The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-09-24
From Lake Worth.
August 9th, 1854.


Lake Worth has climate that is pe-
culiar, and nowhere duplicated in Flori-
da. This arises from two causes mainly
the Gulf Stream and the Trade Winds.
The former keeps the temperature up in
winter and down in summer; and the
latter supplies constant breezes, not al
ways directly, but cooperating with the
large fresh water surface of the Ever
glades, they keep up an everlasting ac-
tivity in the air.
Cocoanuts, lines, pineapples, guavas,
and bananas grow readily without pro-
lection of any kind, as there are no frosts
known here. Public attention is now
mainly on cucoanuts and the other fruits
receive but little attention. The heavi-
est shipments-generally direct to Jack
sonville-are of tomatoes, pineapples,
and cabbages. Freight charges are very
high both ways. Most of our shopping
is done in Jacksonville.
Our Lake is twenty-three miles long,
and has one outlet into the ocean near
the northern end. 1t is in some places
less than mile wide, and the slip of
land between it and the Atlantic is mar
rover than the lake itself generally. The
eastern shore is hammock land, fre-
quently underlying coraline rocks, lime
stone water; and the greater part of the
inhabitants settled ON these rich lands.
The west shore is bluff ten or fifteen
feet high, oak scrub growth, sandy loan,
soft water, and breeze swept at all times.
The population of Lake Worth is sabout
sixty, and will soon rival that of Miami,
the county seat of Dade county. These
1.-TWO ARE the only settlements in the
! county Dadc is the largest county in
u the State, and has the least population;
the area is 200 square miles-nearly as
large as the State of Massachusetts,
which has an area of $500 square miles.
The inhabitable portion of the county
lies within few miles of the Atlantic
coast. This area may be increased by
the drainage of Okechobee Lake which
lies some thirty miles west of here Be
tween here and there we havet the Ever
glades.
We have excellent fishing in Lake
Worth-drum, trout, pompano, chevalli,
jack, mullet, sheephead, cat, and lib
era: variety OF others. In our woods we
find the bear, deer, wildcat, panther,
raccoon, opossom, ETC., and in the Ever
glades, a few miles back, wild turkeys.
There is no long moss about the lake;
this indicates a dryness of atmosphere
that assures one of exemption from ma
laria; have seen no evidences of ma
larial diseases here yet. Life is pioneer
thus far; all farming is done as garden
ing. There is but one beast of burden
on the Lake-Capt Dimicks old mule.
Hand cultivators, hoes, rakes, ETC., do
the cultivating needed, without plows
These will come in by and by. There
are no cows, sheep or other cattle.
Everybody travels in his boat--a skif' or
large boat as his needs call for Our
mail is weekly, and not too regular at
that. Mosquitoes, in their season of
mid-summer-July, August and Septem-
ber--are verN bad; as they are almost
everywhere on the Atlantic and Gulf
coast from Mexico to Maine. There is
no discount on mosquitoes, although the
west side has not a fourth as many as
the east shore has, but they are terrible
pests everywhere. Mosquitoes in their
season, and high freights in all seasons,
are the curses OF Lake Worth, barring
these-blood suckers--the place is a
Paradise. The people are intelligent and
neighborly. Labor is high. A common
laborer asks dollar day and board by
the day, and S25 a month with board,
and carpenters receive three dollars
day and board; the one that has been
employed all the spring and early sum-
mer here has received that price. Few
laborers will work during midsummer,
on account OF the heat. Under shade.
however, an agreeable temperature can
be kept at all hours at all seasons.
There is no regular communication
with Miami. individuals who 90 there
must provide their own conveyances. II
is easier to get to Jacksonville, three
hundred miles, than to Miami, sixty
miles.
| am so well pleased in general with
this place that intend to make it INV
home; have built house, and am i'm
proving my lands. l have no land for
sale.-CorSiGr, IN BrooksciHe Register.
We have received copy of the new