Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-30
FLORIDA,s BEST SECTION.

A Look at a Portion of the old State
 Little Seen by Tourists-FIOrida's
 Pfedmont-A Glance at She Quiet old
 City Of Talahassee-Some Good Ad-
 vice-The Orange Plantation Craze.
 TALLAHASSEE, March 25.-After seven weeks residence in Florida feel desire to give through the columns of the JOURNAL AND COURIER partial description of the best portion of the State, which, strange though it may appear, is comparatively un- known and unvisited by thousands of people who annually visit the State of Florida. Leon county has been appropriately termed "The Piedmont of Florida" It is hilly red clay country. The fertility of the soil is abund- antly proven by the crops raised year after year without the application of fertilizers. The soil has mixture of just enough sand to prevent it's baking and to render it easy of cultivation. Cotton and sugar are the prin- cipal crops raised for market. Corn, rice, oats, rye, etc., are also extensively raised. The scenery is very beautiful and appears to great advantage to one who has just passed through the flat uninteresting country of eastern Florida. The soil and climate of this portion of the State appears to be well adapted to the raising of a great variety of fruits. Pears, peaches, figs, plums, etc, succeed remarkably well also almonds oceans and other varieties of nuts. l have never seen such thrifty pear srcharda The Le Conte pear is attracting a great deal of at tentien here. Cuttings placed in the ground will grew four to eight feet and even more the first year, half an inch in circumference, and bear in three years. They are wonder fully prolific and the fruit is of excellent quality, said by those who raise them to be far superior to the Bartlett, which also grows finely here. Figs are very prolific, al so very vigorous grower. There are number of varieties grown here. The early variety natures in June, followed by others which extend the season into October. If some one here would make business of drying and shipping this fruit it would no doubt pay handsomely. Oranges and other fruits are raised here, but are not considered to be as profitable as the
 first named varieties of fruits. Strawberries, blackberries, etc., also grow finely here. Tallahassee the capital of the State, ''ths fiowery city of the f1owery South, " is one of the loVeliest places in America. It is built upon the broad surface of high hill sur rounded on all sides by other lovely hills. It It. is +.ie laid out out in Harv squares: nids and shaded with magnificent live oak trees on either side. Some of the streets are shaded with 8 row of trees on either side and another TOW through the center of the street. Broad open squares are frequent, all we'll shaded, park-like and inviting. The live oak trees are all draped with long grey moss. At one end of the city stands the State House, large pl ain brick structure, painted a light color. It stands in a spacious square on the crest of hill at an elevation of about three hundred feet above the sea level The grounds are tastefully laid out with winding paths and lawns shaded by grand old oak and magnolia trees. The air is rsdolent with the perfume of tLe many flowers blooming there. Tallahassee is very quiet old city. There are no factories,
 with the exception of one cotton factory.
 The houses are nearly all surrounded by
 ample grounds, neatly fenced and kept, and
 flowers, flowers, flowers blooming every
 where in great abundance. The people of
 Tallahassee have beautiful custom of hold
 ing floral fair every spring. As might be
 expected, tho exhibitors and patrons gen.
 erally are ladies, who take great interest and
 pride in the exhibition. Thers are several
 northern men located in Tallahassee
 engaged in business; all appear to be doing
 well. am thoroughly convinced from per
 sonal experience as well as by observation
 that the climate of this portion of the State
 is far more healthful as well more pleas
 ant than the coast regions, also that more money can be made in this part of the State by the cultivation of the fruits, etc., that succeed so we'll here than by orange culture | in other portions of the State. Northern peo- pie who have not made investigations have | but little idea of the labor necessary l to prepare new land for an orange grove, and | even after the trees have been set out theil growth is slow. The weeds must be kept down for at least five years before the tree: amount to anything. If had 8 friend con ! templating engaging in anything of this kint my advice to him would be, "don't." Many ' I travagant nonsense about orange culture, anc f expect to come to Florida and get an easy competence on few acres of orange trees Sound judgment, hard work, and plenty oi it, must be applied or success will not at tend the undertaking. Real estate has advanced in Leon county during the last two years, the completion of two excellent hotels, the Leon and the St. James, furnishes
 ample accommodations to visitors. There are
 several places of interest to the tourist in the
 vicinity of Tallahassee The famous Wakulla
 spring is about sixteen miles distant The
 wonderful St. Marks river with numerous
 mineral springs along it's banks, the natural
 bridge twelve miles distant, the several
 lakes and many other places of interest in
 the vicinity offer charming inducements in
 the way of sight seeing excursions.
 TALLAHASSEE, March 1886. J. P. F.