The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-12-21

We make the following extracts from
) recent letter Of W. II. B.,"'the Jack.
sonville correspondent Of the Savannah
Morning Nesos, and commend what is
said by him to the thoughtful attention of
every inhabitant of Middle Florida:
There are men in this State who annually
raise and sell oranges TO the value Of &25 900.
These persons would smile In contempt at an
offer of 100000 for their groves, planted by
them within the last twelve years The cuitiva-
ton Of this fine fruit 10 becoming big thing Id
Florida, and is continually assuming krander
proportions There are merchant princes In
many of the large cities, and in a few years we
shall have orange nabobs in Florida.
If the cotton growers In the Black Belt
would forswear their fealty to the monarch, of
whom they have been for SO long time obee-
quious courtiers, and put but q portion Of their
broad and fertile lands in orange trees the scales
that now close their eyes would drop of, and
they would awake toa new revelation as well as
to q revolution in previous operations. These
men have choice lands, cleared and generally
convenient 10 transportation. Take an acre OF
their lands and plant it in orange Trees In from
ten to twelve years it will be worth from Two to
five hundred dollars, besides paying for itself
during that period. Continue to plant it in cot
ton, and in ten years II will bring little if any
more than it would at present
Sin your last Wednesdays issue, under the
head of Florida Affairs was this notice, brief,
but wonderfully suggestive: A gentleman of
Sumter county has refused $50, 900 for an 18acre
orange grove, with three acres in bearing Now,
Messrs Cotton Planters of Gadsden, Leon, JEFF
| ferson and Madison, wouldn't any of you Jump
at such an offer tor your estates of TWO, three,
| four or five thousand acres? You work hard
| from March to January to make and gather half
bale OF cotton, worth $25 per acre, while there
| are hundreds of orange trees in East Florida
each annually netting for its owner more than
the sum mentioned, with less than fourth of
the labor, trouble and expense. If you would
| only start small groves say of five acres along
the line of your raiload, where they could
| he seen by travellers, in very short time you
| would be receiving proposals from cash purchas-
| ers that would fill you with establishment Let
| me whisper little secret in your ears. Hun
| dreds nay thousands of rich Northern and
| Western people come out to this section of the
| State every winter. With scarcely an exception
they make frequent trips up the ST. Johns and
| Ocklawaha rivers. All along the banks of these
| streams they gaze with delighted eyes upon
orange groves, and their rich foliage dotted with
| golden fruit. They see neat residences substan-
| tia fences, and all the evidences OF thrift and
| prosperity, and being generally men OF very
| Practical turn of mind, they get TO thinking, and
this is the train of their reflections My health
| or comfort makes it necessary for me TO 60 to
| Florida every winter. II is quite expensive to
|
| hotel. l believe I'll buy a small place in some
| pleasant neighborhOOd where can feel at home
and where my friends can visit me, and where
| can find something to occupy my time. Besides,
| it would be capital idea to make the place pay
| all my expenses. 1t doesn't take long to reach
| this conclusion, and ere great while Mr.. Yer
| mont or Mr. Wisconsin has purchased his little
estate and is learnedly discussing the scale insect
| the different varieties OF the citrus, and the
various modes of grating. Florida has gained
family OF good citizens and the South some
| friends to fight her battles.
| g If our Middle Florida friends would demon
| strate that they can raise the orange as safely
| and as proitably on their soil as in Putnam,
| Orange. Volusla or Sumter counties, they would
soon effect great change in their condition for
the better, and attract immigration. Their lands
| are better and cheaper than those in East
| Florida, beautifully unduatng and with greater
| diversity OF scenery. If Tallahassee and the
surrounding country will do their level best to
| get up irstclass fair in January, with special
display OF the citrus family, and make arrange
ments for cheap excursion from this city, much
| good might be effected. The train should run
| by day, tn afford visitors an opportunity to see
| the country through which they were passing.
| Excursions should be arranged also to ST. Marks
and to that enchanting spot, Wakulla Spring.
| Besides these attractions the presence of that
| distinguished body, The Florida Legislature.
| should serve as additional inducement.
| A degree of cold that will seriously injure the
orange at Tallahassee may well cause the grow
| ers in the East 10 be alarmed Orange belts
| are more imaginary than real, and are devices
gotten up by land spectators and interested par
ties. They are bugbears and deusions. Flour
| ishing and profitable orange groves line the
Chattahoochee river, and should ornament the
| line of the jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile
| Railroad. They will do so in five years if the
residents consult their true interests
When the cotton men learn by experience
that a bearing orange grove Of twenty oacres is
| worth more than a cotton plantation OF five
| hundred and can get rid of some of their old
| fashioned, ante-bellum notions they will be richer
| wiser and more independent. They can manage
| such business without the assistance of Sambo
| and Dinah, who will always permit the fleecy
| staple To get in the grass ar be beaten out by
| storms, if there is political gathering or camp
meeting anywhere in the neighborhood. This
| alone would be contamination most devoutly
| to he desired, and would save much trouble OF
mind and ribulation of spirit.
| Why not get up display OF the citrus family
from Middle Florida for the fair to he held IN this
city the latter part of January? Let it be
| placed in charge of a committee Of gentlemen
from that section, thoroughly conversant with
their country, its soils, productions, prices of
| lands, etc. Such collection would be given
| prominent position, and the committee would be
| kept busy in replying TO questions from eager
| nquircrs. Make suitable selection IF articles
/ from those exhibition at the Tallahassee fair
| and you will not regret the time, trouble and
| expense involved. ] throw out these random
suggestions for the benefit of my friends 10 Middle
| Florida, WIN can, verify believe, share to
great extent in the progress and prosperity of the
| St Johns river region
/ " Is il not worth the effort to make an acre of
| your land worth now say ten dollars, bring
| thousand or fifteen hundred in ten or twelve
| years? These are big figures, but this is what
has been done down this way. Governor Blox-
| ham and Captain Houstoun, Of Tallahassee, who
have lately been through portion of the orange
| grove country, will corroborate the above state
| ments Governor Drew told me last Saturday
that he had young grove Of six acres and in
tended to set out five more this winter. He EVIL
| dent has faith in oranges as well as in lumber.
| RICE CULTURE.