The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-26
Letter from Florida.

ger and president Of the Apopka Canal
Co. to take trip with him across the
lake, and up the canal to where the
dredge boat is at work, we accepted,
and accompanied by four gentlemen.
who for several days previous, had been
in our midst admiring the. beauties and
advantages Of this great South Apopka
region, We drove over to the Judges
beautiful home at Oakland, where we
were Hospitality received and cared for
until early Thurday morning.
In this connection we will say that
the Judge has just completed his large
house. OF eleven rooms, situated on Il
hill nearly surrounded by 'bnartiful
oak forest. In the rear Of the house,
Sloping to the banks Of Lake John. the
oaks have been suppluntcd by orange
trees. showing the care they have had
in their unusual size, thriving condi-
ton. and in the rich yield Of golden
fruit, which weighs them down.
At an early hour VIC breakraStcd, and
uilCi u oshSN VAIN VI tuIcS-tluitI "
mile, to Spears wharf, on Lake Apop-
ka, we boarded the steamer "Apopka"
and had only a few minutes to wait be-
fore We were off for the canal, Mt the
north end Of the lake, coaSting the
west shore aud stopping at various land
ings for orange freight. After leaving.
the first place of interest We saw was
the famous Burdettc Island grove.
This grove, like many others on the
shores Of Apopka, was made by bud
ding sweet oranges on the native wild
hcrs all though the hammock. Our
first stop was ut Lieut.. Franklin wharf,
from which point the land rises, with a
beautiful slope to quite an cmincnce.
On this is situated his elegant mansard
roDf mansion, surrounded by gigantic
oaks, from whose grand old trunks and
limbs, the ever beautiful sou thtrn grey
MOSS hangs in graceful clusters, sway
ing to the ever gentle breeze from off
the lake. H.. Franklin tells me- that
his grove Of twenty acres and more.
and from which he will ship this sea-
son seven hundred boxes .of oranges.
was only five years ago transpiantcd
from Capt. Simm's nursery. (This on
ly proves what trees can be niilc to do
in short tine, with good attcntion.)
Just across an arm Of the lake, from
1t. Frankiin's grove, Is Mr.. Kirk place.
This is very handsome grove just
coming into bearing. The owner last
season, planted two acres in string
beans, shipping in March and April to
northern markets. His net receipts
were about 81, 100 and. the whole crop
was made and marketed between. De-
cember and April. Next is Mr.. Stat
ems grove, lying back short distance
from the lake. ,. Then Mr.. Stewards
wharf, our next and last: stop .dp the
west shore, was the scene of busy ac.
ton, in loading oranges on our boat.
This grove, like all we had passed, was
III luxurant bearing.
At last We entered the long heard Of
Apopka canal, present terminus Of our
steamer. For five and half miles we
followed this kunal in an air line course,
from Lake Apopka to it's connection
with Lake Dora, then through Lake Do
I'll to Lake Eustis, the head waters of
the Ockluwaha river: thus atfording
when completed, through transporta-
ton, by water from Lake ApopEa to
Jacksonville, or by rail over the +. O..
& A. r. r., which crosses the canal one
mile from the present point Of working
the drcdgc boat, which is toiling assid-
uously under the skillful management
of Mr.. Hicks.
The entire length Of the canal is from
seven to seven and one half miles. was
cut through the entire length, twenty
feet wide and from. four to six feet
deep :; but after the water ran down and
partly reclaimed the rich muck land, w.
ing on both sides Of it, Ga body of thr-
ty-tivc to forty thousand acres.) it, was
found to be both two shallow and mr.
row to either afford transportation or re-
claim fully the land. So the dredge
beat was put to work on the Lake Dora
end, and cut the canal, for two miles,
thirty to thirty.f five feet wide and nine
feet deep. This second cut was also re-