The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-03-25
THE FLORIDA AGR1cULTURIsT

the forests along the Gulf Coast, and
cutting up the logs into lumber; they
are draining the vast areas of swamp
land, and, have commenced raising
cane on the drained lands in a very
practical sort of a way; they are plant
ing orange groves, and improving the
methods of orange culture and they are
gradually attaining a monopoly of the
active misunderstanding, selling, build
ing railroads, steaInboating, and doing
whatever they may to gather two-dollar
fruit where they SOW one-dollar seed.
The thrift and prosperity of the new
corners have visibly added to the thrift
and prosperity of the earlier and harder
settlers. They have distinctly mended
their pace to keep step with Northern
activity, But it must not be supposed
that Florida will ever be converted into
a new Yankee land. On the contrary,
the invaders from the North who come
here to live every year take on more and
more the appearance and characteristics
of the natives. 1t is not given to man
to shape the weather, but the weather
does shape the man. The invincible
sunshine and the warm compulsive rains
soon have their influence upon the going
and coming of the swiftest goers and
corners. 1t is not reasonable that per-
son who can pick his breakfast from an
orange tree and gather dinner of ba-
nanas should develop the energy of
differently situated person who must
plant his potatoes and hoe and dig them
before he can have the pleasure of eat
ing them So the Northerner who comes
down here and builds him house the
first month of his stay, and plants his
grove the next, gradually finds himself
falling into slip-shod ways. His fences
get to be disreputable; his house is not
fresh painted his walks are neglected;
his garden goes to weeds; and he and
his wife and his children settle into the
easy untidiness which BELTS the latitude.
It is the latitude which governs. If the
Mayflower had landed at st. Augustine,
instead of Plymouth Rock, possibly the
Seminoles would have been sooner ex-
terminated; but the Yankee developed
on the meagre and stony soil of New
England would have been a non-eX
istent parsonage. He could never have
been brought forth in an orange grove
nor fed on sweet potatoes. His mental,
moral and physical fibre acquire their
accidental toughness in the hard school
of necessity. Neither the plants nor the
animals that find suitable sustenance
and habitation at Cape Cod can be made
to flourish in this warm and salubrious
peninsula.
Jacksonville, which is the largest,
liveliest and most attractive town in
Florida-whither flock all the sightseers
and health-seekers, and whereto and
wherefrom spread all the railways and
radiate the commercial undertakings of
the State, though it is not the capital
| furnishes pleasant commentary on the
text of my letter. AS seat of business
| and center for easy living the South
and the North gather in its streets in
pleasant fraternity. 1t does not look
either like a Northern or Southern
town. 1t has part Of the smartness OF
the one and the slowness and solidity of
the other The Northerners stride
through it; the. Southerners stroll; the
darkies shuttle. There are enough Span
iards left to variegate the sign boards
and to remind one of the Spanish occu
patton and of Cuban proximity. But
when hot day comes-and the hot days
do come in Jacksonville-the glowing
sun melts and conglomerates all differ
ences. Then all the races OF men shuttle
along as the darkies do, and their knee
JolnCS acquire InaC temporary lnaDlllCy
which is habitual in the walk of the At
rican. AS said before, we are all crea-
lures of latitude. Those imaginary lines
make and unmake us. Florida will ulti-
mately capture the Yankee, not the
Yankee Florida; but while the peaceful
contest continues great good will be ac-
complished. The development of the
resources of the State in the twenty
years that have elapsed since the war
has out-reaehed the development of the
hundred years that preceded it,