New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-13
SUGAR-GROWINGI IN FLORIDA
ENCOURAGEMENT III HAS RECEIVED UNDER
THE MCKINLEY BILL
NEW WORKS AT sT. cIoUD-FISDISG USE voD
THE SCRUB PALNErro-LoCAL oP-

THE SCRUB PALNErTo-LoCAL oP-
uos-CYPREss SHINGLES.
st. Augustine. Fla. Nov 25.-PeopIe from the North
have been disappointed 10 find that Of the leading
hotels are yet opened. The Alcszar, which is iuse
opposite the Ponce Dc Leon Is usually open early -
this but, owing to tie nsufcIency Of accommodations
last season. another story has been sdded, 10 give
yfour additional bedrooms, and the lower noor on
the west side Of the great court has been converted
from Japanese bazaar into ladies' parors The hotel
Is TO be opened tomorrow The Ponce dc Leon, the
Corova and other leading hotels being renovated
for the seasons business which, II Is expected. will u
large, the flight from the North has begun earlier
than II did last year when the grip started 10 many
people toward the warmer ATTITUDES
Those who arrived In Jacksonville early this week
from New-York must have concluded that Florida hsl
been mscprcsened for ovcrc5ais and wraps and heavy
undercloiLng In demand for comfort. Tho tscs
Is that the cold wave had struck Florida, ard the
eclipse Of the moon was the cause The temperature
had fallen from ~ degrees 10 80 degrees In less than
fifteen hours and every owner Of an orange grove hee
been thrown into dire apprehension about the most
The railroad service t. II. Augustine has been greatly
improved. The old Spanish eoquina buildings the Oh
coquna Fort Marion. the old cathedral. the old Save
mart the soft winds odorous with the orange and mag
nolia blossoms, are all here yet.
The growing Of sugar-csne has become one OF 10
tons Of the raising only enough for the use
Of the family. others raising for revenue only, ana
both are successful. The low hummock and swamp
lands particularly those Of the southern counties ere
especially adapted TO ifs culture for there the genial
climate. with its exemption HON the frost allows the
cane fully to ripen. Fair land will produce from looo
to 1000 pounds OF sugar per and rich land viii
produce from 1900 to 1000 pounds. Heretofore only
rude methods and machinery have been used with this
crop, but now that improved machinery is brought 70
upon It, u Is asserted that the development OF the
sugar industry Is sure TO follow. Scarcely train
leaves sanford the South Florida Railroad. that docs
not comprise one fiat loaded with vacuum
pans and other machinery, bound for st. Cloud or Soma
other place along It's line, where sugarmakine has
begun. Captain Lund, OF the ST. Johns River steam
boat Fred de Barry said that the boats were carrying
large amount Of sugar and molasses making machinery
nearly every day to Sanford which has come from New
York by the Clyde Steamship Line. Captain Lund alss
said that the freight business on the St. Johns River
exceeds that Of last winter even which was the great
est that had ever been known. There are seventytws
landings along the 10s miles Of river between Jackson
vile and sanford, and the supplies for the people car
red on the up trip and the oranges brought back dvs
the two passenger boats than they carry, and
two extra freight boats employed on the river The
river route because Of Its scenery and general COM
fort seems to be the most desirable for travellers
who are not in special haste.
Just before left Tampa ;. ~ Jones, one on toe eao-
ing business men OF the place, who is credited with
being as well, II not better informed than any other
in Florida to its general condition and it's indus
tries and who had Just returned from ST. Cloud up In
Polk County, said "Pve seen on this trip sght
that made me feel proud 10 call Florida my
home. Have you been TO st. Cloud and visited the
sugar works there Well / never was there before.
and no idea Of what has been accomplished there
The first day we took a boat and went through
ive mi NJ along the canals
raised from three TO five feet above the water, Is ~
black as night and will raise anything on earth. 10
reclaimed land built up out Of the swamp, and beats
ANYTHING else in the world. After inspecting the
land along the water, went back to Kissimmee ane
next day went to the St. Cloud sugar plantation On
one hand / saw 1000 Of growing rice
and on the other 900 acres Of sugarcane growing.
1t was grand sight and the best Of IL is that this
is the fifth years return from the FIRST plant. In other
words they have not planted out the cane since the
first year. and they don't expect TO plant any for two
OF three years more and that cane Will yield 1000
pounds of sugar TO the this year. They have
every modern facility for handling the cane and making
the sugar and moasses and 1t cost $4,000 to get the
machinery to st. Cloud. But the per cent bounty
offered by the Government, through the Mckinley
BILL will pay the whole cost OF production ready Tor
market and every cent OF the balance received VIII
be clear profit Nothing In agriculture will pay better
for the same investment Of capital
"The so-called swamp land Of Florida has several
millions of acres that will produce 1000 pounds OF
sugar to the acre. and will require no more labor than
any ordinary crop The rice crop will run ten
barrels TO the acre. and probably more. On these
same reclaimed lands saw peach trees that had been
put out as little bits Of buds and they bore peaches
the second year. On these lands they have every
variety of tropical fruit growing which shows what
be done upon them"
Everybody who has been in Florida, and especially
aat nd aIo he Johns River has
learned that the scrub palmetto stunted palm growth.
has been a poor despised thing ever since white men
trod Florida soil 1t has been looked upon as worthless
and cumbrous to the land, and those who have
poughed it up and made every effort to Kill 1t out
have considered 1t curse. But II Is now more than
likely that it will be looked upon as an artcle OF
value to the owners Of the land where It grows Its
berries have been found to contain rare medicinal
qualities the root is said TO contain large percentage
OF tannin and some works have been started to con-
vert the leaves into a fibre. factory mas oeeh
nut I'D at Jacksonville 70 work up these leaves into
fibre which, II Is claimed, will make the best OF rope
and mating and IL is used for making hats mattresses
and upholstery. one thing claimed for II Is that IL
DESTROYS that midnight intruder called the bcdbug
In other words you press fibre of the scrub palmetto
and il gives you rest If palmetto mattresses will rid
the NewYork tenement houses Of this pest, the scrub
growth is well worth $40 ton, at which price 1t v
now quoted.
Another Of Fiorida's industries is shinglemakinS
and for this the cypress tree is the most desirable
Great forests have been cut down for this needfu
article to build the roof over mans head Tns
cypress forests are extensive they once worS
IN FLORIDA but the supply is MOI yet exhausted once
In while a large tree is 10 be found put When tney
run eight to nine feet in diameter they are usually
found 10 be hollow in the centre. l saw one tnes
had Just been down. and sawed into elgnteen1nSe
lengths for shingles, in forest near Kissimmee ~
was six feet In diameter at lis butt end and was sone
wood clean through. Fifty -four lengths or eighty.
one feet had been cut and the diameter OF the smaller
end WAS fourteen inches The tree was therefore aooai
20 feet high from the ground TO the tip before II hse
been cut down. 1890. -. ...
movement in the direction OF better morals mas
begun In Florida and ii is likely that II may Dc e1
tended beyond Polk County. Upon the appnesuon
OF more than one-fourth Of the voters OF tat county
10 the commissioner at Lakeland special eiecuon
* 10 be held on December 30 to decide whether the
sale OF liquors. wines and beers. shall be prohbleca
in the county IL is predicted that the election WI