The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-06-01

gathered and preserved vast amount
OF fruit from few rows of the bushes
planted along the river bank. He
fertiIized with rivermuck Here we
would speak OF Mr.. Mitchell's grove
on the Lagoon, fifteen miles south OF
Smyrna Inlet. The part called the
young grove OF 200 trees at three
years bore eighty oranges at four
years 300, at five years 5000, at six
years 5000, at seven wears $1,000,
and at eight years $4,000.
While little out of our latitude
we would speak Of the bee business
which flourishes along the Hillsboro,
south of Smyrna Inlet. During the
year 1879 there were some thirty
persons engaged in the business in a
small way-the largest producer Of
honey being Mr. WLewis of SMYRNA,
gaining 1850 pounds of extracted
honey. But the most remarkable
record is that of Mr.. w. S. Hart of
the same place, the following wear.
in 1880, increasing his swarms from
fourteen to forty, and making l.9OO
pounds of honey.
From the above some idea NAV he
obtained of some of the industries
to which the region, OF the Halifax
seems to be suited, and also little
of the methods used in following the
same. Years ago this country was
noted for its productions OF indigo,
rice, cane and cotton but the Indian
War broke all that up and the coun.
try being unsettled tor years after.
wards the plantations were never
re.opened. The rich lands and mild
climate are still here but the capital
is wanting. Hundreds of acres of
cane land can be bought at low rates.
AT the head OF the Halifax, six miles
from Ormond,the Messrs.- Bryan have
this season. without any fertilizer,
raised Cane seventeen feet long.
Near-t tl..a.,s ,sta Dumsnitt plan.
tation where the writer was shown
one acre where his informant, resi-.
dent in ante bellum days, had, fifty
years ago, seen taken three hogsheads
of 2,200 pounds each OF sugar. 1t is
claimed OF phis same land that it
produced 4,0UOlbS of sugar to the
acre. This land has been sold for
taxes. About the head of the Hall
fax are extensive marsh lands easy TO
reclaim, end for sale from the State
at low rates. The land spoken of
above as producing 1000 lbs.o of sugar
TO the acre is said 70 have been some
OF this reclaimed marsh. Cane will
rattoon seven years, but is at it's best
OIL the third year,
Amusements have not spoken of /;
in fact we find this whole life SO
pleasant and interesting that we
would be content were there no other
amusement than that OF developing
and beantifying our Southern homes.
A man is interested in whatever he
sees grow beneath the touch and
guidance of his hand. So we, as we
see the tangled forest give place to
the green grove OF orange nnd lemon,
and see the land about our cabins.
cleared OF It's stumps and roots, begin
to 0lossome with the rose and Jas.
mine, the honeysuckle and the wood,
blne, while the rough and scraggy
forest trees and shrubs are summarized
by by the,fg and banana, the gaava or
the beds of pine.appies with their
fragrant fruit, and as we see our roads
and walks and grape arbors taking
the place OF the forest trails, we have
a real pleasure and enjoyment beyond
that which can be gained from any
ordinary source Of amusements. But
we do not confiue ourselves TO this.
We have our hunts and rifle matches,
Running races and yacht races, our
picnics. house raising and log rollings,
or fishing excursions to the Inlet to
salt down a stock of fish tor the
winter when the mullet are running
"solid." Those who come here just
to have a good time during the win.
tel. always appear to be the happiest
OF mortais. AS a rule they find it is
always pleasant weather. (This win.
ter has been wretched exception }
Always a breeze for sailing on the
broad Halifax, and always an appe-
Ute at meal times. With their boats
and camp outfit, all of which can be
obtained right here with the best of