The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-04-27
Southern Florida--DeLand, Etc"
Rev. r. E. Burton, an Religious Herald, Ia.

ISOtIIieTu FlOTlUa.-DcLdIlusE tC.
Rer. r. E. Burton, in Religious Herald, "a
Your request Tor a few 'notes
about Florida, the village of DeLand,
etc." reached me at DeLand; but
my trip was So hurried, and my time
so fully occupied, that neglected to
respond. l now recognize the selfish.
ness, and, in view OF your kindness
TO us while in Richmond, the lngrati.
tude involved in this neglect. Ii,
however, a few lines at this date will
secure my pardon, l will gladly
furnish them.
After leaving Augusta, Ga, my
first impression was with reference to
vast number of people who had been
and were still .iSiting Southern Flor
ida. The line of travel just swarmed
with people-people not only from
nearly every State in the Union, but
from Canada and other countries.
The cars, boats, hotels, carriages,
drays, were crowded and packed.
Great mammoth hotels have been
built at Jacksonville, and at points
up the st. Johns river yet one fail
ing to secure rooms by wiring in al
vance, might find it necessary to hunt
up a private boarding house, or 10
sleep and feed in the boat upon
which he may have secured passage.
Viewed from within the limits OF
its hotel accommodations, Jackson
vile could easily be mistaken Tor an
Eastern, Middle. Western, or North.
ern-Southern city. 1t is only Dy go
ing beyond these limits and noting
particularly the climate soil, pro-
ducts and markets, that one can re-
alize that he is in that old city whose
name and location once constituted
part OF his geography lesson Oh Flor
ida. A trip up the st. Johns al this
season is delightful. Steamboats,
and many of them large, Convenient
and costly-are constantly making
their schedule time between jackson
-s;ssrs. ii,;ll,.rn lisse..tsc Vi
oil miles. l was not surprised to
hear some of the passengers exclaim,
as they viewed the scenery along the
river, "Why it is more beautiful than
that along the Hudson !! !' am i'm
pressed, however, that it is the new
ness. the strangeness OF the scenery,
and the striking contrasts in the
views that impress the Nolt them OBJ
server rather than the native beauty.
The water of the stream is almost
wine. color-a tint given it, it is said,
by the roots Of the palmetto. Here
the stream is wide /; there its banks
recede and make room for lake
George; yonder the stream is narrow,
following its crooked course among
little islands, and pushing its surplus
water back into little dead rivers"
Here on the right are vast orange
and lemons groves, still retaining,
half concealed by rich foliage and
wax.like blossoms, some OF their
golden fruit. Perhaps, as you are
viewing the groves and inhailing the
sweet, and, at times, almost sutfoca.
ting fragrance of their blossoms, some
one calls out :. "Just see that mon
strous alligator on the left !" You
look, and, sure enough, there on the
thick and matted roots OF large pal.
metto tree-that looks like large
parasol with heightened staff-lies a
rare specimen OF that not over beau.
tiiul amphlbium, lazily enjoying his
sun-bath. Yonder you see a large
barren oak, like those In Bonaventurv,
and draped with the same moss that
gives to the burial place that pictur-
esque appearance. On branch OF
this tree and amid the waving drapery
sits bird OF most beautiful plumage,
while, perhaps, at the very roots OF
the same tree, and upon a branch
broken from it, lies large water
snake. Look up the stream from the
bow Of the boat, and you see, hurry.
ing from you, flock Of beautiful
white cranes, but they are tlanked on
either side by scores OF nasty old car.
rion birds. 1t is easy to understand
how view, made up OF such strange
and contrasted scenes, would impress
one making his first trip up the ST.
Johns.
Speaking OF the alligator, that now
figures so conspicuously in the
scenery along the river, l am rather
sorry to chronicle the prophecy re-