The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1883-04-04

semi-trOplcal latitude, almost as MARI
ed as in your inhospitable and pitiles
climate. Many ofthe indigenous tree
are declduous. The native grasse
mature, wither and burn, and th'
evergreens put out new growth a.
the appointed season. But the crown
ing production of our sunny climate
the lovable orange tree, the pride
of the citrus family-retains its leaves
with its resplendent beauty during
the entire year. A new growth is
now pushing forth, and buds for
bloom are in the greatest profusion.
In week nearly every orange tree
will be a veritable snow>bank in
appearance. and the perfume too in
tense. Wild flowers are peeping
out, delicate and curious; the climb>
ing vines putting on new growth.
The yellow jessamine is solid mass
of beautiful yellow bloom, exhal-
ing perfume similar to the old
fashioned white pond lilies, and by
the way the lilies blossom nearly the
year through. The amateur florist
will find the climate and soil of Flor>
ida responding wonderfully to wells
directed Efforts and plenty of fer.
tilizer. l occasionally make trip
to the Halifax river, about thirty
miles due east, rooty, wet road, but
all the perils of tie journey are tol
COTTON in sail on the Halifax, view
of the Atlantic, and a well supplied
table OF fish and oysters. / am so
we'll pleased with that section of the
country-the coast-that | have re.
centlypurchased a small property on
the river front and intend TO spenj q
part Of Ihe summer there. The H.
sl.sx e - h.;;c ~ - ~.
crease. ToSday there were fifty
landed at the landing bound for diff
ferent points in the interior.
This town of DeLand is almost
like the western town in its rapliity
Of growth. Since nv residence here
the town has more than doubled In
size and business. There are five
large general merchandise stores, two
drug stores, hardware, a jewelry, a
bakery, furniture. book store, a
bank, two church buildings and four
church organizations, in fact all the
concomitaAts of civilization. Lands
are held at pretty high figures. Lots
in town are very high-some 81, 900
per acre. Of course we know how
quickly the prices can come down it
they have no solid basis. But in
calculating the prosperity and future
growth OF Florida there enters a
factor not present in western towns.
Florida is one vast sanitarium, and
the amount of money brought down
here by northern people seeking her
genial climate forhealth, and to escape
the extreme rigours of your north
ern winters is enough to ensure a
prosperity equal to a wheat~pro-
ducing country. In few years the
oranges will pay and the two factors
combined will result in country full
of money, protuse in expenditure,
and presenting shifting panorama
of restless, eversmoving people.
Naturally, this is not grazing
country. But the cultivated grasses
adapted to this climate are very nu-
tritious, and with liberal fertilizing
produce enormous crops and in cons
nection with the tropical roots, cas-
sava, sweet potato, arrow-root, chufas,
&C., and the various species of millet
will eventually enable us to raise
cattle and hogs successfully. 1t is
really capable, in my estimation of
producing pork in competition with
the grain producing regions of the
north. The raising of sugar cane is
very profitable, $3.50 per acre for the
syrup being no uncommon result.
Horses flourish well here, the climate
seems to agree with them perfectly.
But all these undeveloped resources
of Florida are waiting the time of
reaction. If oranges realize 1-1Oth
OF the paper estimate no general
effort will be made to produce any
thing else. Because oranges and
tourists are enough for one country.
But should the oranges fail. and the