The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-10-31

j
the FLoRIDIAN containing an editorial
letter t. the State Horticultural Society.
It commences with the above sentence
which / am sure will be endorsed by
every member of our state society. It
certainly is to be regretted that state
society should not be equally useful in
all portions Of our state. The reason
very clearly is that Middle and West
Florida are mainly engaged in agricul-
ture, and horticulture occupies subordi-
nate position. In East and South Flor
ida are the contrary; the pursuit of hor-
ticulture is the leading industry and gen.
eral agriculture only secondary con-
sideratiOn.
1t thus happens that the State Horti-
cultural Society is mainly composed Of
aA1emb"rs from South and East Florida.
This should not be so to so great an ex-
tent. Middle and West Florida have
wonderful horticultural capacities which
can be developed into splendid proper
tions by proper efforts.
The soil ami climate of that section are
widely different from South Florida, and
of course her fruits, as a matter Of
curse will be entirely discretionary OF
the fruits most successfully grown in our
section will utterly fail in the other.
The Spanish peaches and Kelsey plnm
that are at home in the North part Of the
state are failures in the South.
The tropical and suh-tronlcal fruits that
thrive in the South snccumb TO the frost>
OF the northern part. Many of the grapes
that Prof Dubois grows successful y in
r Leon are cumbereis of the ground in
O;a1ge.
This very great diversity Of climate and
\ products is to some extent in the way Ut
u general exchange of plants, still there are
s0ue that do fairly well over W de range.
TIE fig and slrawh rrry are perhaps growo
Ovtr as great rauge of soil climate as
any. The LeCOnie pear grows most rap
idly and bears eai lest in North Florida
yet even 80 far south as D ange county it
grows fairly well but is much longer in
coming into bearing than in Jefferson.
When the fruit does come II is fully as
large and ine as in the North. Yea I'VE
must &c, b tier acquainted" Tne grower
OF the pineapple, the mango, the orange,
peach, pear should hold fratcrpal
meetings and though the fruits we grow
are varied yet laws Of plant life and
growth are the same everywhere and
the human nature of the cultivatOr is rot
changed by the accident Of location
believe a meeting Of horticulturis
representing wide range Of climate,
soil and products like Florida, can be
more Interesting than one embracing a
narrower field. 1t does horticulturists
good to meet fellow horticulturists who
are in different lines. 1t makes us
: broader and deeper and better. The
meetings Of the State Horticultural
Society are of the highest value as afford.
ing opportunities to get better acquaint
ed" The seats that should be filled by
Middle and West Florida are too many OF
them vacant, and in our Horticultural
papers we look almos' in vain for words
Of lighl and cheer from those sections
Our horticultural editors have invited
them to come into the state horticulture
family circle and ''get better acquaint
ed" and now we are glad to see voict
raised in the right place and sounding
the right note.
Yes; eve must get better acquaint
ed" by exchange of plants and courtesies
by meeting in the columns of our horti-
cultured press and shaking hands, show
ing faces and breezy voices at our STATE
horticultural meetings.
Respectfully yours,
DUDLEY ADAMS,
President Florida State horticulture
Society.
TANGERINE, Orange Co., Fla Oct. 10
Comment is unnecessary. Bro. Adam
aneaks our sentiments.