The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-11-30

lot has been cast in such pleasant places.S
SOD, Gimate, Rc.- Specimens Of eyery
variety Of soil known to Florida may be
found IN the Middle Distrsct," a. Il IL
sometimes called, but in remrly all the
hin country " it 10 the richest ham
mock the best soil in the State. High
pine" land, the next beat, 10 also found
among the hills and 10 tie level. table
lands lying hack Of them. The - fat
woods" below the foot Of the hills and
towards the coast, are not productive rs
general thing, and require much tenn
pering and care before they ..sn BE brought
up BY fertilizing. Yet in Iaany localities
of the fat woods are found ridges and
low hammocks exceedingly fertile; while
along the rivers and creeks the 9 bottoms -
are equal in fertility to the famous Miss
issippi river bottom lands. The climate
has been spoken Of above, and although
much may here be said. is 1is not to be
forgotten that the climate Of Florida II
80 well-known everywhere NJ to scarcely
need description. If there 10 any differ
ence between Middle Florida and the
other sections, it undoubtedly lies in the
fact that il is the most unquestionably de-
lightful climate " for summer wearn in
the entire South. Indeed, scarcely any
one who has never experienced It, can
understand how it is possible in this lati-
tude for the days and nights, week after
week, throughout the whole summer, to
be SO cool and brscing In temperature,
and, at the same time, so Eerfect and de-
lightfully free from those sitting and OPP
pressive "spells which the residents of
other regions know SO we'll as character
istic of the dog-days. The hottest time,
if there is any hotter thar another, is in
early June, and again, close, sultry sea-
son, of few days only, comes in Sep
TENDER, about the time OF the "equinox-
ial." For the rest, the daily showers
every afternoon, and the constant sea
breezes from the Gulf, keep the tempera-
ture equable, fresh, Pleasant and uniform.
The winters are dry, the g rainy season
coming in summer. The coolest weather
is usually in January, and there is some
times drizzling, sleety ard unpleasant
storm in that month; as also an occa-
sional singh blow y in the autumn, Sep
TENDER or October Frosts are said to be
"exactly six months apartsr but as green
peas, new Irish potatoes and other gar
den products are commoii at Christmas,
there is room for much. speculation on
this subject.
There is one thing very certain as to
the climate. 1t is that the yellow fever
cannot exist here. 1t bas never been
known here, at least; and when it has
visited some of the sea-bDard towns, the
people have "fied to the mountains" of
Middle Florida for safety And repose, and
never without avail. Nor-has the disease
ever been introduced by this means 30 as
to spread, although those stricken by it,
deadly virus before leaving the infected
locality have often come to Middle Flor
ida, sometimes to die, but often to recov-
er. Consumption, asthma, catarrh and
other diseases are often cured, and always
rendered less virulent, by removal to this
climate. +.
L0nds, Prices, Ec.-Gcod lands, lying
within ten miles of railroad or river
transportation, and well improved, can
be bought from $3 to &6 per acre; lands
lying nearer, from $40 to $25 per acre
uncleared lands, of coufse, are much
cheaper, and all are sold according to
quality. There are still some government
lands in most of the cognties, but the
greater part of those desirable in quality
have been taken up long ago. Of State
lands the same is true, except that it is
easier to find them of gopd quality than
government lands But there is so much
land of every sort, kind, description and
price, held by private parties (not specu-
lators), that no one coming to buy in good
faith can by any possibility fail to be
suited.
Prodyctions.-By reference to the table
of agricultural statisticS printed else
where, the products of the country may
be easily inferred. 1t may not be amiss
to say, however, in this Connection, that
the list of possible produces IL far greater
than appears by the table. All the vege-
tables of the garden are easily and pro-
fusely produced here, but generally for
private use, and the table only names .
few raised especially for shipment.
Strawberries, especially, have been found
to be a most reliable aHd prolific crop;
and other small fruits isre being tried,
As to apples, the summer and autumn
varieties do well but the.more hardy and
slow-growing winter kinda are believed to
be unsuited to the climate; though as yet
little has been done in tho way of testing
them.
Exemption La,cs, R0te of Interest,
7d1es.-The State laws exempt to every
head of q family homestead Of l6O acres
in the country, or half an acre in town,
together with 81 900 worth of such per-
sonal property as the owner may select.
The legal rate Of interest is 8 per cent,
but contracts may be made for any rate,
Taxes are rather high, but under the pres
ent administration have! been, and ara
likely to be further, reduced. The treas
ury is solvent, paying cash on all warrants
drawn against it, and..the3bonded debts of
the State are gradually. being reduced,
and interest is paid thereon promptly.
Transportation, Fares, FFeigkts. -The
cheapest route for reaching Middle Flori-
da from the West Is by way Of Louisville.
Nashville, Montgomery, Eufaula and the
Chattahoocheefiyer. A3saving Of shout
so on each fare il madelby the selection
of this route but it has some disadvan-
tages, for the several lines Of steamers on
the river, instead of arranging their sched-
ules 90 a. to make daily boat. As thew
might easily do, are engaged in constant
warfare over the carriagii Of freights, and
thus the passenger interest i neglected.
From Eufaula to Live bak by rail. and
thence by the J. p. d III road 10 the next
best route; and from the East the several
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