The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-12-31

SA..AADJ
In my last, wrote about Psl.,l. q
cinity, bat that,region differs verv -, ~ e.
own neighborh0od, which have y. .'' y M =:
described in former letters. snoluu1
The portion Of the State thai 7 :,
IN this letter 10 90 entirely differen," - Do
or northern Florida, that IL II wsrs uon e.
traveller, perfectly familiar with =. 8
the State, 10 be taken up In the 49, Phi !:
his knowledge, and dropped In T ssnt ND y
Quincy, Il would be difficult n na'snss q
that the country around him whe, ~ viaee -
the morning, was any part of Florid. ~ awon II
Having often wished to see nv
State, took trip over the Wsss.ps ~ nfKl
OF the Florida Railway & Naviea,i"s 2 DshN
line, from Jacksonville to the ~. ...onpusys|
river. There are many thriving to-.s .'Aa'pei,
eastern portion OF the line, but a. 4 alosk K
to sec the hill country of central D, aso asfs1
not stop of until reached Tallah...Of ,da / a
After passing the Suwannee r,s.
try becomes more rolling, and tbs :. Ne a.
the soil gradually changes from lirh s.asneiua
heavey clayey loan, in many MAJ. nd b
ing clay so closely that II ia ma ssppuaA
bricks, but like all florida csov !, g h,liu
large percentage of sand to maks .sk d
article. h'Ee,s
Tallahassee 10 built upon hill On.
the sea, and is surrounded by wid. Il tss
ley. Across this valley NAV be sess s,aa7 vi
on every side, some of them cow in
farms, green fields, and thriving ORG A de-
ers are still in slate of nature and S& Oh
with dense forests The city Is The ~ sessusa
full one that have ever seen in the -. s essk
who first laid 1t out had the good ssrs s'a iesa
many OF the native live oaks. ana ~ IN
the streets may be seen magni6csa, wv nta
of these veterans Of the forests spee'nea
The soil being of clay. The w.,L,-1.
weather, is much better than owe, "ns y dg
after heavy rain, our sand is ar, saaas VI
while presume that the clay wonid ~ nau ~
muddy. The sirangest feature of tn, ~ . salAa
10 the color 81 tine soil, which is all red sbons \,
In central Florida, but few a,,emn, .
oranges, on account of their liabitv ), !" So
frosts. Ihe cultivation Of the LIE CONT ~
nounced LIE COUNT pear lie ATTRACTING ! w w
deal OF attention. From Suwanuee - ~
westward thousands of trees. covs,;,s 0e1q'
dreds Of acres, are being set every wear ~ ~
claim that In this pear they have 49,
even more valuable than any orange rro,. 49, =.
this point must confess that am Am - =
what skeptical. The trees are thrifty. va - =
from the attacks OF insects and on thai N. 9. y
require very much less of fertilizer ira -
cessary To grow oranges on our sand. ~.
begin TO bear at about the same age 4, -
but come into full bearing much soous -
they may be grown probably at mad -.
price. When the pear orchards now 4 -.
into full bearing, l do not think tina. ,ss
possible to md market for all The cm I.
green state: l think that a large prouo1in :
the crop will have to be dried 10 evapos,,n :.
allowed IT, go to waste. presume that Il r,s
orators Will be built, and that the pear eruc "A
be profitable, even at the low price paid ioi dr.
ing.
Fig trees are being planted quite eYts,.;,..
in some places. At one station I was iold ,h.,!
man near there had forty acres SET 10 in i
only question OF time when Florids A d.
in evapOrators, will BIZ as well and a fsvo,,K,
known at the North as Florida oranges ~
probably prove quite rs profitable. Fm n,
growing of figs, the clay soils of central NoriA
are better adapted than our light sands
A few have tried bees and have done v,r,
well. do not think there has been much do..
in the line of scientific bee culture but the al
lowing extract from the FLoRIDIAN win III.
some idea of what has been accomplished:
MIR. w. II. Allen, who lives in the suulhe,
part OF Leon county, had thirty bee hives vbjci
Melted him 900 pounds of strained honey. IN
honey taken from eighty stands owned by 4
brother, Joseph Allen, Melted 1890 pound
which was sold at fifty cents Der psIka
and the beeswax from the same melted oye'
$1,000"
saw some very fine looking fields Of con
near Tallahassee. They report the yield, xhu
well fertilized and properly cullivat d, at iroa
thirty 10 sixty bushels per acre, and one hun
dred bushels per acre is said TO have been grom
on bottom land. The farmers generally q
colton-seed as fertilizer, sowing from ffsa
to twenty bushels per acre, in the rows brfz
Planting their corn. The seed costs from sessu
to ten cents per bushel. They also gruw cod
crops OF oats and rye. A good yield Of Whes
has been obtained, but as there is no mill 10 eni
it, ii is not profitable Irish potatoes do remark
ably well, and those who have tried gToHisl
them for market, have usually found the return
The great need of that part of Florida Is n
tiers, with capital, enterprise and energy n
frst is important, but the last two are niue
more 50. As most northern settlers come be-
to grow oranges, the central part of the StAl
has been almost entirely overlooked, and pro-
erty has not had the boom that has inflated d
price Of all land in the orange belt Good lal
can still be bought for from $500 to s. 90 p
acre, according to quality and location.
From Tallahassee l went to Quincy, the coul
y seat OF Gatlsden county, about tweniy-f,G
miles farther west. The town is built upon
NIL about twenty to thirty ieet higher than th
u Tallahassee. The country is very much III
hat near Tallahassee This whole region wos
,e paradise for stock rasers or dairyms
Though but little has been done in that III
ret, 900 pounds per week, of home made ban
lave been marketed in Tallahassee. Snow N
alls, the ground neuer freezes more than alsi
rust, which only lasts few hours.
Bermuda grass is said TO make the best pern1
lent pasture, and furnishes good feed for iiuH
line TO ten months of the year, and occasiouzI
" winter. 1t Is easy TO provide for the renui
ng time by growing alfalfa, millei, corn foik
n some such forage crop. Good land nearea
y can be bought for from $1O0 to $15Ar
ere. One plantation of over 1000 acres, viii
wo miles Of the Quincy depot, with good III
lwelling-house which cost Sc, 900, can be bosgs
or 1000. There is no reason for the~ u
'rices except a lack of buyers. These hQ
If TOO large for one, could be tka.
y a company and divided.
While the district have described is undosk
dlya good place for settlers who have 500
means with which 10 get home of their oxR !
10 not recommend 1t for farm laborers Wass
re very low; rs cents per day and, board yer
eli, or % cents per day and board, is the usl
ate. Occasionally an extra good hand msyss
little more. A man who understands msrfn
ardenng. if without capital, might find chaDes
work land on shares, and have everything
ecessary furnished.
haEieston News and Courier.J