The Florida agriculturist., 1880-02-18

lumber, sponges, cigars, fisheries,
fruit and early vegetables, we have
an export trade that will give more
per capita to the, population than
any other state. There is also a
large amount of money continually
coming into the State from inyalids
living here who derive their income
from northern sources, and the money
sent by owners of orange groves ior
attendance and improvements. Many
strangers are curious to know what
becomes OF all the money. They
have only to travel over the State
and behold the immense number of
orange groves that have been plant
ed out in the last ten years, the num-
Der of fine houses that have been
erected, and the numerous small
towns and villages that had no ex.
istence a few years back. Sand hills
that old settlers looked on as worth
less are now the abodes of iudustri-
GUS men by the thousands Marshes
have been drained and made to
bloom with choice fruit and valuable
plants, hundreds of varieties OF new
fruit and choice products have been
introduced, but are not yet suffi.
GENTLY numerous to be placed on the
market, that strangers may know
what Florida can grow.
The country is SO large and the
settlements so scattered that hardly
anything can be known to the out
side world Of the progress being
made. The State is, however, being
peopled by go-ahead men who are
continually being invigorated by
others who come to join the work.
What will Florida be in the next
ten years ?
Those who were here when we
came ten years ago, must remember
the state of affairs at that time. 1t
was then considered dangerous to 60
to Orange or Volusia counties. The
person who ventured on such a Jour-
ney was considered fool-hardy Pa
latka was then just within the pale
of civilization. There was no one
to give instruction to the new set
tier. They had to work in the dark
and find ont everything by expert
ence. There We're no nurseries from
which they could get plants and had
to depend on old sour stumps for
making groves, and fortunes were
wasted in the attempt. Everything
they wanted had to be procured from
the north, or from Jacksonville which
was then a small place of wooden
houses.
Many who were led here in the
delusive hope OF planting orange
seeds and in few years making
81 900 per acre from groves, left in
disgust after they found that they
had to work. Honor to those who
stuck to it, and by hard work and
economy, perseverance and pluck,
are now reaping their reward in com.
Portable homes and fine groves. They
deserve it. Those who are coming
to settle here now have not to un-
dergo all these privations. If obliged
to work for their daily bread they
can always get employment enough
to support them. If they want trees
to plant they have excellent nurseries
to draw from, and they have the ex-
perience OF the older settlers as
guide. There is no hardship now for
those who chose 10 work. 1t is a
new country, yet not new country,
there is plenty of land to be bought
cheap, or be had by homesteading
and yet be near enough to all the
beneficial conditions of civilization.
What will Florida be in ten years
more? From what we have seen of
the past and can judge by the pro-
gress now being made, we say it will
be jewel OF the United States.
Our paper making, and fibrous ma