National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-06-17
FLORIDA'S FLOWERS.
BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTAL PLANTS.
The Asaye Amerieana-Other Rare Exotics-The
Drouth in the State-Crop Prospects-Okee-
chobee Lake-The Orange Fever
Lemons and Other Fruits.
pecial Correspondence of TIE REprnIIcAN.

Special Correspondence of THE REPCRLIcAN.
FERNANDINA, June 14.-Elorida is as
much the land of flowers as of fruit. A gentleman
formerly of Virginia, but now resident of this
place. owns very handsome residence here,
which is surrounded by beautifully improved
grounds. A very fine specimen of the American
dJare, commonly called the century plant, is pre-
pairing to bloom in these grounds. These plants
flower but once in their lifetime and then
die down after they attain maturity lin the
climate Of Florida period of ten to twenty years..
They send up straight, upright stem twenty or
more feet in height and at the base often eight to
ten inches il diameter. along which are
small suppressed lanceolated branches with
terminal panjcle, often bearing from
three to four thousand flowers. The -i9are apseri
cana carried from America TO Europe in 1851,
and in European houses they were often nearly
one hundred years old before reaching maturity,
from which circumstance theg obtained the name
of century plant. They are easily propagated by
suckers and used for fences in Italian Switzer
land. and have become naturalZed in most of the
southern countries of Europe. The leaves, on be-
ing macerated with water. yield coarse fibre,
which in Mexico is manufactured into ropes, ham,
m0cks, and such articles. The pGique used in
Mexico as an intoxicating beverage is extracted
from the species known as 1gdUe mericdnd
THE AGAvE AMERICANA
is a very beautiful and ornamental plant and has
now become so general in Florida. that its bloom
ing has become an annual occurrence in the
older portions of the State. The flower is magnii-
cent in size, although neither very beautiful nor
fragrant. AdyiceS from Tallahassee, Archer, and
and other portions of the State speak of the
drouth Vegetation is becoming dry and parched.
The yield Of Irish potatoes will not be large
was expected Yet even this condition of affairs
has its sunny side" for it is said there is
nothing so good for the cotton crop as q
dry May. Much use is made of the
cotton-Se meal. y ton of meal contains thirty
eight pounds of potash and ffty-six pounds of
phosphoric acid. with seventy eight pounds of
nitrogen. It is thus rich enough i'll these elements
to be useful fertilizer, for which purpose it is
extensively used in the South. Being so rich a
food it cannot well be given to animals except in
very small quantities. Horses thrive it if given
but two pounds daily with cornmeal. Two pounds
oft are equal to ten pounds of oats. fused as
food too abundantly. however, it becomes very
injurious. This is doubtless on account of its
highly heterogeneous nature.
ONE OF THE ILL EFFECTS
OF too much use for food of this meal is an inlam
Hatory condition of the system, and horses suffer
from irritation of the skin and sore mouth 1t is
as though a man was fed on extract of beef, rich
pastry, and such food only. When used judi
value it is the cheapest lat its present price, $50
tom and one of the most useful foods we have in
the South AS it is rich in nitrogen and oil, it
sheuld be used with food rich in starch, such as
potatoes and roots. One pound of cotton-seed
meal, mixed with half peck of boiled potatoes
and mashed together. viii make good food for a
milking COW. One pound of cotton-seed meal is
considered equal TO two pounds CT corn-meal.
MANY PLANS
Lave been suggested for the drainage of the Oke-
cliobce swamps. 1t is claimed by some that except
during the rainy portions of these lands
amply drained by natural outlets; the rain, how
ever. when it is excessive chokeS up these outlets
and the lands are covered with water, not because
they are low but because there are no channels
wide enough to contain the floods that flow from
S Oh an immense area. 1t is said that many per-
sons who have passed up the st. Johns by the i'm
mcnse reedy swamps south of Lake Harvey are
fully satisfied that such a swift. strong current
flows from no low prairie, but an elevated table
land, and the late surveys fully establish this fact.
On one side this drains into Okechobee, on the
other into the St Johns, while Ten Mile Creek and
the San Sebastian pour turbid streams of fresh
water
INTO INDIAN RIVER
In some seasons row. boats have even penetrated
from the ST. Johns through the swampS and by
way of the san Sebastian to the coast Whether
the land is rich enough to make cane culture
profitable is doubtful but it is asserted that on
soil of the same character Captain Durham. of
the Cape Canaveral light house. has gathered
large crops for fifteen years, and this with hoe as
his only implement of cultivation. The past sea-
son he is said to have made eight hundred gal
Ions 10 the acre Of No. syrup on land that had
been growing the crop for twelve years, with
only one replantins. Certainly this can be done
in some portions of the land to be reclaimed. |
Much Of it is certainly unfit for corn, cane or any
Of their Kindred but for the pineapple, however,
it is exactly fit and it is predicted that these beau
if1ll lands will become productive any other
in the State and the pineapple take more promi- !
lent place
AMONG THE EXPORTS OF FLORIDA
al no distant day. Even now plants are eagerly |
sought for and bring good prices, and the annual
increase i'll acreage is limited by the inability to
obtain sets. Most of these are obtained from Key
largo in small boats. by dangerous navigation |
through the Jupiter Inlet and down the coast. On |
his block of coquinay gentleman has thirty !
acres in bananas and pineapples, and he estimates
$500 per only an average yield. Truly one |
may expect other than orange booms in Florida, |
and yet many who go to the State with no such |
dea very soon become interested in orange cul- |
urc. In this connection the views of gentleman |
rom Green Cove Springs arc interesting. He says: |
ever his intentions may be, soon becomes infected
With
THE ORANGE FEVER,
md plants grove. 1t is amusing to note the
growth of this orange mania upon the new conner.
De is here for health perhaps, or to avoid the cold
winters of the North has thought to confine him
elf TO his profession, possibly TO The mercantile
business; if he is farmer, vegetable raising in
with the old staples of the country
vi mt no
believe in oranges or lemons: thinks the demand |
or these fruits does not amount 20 enough TO war
ant any man in taking the trouble TO raise grove
Well enough to have plenty for family use, but to
ry 10 make a fortune out of oranges-nonsense;
hat is all folly. But he begins TO hear oranges |
alked morning, noon, and night; he sees boxes of |
hem shipped by the thousand he sees the owner
,fa few hundred bearing trees getting a yearly
income Of thousands of dollars from their fruit; he
ices young groves set out by men who have been
Il the State few years longer than himself come
uto bearing. and their owners from having been
ooor men working hard TO make both ends meet,
uddeniy placed in easy circumstances.
ALL THESE THINGS STAGGER
lis philosophy; he begins to study The laws of de-
md lemon; lie learns why the Florida orange is
he best in the world and commands the highest
,rice; he becomes convinced that the market can
never be oversupplied with Florida oranges and
lie can withstand the temptation no longer, but
ails into rank and goes 10 setting out his
rove Therefore his "OranCe grove" is his |