The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-17
WONDERFUL FLORIDA.
An Interesting Letter from the Land o
Flowers.

| Correspondence to the Constitution If ever
statement found justification in fact, certainly
that much-abused Horace Greeley proverb,
"Southward the star Of empire takes its flight
! is proven by the wonderful work of Florida.
! Those who have heretofore imagined that the
| peninsular state was section covered with
waite aid morass, snakes and alligators. should
come here now, few years after the great in
| f1ux of the tide of prosperity has set in, and
find their opinions altered beyond recognition.
For my part, presume L was not unlike the
! average Georgian in my opinion of Florida for
| had always believed the alligator the chief
| product of the state. And while it is true that
| this ferocious amphiblous animal was here at
| the beginning, he is also here TO stay, for the
| progress of modern times has made him most
| valuable as commercial commodity. His
| ivory teeth are now used as ornaments to hang
| pendant from the ear and throat of queen and
| princess, while his hide is tanned into leather
| that is worn on the feet of men and women the
world over. The wild wastes of palmettos that
are everywhere prevalent in Florida, no longer
rot their substance in the sun as the seasons go
by, but the valuable fibre is turned into pulp
from which the paper is made that The Con
STITuTIoN and other great newspapers of the
day are printed on The thousands of tons of
pine needles that every year for centuries have
covered the pine lands Of the state, are now
converted into rich product, and the fibre is
woven into elegant carpets, rags and mattngs,
on which the poet walks as he turns his COM
munings with the muses. into verse for human
lty, and on which royalty receives its guests in
silks and satins But if these things be yalua-
bic, what must be said of the other products of
Florida? While the terrapin farms of Mary
land ind their counterpart in the alligator
ranches of Florida, there are other resources
here which promise TO make this one of the
great states of the American union. As grad
ually rs the world can understand what there
is here, opinions are changing, and the change
is rapidly forming, Walking along the streets
n 11V with DIR Eaiply on
plished Scotch gentleman, secretary of the
board here, L asked
"How do you people live in this sand?''
Sand, replied the doctor; why that isn't
sand"
"Well it looks like it; what is it?"
''Well, sir, this soil, or sand, as you cali it,
forms the basis for the finest agricultural soil in
the world. There isn't any sand here and very
little in the interior of Florida. This soil con-
tains only from two to five per cent of SILICA,
and it would not make a pane of glass in ten
years efforts In no respect is the newcomer
to Florida more likely to be mistaken than in
the soil, if he bases his opinion upon appear
ances and compares it with the soils of other
regions with which he has been acquainted
To thoroughly understand the character of any
soil, the constituents of which it is composed
must be known, and for that purpose account
must be taken of its geological formation and
derivation, The unnumbered ages that have
passed since the azoic rocks were separated
from the atmospheric yapors, and the waters
changes Earthquakes and commissions have
raised the highest mountains and continents
from beds of oceans heated hotter than the
waters OF the Mexican gulf even into the Arc
tic circle; excessive colds have sent Green
lands GLACIERS down to the valleys of the Ohio
and Potomac, carrying gigantic rocks, gravels
sands and the claYS the Canadas and
northern states; the croding powers of rains
and rivers, greater than those known at the
present day, have deposited gravel, sand and
mud on the shores Of oceans, and the grinding
forces of waves, and the growth and decay of
negotiations, through the unknown periods of
geological ages. since before the carbonaceous
periods, must all be considered in making es-
Inmates upon the soils of Florida. All these
causes have contributed to the soils of this
state, and, as with the climate, heterogeneity
is the rule. With the proper treatment this
soil will produce, with its basis of phosphate
and other fine fertilizng properties crops equal
to the mari and muclly bottoms of the Mis-
souri, and Mississippi.
Earth has but one Florida and that is ours
One peninsula in all Of the earth is washed ON
the west, south and east by the greatest, warm
est of all rivers "the great River of the
Ocean, but one region in America, one place
in all of earth over which devastating cyclones
and tornadocS do not pass, carrying death and
destruction in their paths; but one semi-tropi-
cal land over which siroccoes do not blow and
parch; but one habtant for plants, animals
and men that is daily famed by ocean breezes,
and where men every day breathe balsanlic
equal tempered atmosphere is health that
peninsula is Florida. 1t is the best inheritance
bequeathed by the Father to His children, long
reserved, but revealed at this last day. possess
ing treasures such as none of her sister states
possess, or can secure.
Florida is incompatible with all other coun-
tries and regions. Some would compare 1t with
Italy. There can be no comparison except by
contrast. Italy is region of hills and noun
tains, snow-capped during large part of the
year; Florida is nearly plain, and in most of
it snow was never seen, and nowhere lies.
Italy is swept by cold mountain winds in winter,
driving men and beast to hyemal quarters, and
by hot, relaxing sirCccoes in summer; Florida
is free from both Of these extremes. Italy is
often parched with droughts, making irriga-
ton necessity to the growth OF vegetation.
Florida has rains well distributed throughout
the year. Italy is peninsula extending into
the Mediterranean sea, whose waters are no
warmer than the ocean in the same latitude.
Florida is also peninsula, but extends into
the warmest portion of the ocean; and on the
border of the trade winds, its breezes are tenn
pered by the genial equability of the gulf
stream
Spain and the Grecian Isles compare with
Italy as to climate and productions. California
compares favorably with Italy in its snow
capped mountains, winds and droughts, in its
dry plains and needed irrigation, in rushing
torrents and dry arroyas. If her panegyrists
choose, they may compare that state to Italy,
and call her the "ltaly of America" But
Florida stands alone no place can DO COM
pared to her. Heterogeneous Florida; when
attempts are made at comparison they degrade
rather than elevate her. Her highest praise is
to call her by her own Beautiful Castilian
name, Florida. Italy would rejoice could she
be the Florida of Europe. She never can. No
country can be like Florida, and she needs no
gems borrowed from anothers crown
Death of James Noble.
NJ. James Noble died at his residence in