The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-03-04
THE LAND OF FLOWERS.

THE LAND OF FLOWERS.
A Tour Through Florida Progress of
the LRUd Improvement Company
DraiuipE the Everglades, II VAST Land
Reclamation Enterprisc-GreRtP ros-
poets OF the Swampy Peninsula.
Mr.. william Saunders, superintendent OF
the Garden aud Grounds Of the Department of Agri-
culture has ust returned from visit to Florida, of
which he speaks with enthusiasm. As many az
our citizens are tu,ning their eyes toward the Ever
gades. either with view to business Investments or
pleasure tours, u representative uf THE SUNDAY
HERALD soughtan interview with Mir Saunders. with
the following result:
''what parts nj Florida did you visit2'
"Iu y rough outline, went from jacksonville M
To Sanford, thence south To Kissmmee CITY. then
by boats through several lakeStu Polk County travelled
through the southern part OF that county, from It's
eastern to Its western boundary through Hillsboro'
County to Tampa, thence to Manatee River and along
the gull Of Mexico to Cedar Keys. aud so ON To Jack
spnvlle again OF course diveiged right aud lrit,
Gong up the St. Johns river s,orr'ng TO look a, the
glades, and saw the operations of the Florida Land
Improvement Company In their work of reclamng
rich lands OF tue Everglades, the most fertile lands
IN the state only there Is much water In them At
present, but of which they will Sum lie relieved. ac-
cordtnG to present indications. Then VIII lie "peuel
M vast region uf country, the extent aud value al
which. ! believe, cannot at present he tully esti-
mated. ~
what progress mas letn lni'le III Ufdlnllp W
these swamps?'
"a mere romnenc emcnt ouy has been made, hit
the parties who have 1t In hand do not seem TO liz
doing any preliminary experimental work. They
have started right into the work, ami flush, 50 Ia
speak, as they proceed. They have ltedge IN oper
alton, which cuts canal 56 feet wide and 6lG feet
deep at the average rate o $50 feet per day. SOme
times delays are met. owing to accidents To tile ma
chlnery. Their best work has been one milo In
twenty six days. At the northern end at this drain
age system Hes Lake Tohopekaliga. from the south
ern end of this lake canal cutting was commenced c
connect In straight line with Cypress Lake cut
ting four miles In length here takes the place OF NJ
teen miles OF crooked river. As tha cutting pro-
ceeds the waters from the upper lake follow aud
veilow in advance OF The machine. This has had
the effect Of lowering the upper lake about three feet
although 1t covers a surface OF twenty square
miles. The next cutting VIII connect Cypress Lake
with kissimmee Lake. a canal three miles long vii
then take the place OF nineteen miles OF river and
lake, following the present w!ndingB OF the river.
FROM this latter lake to the large central lake
(Okeechubee) the river win 10 shortened ten more
miles by cutting through bends and otherwise clear
ing channel, From Lake okeechobee q canal tel
miles In length has been recently finished, which
connects with the Cioosiatchee River. aud thence
to the Gulf of Mexico This Will bring all that
country in direct communication with the outside
world and doubtless will soon bc used as u route
from north 10 south through 4 country hitherto un-
approachahle, and must attract tile attention ol
tourists, who Will he Erafeh by the splendid ishinE
and hunting afforded throughout that REGION
Are fish and game abundantY'
'T'hc waters are icGming with a species of bass,
which attain to large size. saw two lines dropped,
and In about twenty minutes over sixty pounds of fist
were caught, specimens over ten pounds ~ weigh
having been captured. Deer are plenty In the wood
and low meadows, wild turkeys and swamp tabbii'
abundant, and the time can lie filled In by shoot
Ing an alligator, which may occasionally he seen, bu
they Shy, and In some parts becoming scarce, ~
they sought after for their skins, which now have
n marketable value.''
''How about insects. mosquitoes and the like? u
II n healthy Conntry'''
"There are mosquitoes, but we did not find then
Troublesome. The bree2eS which almost constantly
stir the air In that country seems to keep the musqu
a Al
southern Florida. ! found them everywhere In mi
route through Polk and Hsboro Counties, and II
fact more or less all through Florida. This Is aC
counted for by the proximity of the Gulf on the ives
and the Atlantic on the east. II rarely happens tina
u cool breeze fails from ono or the other Of thes
waters. The sun Is quite hot for at least half of TIN
day, but under the shade Of tree OF under covered
porch one Immediately feels the cooling effects Of tn
breeze As To health, my observe have been to
limited to warrant an opinion. Personally, ioun'
nothing to complain about. WAS about nearly n
the day In the and camped out at night for severa
nights and felt no Inconvenience. l learned tina
since work the construction OF the dredge and sine
dredging commenced an average OF twelve men hav
been employed. These men stay constantly IN tn
dredge which has suitable accommodations for them
aud not Of them has lost single days work iron
! sickness Further down, on the banks Of kissmme
Lake, families all seemingly healthy enough, u
| far appearance went. but probably did not W
! those ON the sick list, II there Were any
what are these drained Lands good for?'
'''rhe lands being drained are mainly the result u
vegetable decomposition. This varies from one foo
to three feet In thickness, aud, being Of III
same lh lliiH pI inc W est, WI
| produce equally we'll II seems Ia me that they ~
specially adapted FOR the growth of Sugar-cane. Thl
| Is now very generally grown throughout many Por
lions Of Florida for domestic purposes; that iS eac
| settler grows enough 10 make strip and sugar 70
! family use. In these rich lands, and In that peCll
Iiarly favored climate the cane rattoons ami needs N
Icpantug for eight or ten years This Is great nd
vantage, as considerable percentage ol the best
In Louisiana has to lie saved yearly for replntlng.
| grows to u wonderful length, aud shows Its flower
heads yearly In Florida, which rarely happens In an
of our more northern cane growing Districts In III
percentageof saccharine matter II is said TO be supe
ri0r which Is quite probable, seeing that II mature
better. But one OF the greatest considerations To til
manufacturer Is the absence OF Injurious fross. thu
enabling the canes tn he worked all during the white
months, and this again presents an important faCtO
| In the economy OF the manufacture, because an es
| Enlistment working SIX months can do rs much q
one thrice The capacity can do In two months, AMI
greatly reduced expense, and consequent inCreas
ofprofts:. i,
culture Of the orange, lemon, and other fruits. m
| pineapple and banana VIII hero iind more con
genial temperature than they do further North
Hut there are many thousands OF acres tlrOughOl
that region already well lited for fruit culture ON
of the peculiar features of that country is the val
pine forests, which everywhere abound In proxlmil
% these depressed rich Lands. These VIII Afford III
best positions, high, dry, and as most pine region
are, healthy stations for settlements. 1t Is grei
mistake 10 suppose that all OF that country Is swamp
ON the contrary, one never loses sight OF the pin
la.ds, where hundreds of thousands Of cattle N
raised and fed for the West India markets, aud thi
far seeing fruit planters are not slow To avail then
selves OF the facilities of climate aud soil while
arc here presented Is shown by the fact that larl
tracts have already been secured for the culture
tho lemon, lime, and other tender fruits, Whe
communication AMI transportation are once secure
throughout this region IL VIII certainly become ~
Of the most productive portions OF the state
you state that you went through Polk County
What did you see there?''
~ travelled through that county, aud was d'
lighted with what saw of II, as Well as liillsbor'
County, adjoining. The rolling lands Of the
counties form pleasant contrast To the ordinai
Florida country AZ mostly seen by travellers. III
lands here are In the main rich lands, There
] AuniCsHcy ufTlsug ground tn give greater effect
the beauty of the many small clear lakes which a
dotted here and there, aud which are constant
coming into view as one passes along. When
orange grove Is seen attention Is at once attracted
the deep heavy green color Of the trees. Certain
l saw nnihlug In the way of healthy, luXurant, ~
productive orange groves superior to those saw
the two counties lust mentioned; indeed, one sed0
secs any equal To them Ia this respect. Hut whi
the soil IS examined this superior yerdancy is a
counted for The soil, even on elevated sites,
largely mixed with vegetable matter, 80 much 50
To render II datl, Colorcd. TINS shows an abundant
of plant food. Many years mast olap5e before uIan
trees win require nanuIng IN THIS soil, and Won
here romark that In various portions nG Nousia ~
Orange Counties, where orange groves were '"l
planted on poor, white sandy lands, | ASKED I
question why the tower richer lands were not drain
and given the preference, hut draining doos Il
seem tu he understood 10y many who prefer tile pOOI
soils With their yearly demand for some Kind oi fer
Her.
"lhe lands surrounding the rivers uf Peace q
Alaha aud their tributaries are especially hOme-n
to one accustomed 10 an nndulatlnE country. 4
climato here Is also more congenia aud forward III
IN the northern portion OF the state, that Us, rOst
loss severe ana rarely occurs; UlhefwSe The Flurl
4 climate 50 far as experienced, was very Nnlfur
and after sunset always pleasant aud agreeable
"rhe drawback 10 the progress aud deyelOpm,
of Southern Florida IL want uf Hines o tfansporiAtlu
0 When railroads once penetrate these Suuthw
counties they must heCOne popular FOR settlers; hdeC
ono meets parties everywhere looking for lands alO
ing that Win all thclr Isolation from tho more favor
NtnlliluAta,