The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-15
THE SOUTHERN SUNNY SOUTH.
Florida-Her Climate and Capacities
Facts for the Spectator and the
Invalid.
special Correspondence to the Sentinel.

special Correspondence 10 the Sentinel.
FLoRrpAs FORESTS AND LAKES.
Since the financial eye OF the Northern
speoulator and hopeful mind Of the invalid
are turned upon Florida-the one with
thoughts of increased fortunes. the other OF
restored health-a communication from that
region, giving facts Of importance to both,
will, trust, be acceptable to y ur columns.
In order that this statement Of facts may be
the more clearly understood and int ligently
applied, let Us begin at the bottom. Florida
extends from the thirty .6rst PARALLEL on the
north. south to the twenty fifth parallel,
and lies in about an equal width on either
side OF the eighty third meridian. On its
northern boundaries the State entends from
the eighty. first to the eighty. seventh merid-
ian, being at that point about 500 miles In
width, while the Peninsula is equally rs
long, and about 100 miles In Width. The
forest growihs are mostly OF yellow pine,
the trees Of which In general attain heighth
OF not far from one hundred feet and diam.
eter OF from ten to fifteen inches. These sell
dom thickly stud the ground, bat grow at no
little distance apart. presenting the appear
ance OF fine groves. The wood is hard and
glossy with pitch. OF bright straw color and
nicely grained, admirably fitting II for inside
finish The commerce in this article is not
extensive, being mostly confined to home
consumption. In fact ito growth is too spar
ing on the ground ever to afford great in.
ducements 10 the manufacture and ship
ment. Beside the pine, there is no little
live oak, which grows to considerable size
here and affords large supply to the ship.
builder ia the more northern portion of
the State the gum tree Is found, hat not In
large quantities, while the cypress, almos,
festooned with growing Spanish
moss sbounds throughout the state, filling
her swsmps and covering her lower lsnds.
Some few palmetto trees are seen
here aud there, rearing their Quaint heads
above low lands or struggling for
individual existence among the more stately
and elsgsnt pines. but they are of no man.
ner OF use.
TOPOGRAPHY.
Florsda IL a production of the Tertiary, or
asst productive geological age, and hence is
the last lands formed in the Western Hem
ispher. Compared with the upper Canadss
aud northt sstern states this Is indeed new
made laud and very few changes In water
level or vegetsblegtowth have taken place
since its derosit. LIS general surface is but
a few feet-sversging less than twenty
above the level of the ocesn on the east
and gulf on the west. often descending "a
three or four feet above the water, especi
ally as the more southern portion of the
State is approached, where much of ii 10 often
covered with surface water True, there are
iuolsted spots-n0,aoly in Orenge, Sumpter
Marion and HernAndo counties-where the
land is elevated to about one hundred fee,
above the waters level, but such elevated
places are small and comprise but little OF
| the Dtste As natural consequence OF this
| low state and youthful condition the land
surface is largely covered with saucer like
depressions, most of which are filled with
water and are called lakes. Few of these
have inlets and fewer still have outlets, while
here and there q series of them seem knit to
gether by little stream through whseh the
higher slowly pours its surplus water into
the next lower. These lakes, or sink holes
are most frequent aud largest in the more
southern portion OF the State. while, in fact
the extreme southern portion ID
little else than lakes, swamps and bayous
with small portion of dry land yet even
this being raised but q few inches above the
v "
ton powerful company has been organized
and are actively engaged in a system o.
draining the southern part OF the Safe, be
ginning at the outlet of Lake Tohoptkligs
and proceeding from thence southwark
through the chain of lakes and low lands tc
the river Cahootalochee, which flows into
the Gulf OF Mexico As reward for this la
Dor this company is awarded al
| lands which they raise thirty inches above
"a ~ fho nx
lakes, and indeed, down TO the large lake OF
Okeechobee they reclaim immense tracts o.
land, which they sell at from ST. IS to S25 O,
per acre, according to its locality and kind
HER SURFACE AND SOIL.
The surface soil of Florida is almost OF
clusively of fine. light colored sand, int
which but little deeayed vegetable growth
has yet been permitted to mix, 1t havin,
1 been destroy ed by frequent forest fires q
rapidly as il fell and dried. In most locall
ties some little advancement In this direc
ton has boon made, in which instances tn
sand or soil is given q little color which var
les from grey to color not unlike darl
muck OF course the value of this land TO
agricultural purposes increases as its colo
lintensi6es, yet certain crops may be raised
on even the lightest. with proper fertilizine
Some of the largest and most prosperous or
ange orchards are grown on Comparatively
light, sandy soil. and strong hopes are en-
tertained by many that it will also produc
vegetables very profitaoly, but 1t is adniitte
that to secure either in satisfactory quaint
ties extensive and expensive fertilizng is in
, dispensible
Scattered here and there over portions {
the State are limited districts or patches {
what is called hammock land. The surface
of these lands consist of dark sandy loon
or sand verv largely mixed with decsye
I vegetation. They are primatively covere
|. with Q small growth of scrub oak, hiokor
and some other hard woods. AS these land
have not besn burned over for many year
decayed vegetation has been permit ed ,
accumulate more extensively than on Ii
pine lands, thus rendering the soil richie
and stronger. On these lands anything ca
be grown which can be produced on th
pine lands and much more prolifbly, wit
less, and indeed. but little, fertilizipg II
orange tree is grown upon it with create
certainty aud far less expense of fertilization
while the orange has a thinner, smooth
skin and sweeter flavor; hen,
orange groves grown upc
Il hammock lands are more desirab
than tho'e of the pine land growth. Owir
3 however. to the scarcity of this quality