Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-27
CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA.
A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY.
MelrOse. Clay County snd the Green
Cove Spring and melrOse Railroad
Future Prospects of the County
Inducements offered 30 Immi-
grants.


renowned river, has at last been enrolled
among the progressive counties Of this State.
Penetrated by Black Creek. a considerable
stream, navigable to Middeburg, which, with
its tributaries, afford ample drainage to the
low lying lands in the middle and eastern dis
tricts, with valuable mill sites and other local
motor privileges. while the western portion of
the county, from Georges Lake to the Santa
Fe westward, and to Lake Kingsley on the
north, is intersperse1 with many beautiful
clearwater lakes, from an area of one acre
to that of many thousands. These lakes being
invariably surrounded by dry. rolling, pine
timbered forests, with handsome building sites,
impart an unusual attractiveness to the
whole face of the country.
From Merose, in the extreme southwest
part of the county, to Green Cove Spring. five
mi es below the southern intersection of the
county line with the St. Johns, distance or
thirty.tw two miles, a narrow gauge road of splen-
did equipment will soon be in operation,
throwing open to the world the entire county,
and offering this hitherto disregarded section
with its virgin privileges, to immediate settle
ment Though sparsely occupied at present,
there is no portion of this entire route but,
with industry, might be converted into valua-
BILE homes. Preparations are already being
made for the construction of saw mills along
this new road. and lands are eagerly sought
for buildings and farms. The old settlers are
waking up at last, and are beginning to realize
that the thousands of acres hitherto abandoned
to the production of wild spontaneous grasses
and the occupation of half-domesticated herds
of cattle and hogs will soon be divided and
subdivided, and that new and varied industries
will dispute the primitive rights of those who
so little appreciate the boundless forests
around them.
By the new road-an easy run of less than
two hours-wiI connect the Santa Fe Lake,
one of the most beautiful sheets of water in
the world, ana covering an area of not less than
thirty-five square miles, with the st John s. the
great commercial artery of the State All
along this route turpentine farms saw mills,
market gardens, corn, rice and cotton fields.
orange groves and vineyards. with handsome
houses and busy towns, will spring into exist
ence, and old Clay county, known only in the
past as wild stock region, with a thinly set
tied rural population, will TEEN with wide
awake, enterprising, stirring humanity from
every part of The world. For such is the magic
influence of the iron horse" that as he passes
through an unappropriated land increased
settlement and production, with social en-
lghtenment, follow in his wake with surprising
rapidity. Three classes of pine lands prevail
in this county-flat woods, or such as are sub
ject to become too wet during periods of pro
tracted rain; intermediate or slightly rolling
up lands and sand hills. The last mentioned,
or lake gion, are always dotted here and there
with ponds and lakes, while the lower lands
through the middle and southern portions Of
the county, are watered by creeks and
branches. Excellent pine lands with occasional
hummockS of great fertility are found along
these streams and on the borders of the lakes,
while the scrubs are considered too poor and
sandy for profitable cultivation.
An average product per acre for the better
class of these pine lands, when fertilized and
planted in the usual crop, with good cultiva-
tion, is about as follows: For long staple
cotton. from 500 to 800 pounds; corn, Is to 20
bushels; sugar cane, from 10 to II barrels Of
syrup and sugar; sweet and Irish potatoes,
from 100 to 400 bushels; rice, 40 to 60 bushels;
oats, from 10 to 20 bushes tobacco about
1000 pounds dry leaf; pinders and chufas, not
less than 100 bushels; while the common COW
pes, on new pine land. will produce from 10
to - bushels without manure or cultivation.
OF course, the above results are varied by
different conditions incident to soil, seasons
and cultivation, but are sufficiently approx
native to give a correct idea of the productive
capacity of the soil throughout the county
under fair treatment, and to warrant the as
sertion that with fairly productive soil and
an eminently healthful climate and locality
especially adapted to semi-tropieal fruit
culture soon to become accessiDleeto quick
transportation, this whole section hes an un-
usual combination of advantages, Which it
seems no superciliOus assumption of prophecy
to pre- dict will be soon appreciated and en-
braced.
Take rice, tobacco and sugar-these crops
alone-as a basis Of agriculture for East Flori-
da, and its capacity for future wealth and pros
perity are unequaled anywhere in the United
States, for these crops grow to astonishing per-
fection here, with the rudest and simplest at
te1tion. And as the supply Of rice and sugar
throughout the world has never vet eQualed
the demand, and as long as all men chew to-
bacco and smoke cigars, there can be little
danger of over-production and a consequent
deterioration in prices in either crop. The
climate and soil seem peculiarly propitious
to these crops (of almost universal consump-
tom and with the Introduction of improved
machinery for their manufacture, an unprece-
dentei impetus will be given to the agricul-
tural prosperity Of the country from their cul-
tiyatiOn alone.
In the palmy days of anti-rebeIdom, when
the darkeys had made the fertile fields of
Middle Florida teem with the snowy staple,
and the lordly planters ginhouseS and barns
groaned under their wealth giving burdens,
poor little Clay county was only considered to
be despised, and IFS humble and contented pee
pie, though always good and true, lad no
showing in the aristocratic world of wealth
and splendor. Progress that irrepressible law
OF human action, has wrought many changes,
and in this quandam state of things, It seems
inevitable that while Middle Elorida-one Of
the most lovely and attractive portions of the
green earth-wlll struggle on under the bur-
den and the curse Of over-much freedom, and
make comparatively slow advancement, the
poor pine lands of East Florida-taEing this
county as fair Sample-will be settled by an en-
terprising mass of working white people, from
all counties and classes. and grow rich by a
hundred money making industries For lav
down the incontrovertible proposition that
East Florida is capable of supporting a denser
population than any other portion of the
American continent, and especially in this pSr-
With a climate so pleasant and healthful that
there Is not physician in the county support
ed ~ his profession; where the orange and
lemon are grown to perfection; where grapes
never cot, and the curculio is not known; where
corn, rice, sugar cane and cotton, arrow root,
cassava, tobacco, sweet potatoes and all
garden vegetables grow and make perfect
cropS-If properly attended; where two crops
may be gathered from the same land every
year per cons eQuence, giving double chance
OF support to the inhabitants; where the
mulberry is indigenous to the soil, and so
suited to the climate as to AFFORD luxuriant
foliage nine months in the year, thus
admitting silk culture to an assured
position as one of the paying dinustries of this
country, and which, from the very force of
progress. is destined to be practically adopted
within the next ten years; where the scupper-
nong. the best wine grape in the world. is
found in nearly every farmers ward and the
pecan tree, bearing the popular nut of com
merce, is grown to the fruiting age in six years
from the seed; where figs, peaches, plums
pomegranates, Strawberries and melons are
found everywhere in abundance; where, with
all these easily possible produetions-sugar
cotton, wine, silk, oranges, rice, arrow-root
cassava, corn, tobacco-and hundred minor
products-who could ask for or what country
can offer more inviting array of tempting
industriess
In the great West one crop in the year is all
that is hoped for, and if that fails by reason OF
drought or frost apother season must intervene
before anoGher planting is possible. Here one
crop may succeed another-if not of the same
kluu, yet some OCner rO0Q-pr0ducing substitute
Throughout the entire year.
Visit the beautiful valleys of Virginia and
Tennessee, or She famous blue grass farms of
Kentucky, or the rich prairie lands of Illinois,
Indiana and Ohio, in summer, and the eve is
delighted with the luxuriGnt grass and waving
grain. The elephantine oxen, fat horses, hogs
and sheep impress the visitor from the uninn-
proved regions Of the South with an idea Of
gross abundance. What an attractive country
What limitless supplies Of the comforts of life
literal paradise of pork and plentyl But
when winter sets in with its long, dreary season
Of cold winds, ice and snow, mighty change
comes over the spirit OF the scene and to feed
the summers crop and keep from freezing is
then the live-long order of the day There the
farmers crops are literally grass and grain.
and if grass and grain should fail all is ever
with man aud beast until another Year rolls
round His great fear in good seasons is over.
production, and CONSEQUENT depression in
prices or how to dispose of his unwieldy sur
pug ne Ass no choice but to grow grass and
gram and to raise stock Here we may grow
grass and grain and raise stock too, and with
the same capital, care and attention as is there
expended, with equal success, and with TIE
advantage Of a far smaller outlay in buildings
Tor winter protection for the stock and in sup
plies for their support.
And thus when We consider that practically
we have 40 winter, no season when we may
not prohtably plant and cultivate the soil and
grow crops in such variety as to satisfy the
taste or inclination of every possible individ-
ual and of so diversified a character as to pre-
elude the risk of over production in any single
branch OF husbandry, the balance favorable to
East Florida over the world renowned West is
so striking as to impress the most prejudiced
observer.
Now, with the intrinsic advantages above
cons sldered, as primary and reliable induce
ments to permanent settlement, what man in
search of home. who has courage TO sacrifice