The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-02-18
Now and Then.-Orange County.
Editor Of The Florida Agriculturist

Now and Then.-Orange County.
Editor Of The Florida Agriculturist
To ascertain satisfactorily the
amount or degree of Improvement
that has taken place in country, we
must look back to its status or con-
dition few years ago, and compare
them.
The citizens of Orange county,
Florida, may well be proud of the
result attending such investigation.
The past ten years have shown such a
development of her resources and
large increase of population as proves
that herpeculiar adaptation to the cul-
ture of semi-tropical fruits and the
raising of early vegetables for the
northern and western markets is be.
ing appreciated and must continue to
be the objective point of many other
immigrants, until this section will be
densely populated. M
Ten years ago Orange county was
vast wilderness, with a few farms
scattered over the country, like green
spots in desert. The principle bus.
mess of the Inhabitants was the rails
ing OF cattle; they discouraged immi-
grants from settling among them.
They cultivated small areas of land
in corn, cotton, cane and potatoes.
Two small halnlets, Fort Reed and
Orlando, were the only towns in the
county. At each place was a post
Office, this comprised the mail tacll-
tiles. Orange culture had received
but little attention the Gym and
Hughey groves being the largest in
the county. Almost every house had
a few trees which afforded sufficient
fruit for family use.
Tie number of registered voters
was 139 aud it was difficult matter
to get enough jurors to make up the
pannels. This was the condition of
the county when ] moved to it, and
the progress of development was
slow, but as the country became bet
ter known, many invalids moved in
to receive the benefit to be derived
from its peculiar elimatie- influence
over certain classes of diseases. Each
one pleased with the climate and
fruit growing capacities, have advised
their friends to come and cast in their
lot with US.
Ten years ago we had bu. few
school houses and cheap teachers
were preferred. Now we have forty
FIVE public schools and several pri-
vate schools OF high grade. The
South Florida Seminary, at Apopka,
prepares students to enter college.
In place OF only two post offices,
there are thirty-one, having at several
points a daily mail. A telegraph
line passes through the county with
an Office at Sanford, giving us rapid
communication with the outer world.
The transportation facilities are rap.
idly increasing, there being some fit
teen arrivals OF steamers at Sanford,
weekly and a semi.weekly steamer
on the Wekiva to Clay Spring in the
interior of the county. "A railroad is
being constructed from Volusia to
Fort Mason, on Lake Eustis, with a
locomotive running upon the com.
pleted portion. Other railroads are
in progress OF construction and in a
short time all portions of the county
will have ready access to market for
their products. Even now the
freightlng of our oranges is a consid-
cradle item. Three weekly news
papers are we'll sustained in the
county and should be Subscribed fol
by all who wish to know what pro-
gress we are making and what new
products are being introduced that
are adapted to this section. A com
pany have purchased machinery to
dredge a thirty feet wide canal, from
the large Lake Ahapopka to Lake
Dora for the purpose OF enabling the
Ocklawaha boats to navigate the lake
and also to drain the many thousands
of acres now covered with saw grass;
this will also bring into cultivation
large bodies of low hammock on the
southern borders of the lake. l have
thus given briet recapitulation Of
what has been accomplished IN
the past ten years. Orange county
has much to commend her to the at.
tention of those seeking new homes
her high, rolling lands, dry atmos'
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