The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-04-08
Volume VII, No. As. Whole No. $50.
Indian River Country.
Editor Of The Florida Amicult,nist:

Editor of The Florida Aqricultmist:
A trip to the famed Indian River
Country has long been hoped-for pleas
ure to the writer; and after many failures
to accomplish it, am now able to write
YOU from the beautiful home of Major
and Mrs. G. B. Magruder, who have just
taken premiums against the world on
their oranges at the New Orleans Expo
sition. And as | write, i look out upon
the grand river, stretching away farther
than eve can reach north and south.
Faith in the future of their country is
the most striking characteristic of the
enterprising people of this faro region.
That this is the best part of Florida, in
every way, is the unanimous opinion of
its residents. Enthusiasm is at fever
heat all along the shores .of the broad
river. 1t makes them pleasant and
happy people to meet The only danger
is that this fever may be Catching"
The climate, the beautiful river, and
'tlae. grand, rich, high hammock lands that
extend along the shores, are the three
glories OF which the people boast. AS
to the climate, our faber cannot picture
it's delights. We can only say that, dur
ing our brief acquaintance, it is simply
perfection. The river certainly has
abundant attractions. / am constrained
to confess to an unusual and indescriba-
BILE excitement and pleasure, when, from
the stern of the pretty steamer Indian
River" as my first catch, pulled in on
my trolling line, veritable beauty in
the foam OF a channel bass, bright and
lively, three feet and four inches in
length, weighing twenty-five pouMds. 1t
at once stirred up all my boyhood-love
of sports. 1t will not be disputed by
the admirers of other parts of the State,
that the river has rare attractions la this
as we'll as in many other ways. Neither
can anybody question the remarkable
fertility or the rare beauty of the ham
mock lands that line the river at many
points, and particularly at this. For a
charming walk among live oaks, hicko-
ries, tall Palmettoes and orange trees,
none can surpass that along the river
bank for miles at Rock Ledge.
The good lands of this region all lie
along the river bank in a narrow strip,
commonly not exceeding a fourth to
three-fourths OF mile in width This
narrow strip is the best possible land,
with beautiful frontage on the river, and
all back of it is fiat-woods, scrub, or
swamp, until you reach the st. Johns.
Consequently this exceedingly desirable
land soon becomes high priced, and the
communities are too small for the best
social advantages.
The one great disadvantage under which
this region labors is the want of suitable
transportation. Our route was from
Sanford by the steamer Fox, Capt Lund
owner and master, and he is a genial
gentleman with whom to travel. He
knows the river as we'll or better than
any other man on it, His steamer is
small and not fleet. but it gets you there
in safety and comfort. 1t is the best
route for reaching Titusville, the county
seat and the head city of the country;
but your return will be from Rock Ledge
by the Astatula, or the Wanneta, of
Capt. Smith line.
After leaving the Fox you first reach
Latirange, a pleasant settlement two
miles from Titusville. Here is the resi-
dence and young grove OF Rev. w. n.
Chaudoin, for many years past the Su-
perintendent OF Baptist Missions of this
State. His home is delightful one on
account of the kindness and love that
dwell within. Mrs. Chaudoin takes great
pleasure in the fine flowers that adorn
their grounds. In their yard stands
Sisal hemp plant in bloom, the flower
stalk having already reached between
twenty and thirty feet in height. 1t is
wonderful plant. At LaGrange are some
exceedingly fine young groves, and the
settlement is an attractive one. At the
Titus House, in Titusville, we meet ex-
plorers and land seekers from many
points. Here we had partial but in
teresting visit with Mr. +. B. Sacket,
whose grand groves of oranges, pine
apples and bananas on Banana River,
between Titusville and the ocean shore,
have excited considerable attention.
His success in growing the Cavendish
Dwarf bananas, and Red Spanish and
Egyptian Queen pine-apples, has been
most gratifying and profitable. His
apiary, also, has yielded honey in abun-
dance. Though itmay astonish North
erner he informs me that he has queen
bees'that were Matched and fertilized in
January. He is giving considerable at
tention to his plan of root-grafting the
orange, by which he secures bearing
trees at once, the process OF which has
been described in your paper.
The people of Indian River are cheer
fully raising $50, 900 for the railroad from
Enterprise to Titusville. The railroad
is the one great desideratum. There is
no doubt left now that according to con-
tract the road will be completed before
January LIST next. Already the Loril-
lards have steam transportation on the