The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-03-10
An Island in the Sea.
PINELLAs, FLORIDA.

All lclhtlU III Ollc Ccis
P1NELLAs, FLORIDA.
Editor of The Florida Agriculturst
For long time we of this section
have kept quiet, though we were sat-
isfied that ours was, upon the whole.
the most attractive and best fruit
and vegetable sectionin the State. I
for one have not been disposed, here.
tofore, to elbow" much, as our farm.
ing lands-the means by which most
of our people have heretofore lived
are quite poor, and the season not
reliable enough to justify agricultural
pursuits and there being no rail-
road or other speedy and cheap
transportation for our garden truck
But now that the oldis passing away
and the new era is upon us, I am in
spired by motives in behalf of the
nation, and the best interests of
the whole human race to add my
mite in displaying this light, which is
in the near future to throw it's golden
rays ard wonderful blessings over
this vast common country.
By reference to the map you will
see that our Point Of Pines enjoys
very peculiar and advantageous loca-
tion for the cultivation of the
hardest tropical and tender
est semi-tropical plants, vegeta-
bles and fruits. While the health of
its people can never be questioned,
being continually famed by the
breezes from gulf and bay. The
exemption from the annoyance of in
sects peculiar to E.sas3S countries is
tnoB one or our Iedst adj 9dEIages. The
location and climatic advantages are
the points which 1 wish to urge to
the prospector, or to any one wish
ing to have grove of oranges, lem
ons, lines, citroDs, guavas, mangos,
alligator pears, or of other fruit of
which l may not know at present.
These are the only kinds OF impor.
tance that l know to be eminently
adapted or suited to this section. AS
an evidence of the correctness OF
these statements can say that with
in the memory of the oldest inhabi-
tants none OF the citrus fruits have
ever been killed, and that the guava
trees on the premises of Mr.. ".
Leonardy have never in ten years
been in the least injured by cold.
The largest of the trees measure
from thirty to thirty-nine inches in
circumference, spread twenty five to
thirty feet, and bear annually from
ten to fifteen bushels of the finest
guavas. l have specimens of the
mango apple tree in my yard as fine
as ever grew in Mexico or elsewhere,
one of which bore first crop OF 279
mangos at four years of age. Ii has
a leaf not extra large, measures fif-
teen inches long and three and a
quarter inches broad. The alligator
pear too is equally at home, speci-
mems Of which, at five years OF age,
are magnificent trees and now full of
bloom. l have grown pine apples in
my yard without any protection at
all, for six years. This year we havehad
no frost. Since the first of January
the mercury has not been lower than
500 nor higher than 800. 1 kept no
account previous to this. Very we'll
[ know these advantages have been
claimed for many other sections,
even north of the 28th0 of latitude,
but sensible people ought to know
that those who claim these points
are simply enthusiasts. However, !
do not mean to discourage the SET
element of other sections, for there
may be other advantages that we do
not possess, and | write this letter
to attract few of the intelligent and
industrious people who are reading
your paper and prospecting for a
home In Florida.
l have been urging the people of
our section to plant largely OF the
earlier bearing fruit and let the more
northerly portion of the State pro.
duce oranges, they being much the
hardest. But as there are so few
people that have an idea of what
L I