The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-07-28

George Island, where one gets a
pleasant sea breeze. This summer
the hotel on the island is open. al
though it is generally only open in
the winter, like all the Floridian
hotels. We found a good number of
people, and a pleasant breeze; buv
OH the mosquitoes, they were
awful, aud quite destroyed the
pleasure OF sitting out on the veranda
OF an evening; aud in dressing
and undressing in ones bedroom,
you had to look expeditions or they
would soon bite you trighttully, es-
pecially on the feet
a Florida sea beach is truly
lovely sight the white sand, the blue
sea, and then, further inland, the cab.
bage palm trees and fine oaks, the
whole full of life; the beach, with
the sandcrabs and other creatures
rushing about, the porpoises and
sharks swimming close to shore, and
pelicans and ospreys fishing, with
now and then butterfly going on
voyage out to sea. There is bad
bar to the st. Johns river at the
mouth, over which heavy surf beats,
and several boats have been lost
there There is an appropriation tor
its improvement by the United
States Government of 5000, and
if dredged so that larger vessels can
get up to Jacksonville, it will greatly
help the city. Now, boats drawing
fourteen feet can just get over; but
it is hoped this appropriation of
S125,000 may increase the depth to
eighteen :eet. There is another bar,
called the Volusia bar, some 100
miles up the river, and where it en-
ters Lake George. The new town Of
Sanford, at the head OF the steam
boat Navigation, 1913 miles from
Jacksonville, has grown apace, and
has future before it. 1t came into
existence ia 1861 In 1870 there
were two ST Steamboat arriyal ga. ~. s.
from Jacksonville; there are now in.
the winter tTenty-six. There were
then two post-offices in the county
! IOrange county,, now Sanford is the
distributing point for fifty-six post
offices There were no public
schools at that time, now there are
fifty; then there were some twenty
orange groves, now there are 1900
of which number 100 are on the San
ford Grant. After sundown the
whole Of the visitors at the hotel
turned out, the buggies drove up, to
the door, and having put Oh their
fulI.dress bathing apparel they started
for the beach to bath in the surf. A
drive over the sand of some mile and
half brough: them to the water,
into which, Notwithstanding the
sharks, of whom there are plenty,
they Immediately plunged. There
seems a good deal Of risk in this, but
no accident has ever occurred, though
ladies and children bathe. When
several people go into the water to.
gether the risk is, OF course, much
diminished
The summer boats running from
Jacksonville 10 Fort George Island
are small and uncomfortable; like
everything else, the good boats are
kept for the winter. There is moth
ing OF interest to be seen on the wav
down the river but the green timber
clad banks, with now and then an un-
usually hign cabbage. palm towering
mp in the distance. There is the site
of Confederate battery, erected
during what is called the Late un-
pleasantness," on the starboard side.
l met a Scotch gentleman who came
to Florida for his health in the
autumn Of last year; he describes
the climate in wiuter as absolute
perfection. In January last the
roses and orange trees were in full
blossom, and strawberries began in
November, and are going now. l
think Florida has "a grand future, and
is certainly u pleasant country to
live in, though it has its drawbacks.
1t is not England, nor do know any
State that is, although l have been
through the west, northwest, and
eastern states. Had | been born
and raised" iii America | am sure |
should have had a greater horror Of
our English climate than | have,
which is considerable as it is. Peo.
,lo co,niucy IN Florida from Enrono