The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-08-17

Hiaklng IL desltd PiS 10Y ''"'i a.
to raise stock horses, sheep and hogs.
The creek is properly chain OF lakes,
called COW house, Betsy, Geneva, and
several others that do not rememN
Der, from one to six miles long ana
halt as wide, as you go south towards
Polk county, there is TO be found
SOME fiat " GODS and some pine ridges
Of excellent quality of land, plenty OF
cypress timber in along The creek and
some small patches of cedar timber
on the east OF these hills you approach
the great lake Apopka, which has
thousands OF acres OF fine hammock
| land mostly State.
With here and there a settlement
| along the border of mostly choice
| hammock land, which are we'll adap-
| ted to semi>tropical fruits, and vege-
tables, there are some rare bargains
to he had now of partly improved
places, and as there is prospect of a
canal from lake Dora into the Apop-
ka within the next twelve or fifteen
months, think 1t desirable part Of
Sumter County to settle in. The
State reserves three fitths of it's land
on the LAKE which is now III the mar.
ket. So L understand that the Canal
Company hold two tifths for digging
the channel. There is quite a settles
ment at West Aporka, rather scatter.
ed up and down the lake tor four
miles, all good citizens and church
going people, one store and Baptist
Church, just completed, and voting
precinct, also school house, which
will be well patrOnized this coming
fall and winter making it quite desira.
bic for a new country home. AS you
pass on beyond lake Apopka south,
another chain of ridges are crossed,
and away in the southeast corner of
the county is lake john, fine body of
water, surrounded by the best of pine
and hammock land considerably set
tied up, and here are some fine young
orange groves, and bananas and guav-
as in abundance, the cold last winter
did but little damage and at this time
the guava bushes are ioom andn bl
fruit, and bananas look as though 10
cold weather ever saw them. Here
is fine section OF country, and l am
told that it is equally as good on to
the line OF Polk county, and in fact
the most desirable and frost protec'.
Ell part OF Sumter county lays in here
IL ostly unsettled. | propose as soon
rs the weather gets cool aud the flies
leave to go over this part of Sumter
county Tor the purpose Of spying ont
he country and laying it before the
Iruit club for the benefit OF the couu.
Try, II it meets your approval. Since
writing the the foregoing the survey
Or, cl the projected railroad company
called the Key West, Tampa and
railroad, have made
their appearance on the lake from
Tampa, they are running between
Double Run, thence on the east side
OF lake Harris, crossing Dead River,
and in between lake Griffin and lake
EustiS, and will probably cross tho
Ocklawaha at or near Orange Spring.
That this road will be built some
where near this line, there is not
much doubt, as the object of the com
any is to divide the lake region, and
afford good transportation tor veg
etables and fruits. This line runs
through Polk county, touches near
Barlow and lake JOHN in the east COR
ner OF Sumter and opens up some OF
he lands already described in this
report. If this road is built, Sumter
county will certainly have the most
favorable facilities for quick transpo-
tati n ofanl of our Southern coun>
ties, an with her cnoice lands there
is nothing to hinder. her If m taking
the lead, not only in fruits and vege>
tables but in points oi attention and