping vegeta-
bles, etc., in preference to going far.
ther back and buying an improved
place. He has had as many draw
backs and discouragements as any
settler in Florida is subject to but is
hard worker and knows what he is
about. Last year he produced some
excellent cucumbers and this coming
spring will probably be among the
first in the market with this and
other early vegetables.
He is building very neat house,
80 feet square, with second story
16x30 feet which is to be surmounted
with a cupola. The house will con-
tain parlor, dlning-room and kitch-
en- on the first floor. A number of
young orange trees about the place
are looking very promising.
Mr.. Chas. w. Norton, from Ala
bama, owns two sections OF very
fine pine land here. Most of the
land in this section belongs to the
railroad though there is some govern
ment.
The settlement of Highlands,
from which the post-office takes its
name, lies east of this point and ex-
tends for four miles into fine Sec
tion OF rolling pine land, checked
with brooks running in almost every
direction and emptying into Black
creek. In the region OF the creek is
to be found a large extent Of rich
pine and hammock land. The high
lands are of the best for orange
trees being deep yellow sand with
clay unnerneath and are of the same
character as the orange lands OF Vo-
lusia and Orange counties.
Being drained by the numerous
hr9olSpsthev are remarkahlz. health,
ls.fsss Slsr-ro4 NIlir Araasn,, sl1ae,st 'Ul sne
/ settlers here have chosen this local
ity. There is yet to be case of
fever and ague reported in the vicin-
ity.
Eight miles from the settlement is
Middleburg, on Black creek, the
head OF navigation on the creek and
which was, before the war, a point
where large quantities Of cotton
were shipped. But let us go back
and call on the settlers as we find
them on the road from the post-office.
First is Mr. Geo. B. Chew. He
has been settled on his 12O acres
about two years. His place is about
mile and half from the station.
Although not farmer he finds That,
with good Judgment which is neces-
sary for any undertaking, and indus
try which everyone practices VINO
succeeds in making his way in the
world, he is fast getting his land into
tillable condition. He grows sweet
potatoes, corn, pease, beans, several
of the different kinds of ground nuts
for stock and the usual garden vege.
tables. He speaks very highly Of
the goober as food for hogs and says
it is very prolific and grows we'll in
new land. He has quite number OF
cattle and hogs which any one might
be glad to possess who has been in
Florida no longer than he has. His
success is due to his own efforts
since coming to the State.
Next is Mr.. Greenwood, two miles
from post office. He has 122 acres
and a neat little house. Like Mr..
Chew he is not a farmer but is
close observer and practical man.
The beauty in coming to Florida to
farm is that ore may be as successful
as another. For the management OF
crops here IS so different from that
in the North that all must be learn
ers.
Mr.. Greenwood has been quite sue
cessful with his farming operations
for this his first year in Florida, al
though he has confined himself TO
small piece OF land in order to go
ahead sa tely and learn as he goes,
Half amile further on is the place
of Mr.. l. G. Blanchard. This gentle
man is one of the first settlers and
a most indefatigable worker for
the advancement of the place. AL
though he has no team and is not
big, heavy man he has managed, by
constant work, to bring out many OF
| tho heaufiea which his experienced