Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-02

remarkable statement that in all their
operations since 1881, "there has never
been a death from any cause, and physi-
clan in professional capacity has never
visited our work. The drainage, eX-
posture and cultivation of such an area ON
the Susquehanna, Juniata or Delaware
rivers, would depCpulste the region by
deadly malaria.
THE PRODUCT OF LABOR.
The more have seen of and inquired
into the general product of labor in Flor
Ida, the more am impressed with the I'D
NantageS this State presents TO actual
settlers over the far W est and even over
all the other southern States. When !
first publicly suggested, five years ago,
that the dav is not distant when the tide
OF surplus labor, from both our own and
foreign lands, must turn from the West to
the South, there We're few who credited ii,
while many vigorously cOmhated 1t. Even
intelligent men in the South fully APP
preciaung the need of actual settlers and
earnestly desiring 10 encourage them,
gave little credeuce to the prediction,
while both North and West generally re-
scented IT. but what was discredIted pro-
phecy then israpidly Shaping into history
now. The surplus young men from our
Pennsylvania farms have not yet turned
Southwark in any considerable numbers;
but their tOrerUnuers are now rearing cot
ton mills, furnaces, machine shops and
railways IN the reconstructed states, ana
the farmer will follow as surely as day
succeeds the night. The next decade Will
see scores of thousands of our surplus
skilled laborers settled in the South eapi
tai will bring them 10 the more inviting
and certain fields of Investment and the
| tide OF both home and foreign mmigra-
ton that seeks lands for homes VIII soon
learn to prefere the cheaper lands OF the
south with better markets and the best
| possible product Of a given amount OF
labor. The wheat, corn and stock grow
| ers have vast domain open to them in
the Nirginias, Tennessee, Georgia and
Alabama, which have their tobacco, cot
ton and vice belts with bOundless mineral
wealth, md Florida adds to cotton, corn,
rye, oats and lumber, her matchless
| fruits and vegetables which are only in
the infancy of the product, The severity
OF the Western, climate. the absolute dls-
aster TO the farmer when crop is lost,
| the cost OF protecting stock and main
tanning comfort in the long winters, and
the great distance from the consuming
[ centres of the country, all point TO the
| productive lands, the genial climate and
/ the general prolific results OF labor IN the
South as certain to make new highways
for immigration ana a new departure in
the growth and development of the south
ern States east of Kentucky and Missis-
! sippi. And Of all these, Florida must
/ certainly grow in favor as its climate and
/ resources become better understood. The
/ older portion OF the state, embracing the
| highlands of which Tallahassee is the
/ centre is rich as any of the other cotton
/ States, but is ragged and worn by the
/ Incidence and bad farming which belong
1 ed to slavery Farming is SO easy and
! middlng crops can be gathered with such
! a small amount Of labor, that nothing IS
! doue in the way of improving the soil by
diversity and succession of crops, and
! stock-erOwing is neglected because it
would require One-fOurth the labor and
expenditure 10 make equal returns with
/ stock growing i'm the North and West. All
the chief products Of the Pennsylvania
( farm with the exception of wheat, timothy
/ and clover, can he grown with about half
the labor and with greater certainty in
| harYests, and TO them can be added the
/ lOngfbeTed or sea-lsland cotton, tobacco,
upland rice, with pears and peaches In
perfection and oranges with moderate re-
| suits. But il is the new Florida that has
| been developed within the last few years
that / regard as the most inviting part OF
the whole continent for the small farmer
who can adapt himself to its climate and
the simple but systematic method Of cul-
ture tnaL mere produces the DeSL results
for labor to be found in any State OF the
Union. AS yet Is products are but i'm
! perfectly developed. While the orange
alone is the most profitable of crops when
/ wisely located and sensibly handled, there
is no orange land that will not produce
other semi-trOpical fruits and vegetables
I in abundance, in from two TO four crops
each year, with corn and potatoes and the
best grasses for the growth of stock, and
it is admitted by the sugar planters of
Louisiana that the reclaimed lands OF
/ Florida will be the most productive and
profitable sugar lands this side OF Cuba.
/ | have given this subject as careful per
sOnal observation and inquiry as vas pos
! sibe in a brief visit to the State; and
/ feel fully warranted in the opinions | nave
/ expressed as to the climate, resources,
products OF labor, healthfulness and rapid
and permanent growth and prosperity Of
| Florida.