The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-05-14
interest as the fast friend of his road
if properly conducted.

This road holds position of vita
Importance to the agriculturists o.
Middle Florida. 1t has stimulated
the tobacco industry.
Conducted as it is upon sound
business principles and with due re-
gard to their obligations to the peo-
pie, it not only becomes a local, but
a general good.
AS we passed over this line recently
we saw the benefits it had brought
about. School houses and other in
situations of learning are rapidly
multiplying, old habits are fast pass
ing away and it is plain to be seen
that the people of the towns and
country are taking on new growth,
ideas, feelings and sentiments.
Many of the facts given Of our
trip were cleaned from practical
farmers who came on board of the
different trains between Tallahassee
and Ormond, most of whom live
adjacent to the lines of railroad
travelled, and the various statements
made to us about farm matters were
corroborated by personal observa-
tions as we passed along.
Four years ago we made similar
trip to this one with about the same
objects in view, viz: gathering infor-
nation about Florida farming in
general. We saw vast difference
in very many respects. In many
fields where four years ago it was
all cotton, now oats, corn, tobacco
and other crops are growing and
looking we'll, especially corn. 1t has
bright green color, weeds are
scarce and although a drouth is
prevailing in many sections, as
matters stand there are good chances
for large corn crop.
All along the line of the +. c. 81
P. there seems to have been a general
''brushing up" among the farmers
and town people. The fences are
higher, new rails adorn the tops Of
the same,t the corn rows are straighter,
the farmers front yards look heater,
the shade trees much larger and
flowers more profuse. The dead
pines have gone to town for ''liters,"
the stumps in many instances have
rotted away, leaving clean and in
viting fields, all under good cultiva-
ton to look at, but there is too much
land "out of doors" yet for the good
of the farmers owning these large
bodies. Here and there we noticed
new, and to all outward appearances,
comfortable farm houses recently
built and others in process of con-
structlon, back from the railroad in
the "piny" woods.
The Live Oakers were all attired in
their Sunday-go-to-meetiug clothes.
AS we halted there, picnic was in
order at Houston. Our train
"buckled on" to a carload of fair
ladies and gallent young men and
our businesslike and afable "Con".,
W. NJ. Smock, unbuckled them at
Lake Peacock, twelve miles distant,
in good shape and all happy as
CLANS at high tide.
While the good people of Talla-
hassee were enjoying Natures great
restorer, balmy sleep, at the quiet
hour of a. m. we boarded the mixed
train with many misgivings, for some
of the uptown folks had told us that
it was slower than the itch we had
when a school boy; that we would
be sidetracked at every country
switch, but we were happily disap-
pointed, for LATE Sutton, the old
lightning runner from off the Bee
Line, was in the cab, and he was
never known to let grass grow
between the crossties; he burns il
all out with flying cinders. He has
pulled US over many steel rail laid
in the states of Ohio and Indiana
and when he is at the throttle W.
feel just as safe as in our tobacco
field at Lake View farm.
THE sido ~ Wolhorn Goor0.