Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-17

sword and martial tread OF the military
guards; the officers, fremen, city officials,
press, business firms, made a triumphant
entry into the grounds, and convince the
most skeptical that the flash and dash of
Southern enterprise is reality. Million
aire, "cracker," negro, all felt the infu-
ence of the baImy day. and grew enthusiasts
tic over the success of the Exposition.
Our country cousins, in vehicles from the
primitive OK cart to the glittering costly
coupe, drawn by silky-coated thoroughbreds,
were in attendance. Beauty and chivalry
from the surrounding resorts to the bare
footed pedestrian, gazed in admiration and
open-mouthed wonderment on the magni6-
cence of the display. To the Northerner,
Just down from the gaunt cold North, with
thoughts Of his frost-benighted friends at
home, the widest dream Of tropic loveliness
was more than realized, and he soon feels
that delirious height of ecstasy that rests so
we'll and SO Enthusiastically on the South
erner, and forgetting his stiff Plymouth
Rock principles feels and enjoys the en-
chantment OF cline where endless summer
smiles.
FLoRA'S HOME.
The matchless sunlight glints against the
drops trickling from the basin OF the great
fountains. The grass plot is studded with
rare, fragrant exotics; deer, pelican and
duck grace the grounds, and everything
says-Florda! The Peri who would enter
the paradise o. this miniature Florida must
deposit the talisman-the small sum of 80
cents-with the angel at the gate, and not
stopping to look behind, halt on the thres-
hold OF this tropical splendor. The bloom
and beauty that the hall commands is be-
wildering. Flora is the special goddess,
and seems to be holding long bacchanalian
rout of roses, jasmine, sweet-scented violets,
etc., exhaling odors enough to sweeten
continent.
Comparisons, according to Mrs Malaprop,
are "odorous," and to compare Southern
exhibition with any other would only be to
distinguish the difference. But sometimes
the most enchanting scenes, by the emotions,
tender and dreamy that they awake in one,
have the power to cast a sadness over the
wanderer. Standing a! the entrance, gazing
down the length OF the building, a perfect
fairyland greets the visitor. Rich palmettos
and palms adorn the aisles, luxuriant- dis
play of oranges, lemons, lines and bananas
appear, while beds of strawberries, half-ripe
pineapples convince US that We are in the
towering, balmy southland. Lemon trees
in all states of fruitage, fig trees, pome-
granate cocoanut; overgrown, awkward, de-
moralized cacti, century plants and oranges.
Oranges verywhere--arranged artisticaily
in clusters, rows and pyramids, among shad-
dock, grape fruit, persimmon, etc., etc.;
arches festooned and lined with moss ana
palms. The i'lea OF beauty is SO well car
ried out that the most fastidious could only
exclaim in admiration.
THE EPICURE's DELIGHT.
Added to the luxurious display of the
asthetic and beautiful, the more matter of
fact vegetable comes into prominence
Ripe tomatoes, egg plant, green peas, corn,
etc., mammoth strawberries in such pro-
fusion that the nineteenth century epicure
cannot but thank his lucky late that his
destiny has been cast under Ceres prosper
Gus reign. From these glimpses into the
four corners of the Peninsula, through the
windows o the Exposition, the resources OF
Florida prove to BEN varied and more
interesting that the world dreams. 1t is
here that the stranger is reminded by that
"irrepressible"-the land agent-that he is
in the "orange belt of the Peninsula;" but
seeing is believing, and the tourist who will
accommodate the kind-hearted gentleman of
each department by sampling "the finest
variety of the orange" comes away im-
pressed with the hospitality of the South
erner and very dangerous case of the
"orange lever" and as quickly leaves an
order at the packing room for one, two or
several boxes 'like the sample" to be
shipped to friends at home.
The finest, the largest, the most paying
groves of the State are surrounding Peala.
The Harris grove, containing 200 acres, has
just finished its shipment of 90, 900 boxes
Does orange growing pay? 1t is here in
this miniature Florida that the inquisitive
Yankee may revel in the desire of his soul
asking questions-and he does il, too. The
prize pumpkin and cabbage weighing A.
pounds paralyze him for a moment, and
clutching his gripsack of wooden nutmeg>
with a vengeance, exclaims, do tellr' but
in another second, with the spirit of hi,
Puritan fathers, boldly protests, >"Main, /,
and her pine trees kin beat it every time"
THE NEW SOUTH.
Pallas Athene is guarding the under
takers of this enterprise and the resources
and attractions OF Florida are being shown
and studied to the advantage of Florlda's
future. Northern tourists take the liveliesl
interest in the great display of wonderful
and curious plants, flowers, fruits, native
woods, etc. With the pessImist's views o
the effect of yellow fever in Florida, and
the inquiries that come from beyond the
of Florida now?"-this
midwinter exhibition will open new era in
the prosperity OF the State, and show the
power full attractions and horticultural ele-
ments. Tourists coming from the ice-clsd
North, ushered into this sample box OF the
New South, find it not only transition,
but q wonderful revelation. Ennui is
the bane of the traveller, but he