The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-11-12

| TALLAHASSEE, Oct. A, 1885.
The opportunity to ride and drive offered the
sojourner in the Tallahassee country and its ad-
jacent Middle Florida region, is an incalculable
advantage over any sandy sections of the State,
and form source of supreme enjoyment, at
tended with substantial benefit 10 my health
The uncomfortable charges that, under the
licensed robbery of liverymen in cities and water
Ing places. puts this enjoyment beyond the reach
OF ordinary means, do not prevail here l am
| given an excellent mount all day for 81 So
Think of that, about Is cents per hour A com
Portable top buggy and horse entire day Tor
| -, or q six-seaed carriage, stylish horses and
driver for $5 per day. Where else in the world
can 80 much horse motion be had for the money.
This healthful exercise on horseback or in Car
rage Is made the more enjoyable by the novelty
and variety of the natural features of the coun-
| try.
Whether the chosen way lies along the wind
ing valleys with venerable hedges of Cherokee
| rose on either side-amid the wooded slopes, so
wonderful in their wealth of color and southern
growth-or upon some elevated plateau, with
| great outspreadng reaches of field and pasture
land, ones sense of the beautiful is kept actively
| alive.
| To my Northern eye there is something unique
| IN the cabin homes of the plantation negroes
ANAt oinoet CuuIciy " tue ulIcCllOu OI tuclT own
| taste and cOntrivance in the structure and ar
| rangenent of these homes, the old Southern fea-
ture of regularly laid out "quarters,' with rows
of uniformly built cabins. has passed away, and
| the huts OF the renters" are scattered irregu-
| lary over the land.
| The rudely built log cabin, with its leaning
| chimney OF sticks and mud, surmounted by four
balls OF clay, Is q type unlike the work of any
other home builders with which am familiar
| The martin pole" with its pendant gourds, in
which those chattering spring visitors are
tempted to build; the squatty "hen-ouce;" )" the
waited pickets of de gyardin fence, bearing
| graceful festoOns OF butter bean vine, enclosing
usually but few melancholy stalks of towering
"colards," are relieved in the back ground by
primitive, well-flled corn crib its sides adorned
with drying trophies of varmint" skins and
the solemn countenance of dat mule contem-
plates you with thoughtful curiosity over the top
rail OF de horse lot" In the sunny doorway
sits an old eran'mammy," above whose ban
danna'd head hang strings of pungent peppers
drying, and punches of "yarbs," whose mystic
rious powers to allay rhumatez and misseries
in de lnes,' only Z" de ole oman" can contour
up. Croning snatcbes of " hebenly chunes, her
bony old fingers deity looks dem chirums
head" buried in her lap, the group basking in
the sunlight.
1t makes picture quantity suggestive of pro-
cesses OF evolution. Yet the rudeness Of this halt
awakened effort at home making are hidden,
and the whole conception made q charming fea-
ture in the landscape by the prodigsl luxuriance
OF the semi-tropical vegetation that surrounds
them.
Monstrous clusters of mammoth leaved
ricinus rear their glowing stems and gaudy
seed pods, while the broad glistening leaves of
the banana sway lazily TO and fro in the warm
| air.
The sable tenants of these picturesque homes
are quite as important iacors in the political and
industrial problem of this section their
hall Nyanza-like rOOf-trees in the landscape, and
of them and their relations with their white
neighhor, and his purposes, ! shall be tempted
to tell you more when have observed farther.
From several weeks of observation in riding
over the country, and conversing with its people,
white and black, in and out Of town, coupled
with impressions formed when here long ago, and
under an entirely different order Of things,
have become greatly interested in the study of
the present condition and future possibilities of
this exceptionally attractive section of the South.
In comparing ls pecuharities of climate, soil
and seasons with corresponding features of the
New England, Middle and Western States, with
oil of which am quite familiar, l am amazed
that the advantages existing here should not long
ago have been recognized and greedy seized
upon by the thrifty folk who people those re-
gions
That all those elements of fitness that exist,
and have made of agricultural industries in the
North and West, the mud-sill of national pros
perity, exist here in an eminently higher de-
gree, l am thoroughly convinced. That the
many drawbacks, uncertainties and casualties
that attend the operations OF the husbandman
there. are very much fewer or less serious here,
l can but feel earnestly persuaded
Indeed, il my judgment in this regard, as OF
one from boyhOOd given to wide observation and
experience Of the processes and requirements OF
farming. goes for anything, i! is that there exists
here on the elevated clay lands OF Middle Florida,
many conditiens that tend 10 make of it one OF
the most desirable localities imaginable for sew.
eral characters Of farm industry.
From what know Of the growing wants of
the country at large and the often widely sepa-
rated conditions necessary TO insure such wants
being cheaply and probably supplied BY the
think plainly, that the combination Of fitness
to be found here, will in . very few years cause
every foot of this Fortunate terrtory TO be con-
tended for by The participants in these three
several persuts.
While grateful sense of the good am de-
irving from being here, is alive in me- feel
like doing something that may benefit others,
count of what zee and recognise here OF inter-
est to the many at home, especially to the young
people who high prices for land in the East and
West are hindering, will result Ia material bene-
ft 70 come Of shem, have det@niaed 70 sur-
vey the premises critically examine the facts and
under the three heads Of General Farming,
Fruit and Early Vegetable Culture and Live
Stock 6peciaties.
The editors Of the FLoRIDIAN, who have 20
kindly given me daily bundles Of their ex-
changes TO read, have done me tie courtesy 70
ask that let them publish weekly what write
you on these subjecla, % that my letters will be
| OF such dimensions as their weekly space per-
| inits.
have scarcely commenced to enumerate the
MANY things sce here to interest me. and an
acceunt Of which know would entertain you
oil at he mill 1.
The clever people hsre, and their easy-going.
pokeT. but rsol hospitality, would pussle readel
nen than nine 10 Tell al. Bot give me time. We
wiA pry about considerably bssogs the winter ID
| oyer. and perhapa learn sDu.elhing Ne may turn
to furture account. and take my word for II
shere - preguant fntufe for Hiddle ElCrids-
90 far have teie like little slse than giving
mysslf over "a a mil and unseairained enjoy
| meut OF ihis glorious climate
Wky ths dScsS cah's Edlson or Eads
ar eome u th6se sky-Hghting, harborscour
| IND toIlowp. work the Gun down 10 some
thiae liks tiis Gsts ef thing tp ear way. Tha1
ahip hanling sphene dcWn h TAnantepsc = ai
veil enough, bus it b nj % ofnncA East lpdia
| ehn nhnaA ah0F1