The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-15
THE land OF FLOWERS.
Experience OF an Observant Traveller -
Florida Lands and Fruits-A Few Sug.
Notwithstanding the ALI
gators Won't Tell.
Especial Correspondence ofthe Dlspatch.I

FERNANDINA, FLA, April II, 1888.
The children have finished their winter
lessons In geography and botany and their
studies OF birds and shells; they have
gathered oranges and Cherokee roses; they
have heard the low murmur OF the Allan
tic as 1t breaks on the coquna reefs, and
the whisperings that run through the long
grasses that link the coral Keys, telling
that the Gulf tide is coming back; they have
felt, IN Imagination, on their cheeks
the gentle tapping OF the wings OF white
herons that the torches disturbed as the lit
tie Wannata" cautiously crept beneath
the cypress arches, parting the festoons OF
Spanish moss that turned yellow in the fire.
light. They have chased gray pelicans
down the white beach Of Anastatia; past
the dark spot where Hernandez murdered
the shipwrecked IIuguenots, "not as
frenchmen, but as Lutherans," "by
ives, at the crossing OF the spears" !:
past the ruins OF the tower that was built
to light or to lure, as it might he, friend or
foe; past the sand-drift where lay the bolts
OF the ship OF Jean Ribault in the rust Of
centuries, until they were almost lost in
the night. They have gathered alligator
eggs, and discovered that little gators
''-''N '''' 'ii' w anu taVU NitfIl All
winter. The lesson is over. and we sail to-
night.
! do not write to repeat descriptions that
are familiar to your readers, but TO fill in
the next half hour, and to try, Gin truth
and in brevity,' to give the salient points
OF three months experience.
THE WEALTH OF FLORIDA.
The State abounds in rivers and lakes
and swamps, and yet there are no stagnant
pools. There is no mountain range or
great watershed, and yet the 81. Johns Is
400 miles long and wider than the James
III | were asked where the vast volume Of
water that fills these streams and does not
fall from the skies comes from. | could
not answer, but | think il comes from
great subterranean streams: that Florida
is TO the lower what Louisiana is 10 the
upper rivers, and that the coral insects built
around the delta OF the River StyX. Boil
ing Springs. where the plummet falls an
hundred feet through coral lodges, trans
lucent streams and rivers. without sed-
ment, indicate this. But it may not prove
it; my investigations were limited the
"crackers don't know, and the alligators
won't tell. Some things, however, have
found out, and can tell.
FLORIDA LANDS.
II il not literally true that in Florida the
skies are worth City dollars an acre and the
land thrown in. Such land under other
skies, however, would be worthless. The
average acre can be cleared OF roots for
$40, and will raise i've bushels of corn.
The fruits here are delicious, the vegetables
are tasteless, the beef is tough. and the
cream is at the bottom OF the milk.
THE only good meat is fish and fowl"
Along the st. Johns and ut Fernandina
and Il. Augustine there are the best hotels
outside OF the great cities in America.
These have an aggregate capacity OF from
ten 10 twenty thousand, and are full.
SUGGESTIONS.
The best sunshine and shells are at Char
lotte harbor. The enchanted grounds are
on the Oclawaha. The fountain OF youth
is not Ponce de Icons spring. The sweet
est strawberries are at Sanford. The most
fragrant flowers are in Florida. The best
place TO pick oranges Is at LOchloOsa. The
cheapest place TO buy them is on CORTLAND
street. Jacksonville il a thriving COM
mercial city. Fernandina, on Amelia
Island, by the broad ocean, wind-swept,
has a fine harbor and fair prospect.
LEAVING TIE CONTINENT.
As you near Cedar Keys over the long
trestIes that connect the grassy islands you
feel ~ ii you were leaving the continent.
At st. Augustine, under the shadow Of the
great fort, i'm the narrow streets. with the
faces Of Spaniards. Frenchmen, and Nj
koreans about you, with strange names on
the signs, with strange carts and wares.
and coquina houses and over. hanging
porches, you are i'm a foreign land; and
the roar Of American busy hfe, the
hum OF its industries, the thrOb Of its
hopes and fears, and ceaseless contest,
dies away i'm the distance. In this
still, haunted city OF religious memory the
man OF business may look out upon the
beautiful sound, with its pleasure feet OF
an hundred sail, and hear the break OF the
surf on the low. evergreen islands, and
count the fishermen n they come in at eye-
ming. or the great ships that slowly 90
down the horizon. He may feast on it,
fruits and breathe the tonic OF its wonder
full sea air and learn what it i, TO forget,
and 10 rest, and TO recover.