Smyrna times., 1892-09-28
For the Smyrna Times.
HEARTS OF LIVE OAK.
NEW SMYRNA, VOLUsIA Co. FLA,

As Sept. 1892.
Us AT any of the United States Nav
Yards may be seen at the present tim
n large buildings that in former wear
.s were used for the storage of live GA,
is timber. These buildings are constructe
J. IN the most substantial manner o
e either stone or brick and so arranpe,
That a continuous circulation of al
should be passing through them. Thi
was Tor the purpose of curing or sea
soning the timber with which the,
were filled from the floors to the ane1
OF the root. They remain but the tim.
l Der no longer fills them. In ante.bel.
ium days the wooden walls of the old
time trigates were taken from the stor-
: age houses, and the frames fashioned
into shape. From them the historic
Niagara, Richmond, Minnesota, Pow
hatan, Iroquois, Narragansett and
wabash, carried the flag to remote
places of the globe. These ships were
the glory of the nation. Ofthem it is
now apleasing "reminiscences.
With them the American abroad felt
safe. All that is inspiring in the names
OF cambridge, Decatur, Farragut Por.
ter and and Dupont were "rocked in
the cradle of the Deep" in these hearts
oI OAK Now alas, the occupation of
1--we oak like that of Othello's is gone
NO longer the bluff bows of the wooden
walled ships breast the strong seas on
long cruises. The smart Men of War
have evoluted into rigid iron clads
turreted, turtle backed and proved
with long battling rams. Around them
are thrown Networks to protect them
strong as they seemingly are against
the deadly submerged torpedo. Aloft
are the tops enclosing battalions Of
rihemen armed with NOrdenfeldt ouicly
hiring guns. Automatic machinery on
the decks adjust to a nicetv the action
OF quick firing guns. The age of steel
Is upon the Navy. Modern guns, have
outpaced and displaced, the antique
ships are guaged now for high speed
and invunerability.
Untold millions are spent each year
by the great powers on vast accumu-
lations of steel destined not to offend
but to repel attack.
England, France, Italy, GERMANY
and Turkey vie with each other in nro-
ducing war ships that exceeds in dis.
placement ten thousand tons: their
bones dc not rot but rust away in the
English channel, at ROwen, in the
Mediterranean, and in the Dardanelles
so that it happens so formidable prem
aratlons for war has its consequent
effect OF producing no war. The dogs
of war do but simply growl and glare
at each other on home stations. In
this the time honored homeward bound
coming of Jack from long cruisea
around the world no longer exists.
All that once was his through able
management has passed into the keen |
ng of scientists. il
What ne can recall of other days yet !
his fOndness for sweet meats and his
sweet hearts, all else is of yesterday. [
The age of wood has passed away il
rom Florida came the supplies of live e
'ak. No finer tree grows than this G
pecles of oak. In nearly every tree Z
he spread of limbs exceed bv mapv n
eet the altitude of their trunks. the n
caves are small but so closely punched p
s to give a solid compact appearance. tt
ence under a live oak one finds the di
lOst enjoyable shade. Now it ham vi
ems that the live oak does not attain oil
D great a height as the Delaware de
'hlte oak and in actual test believe a
'r lasting qualities, the Delaware if
mite oak superior to the live oak. tic
he live oak in seasoning wind rends"
lat is the sap has tendency to burst 1t
le timber. The grain while dense is 81
lrly, the white oak IS striRgy, so that ag
curious anomaly these two nobIe ho
'ecies of trees have each their speciaI an
ses. From the live oaks are fash tn
hed ships frames and from the white
TX are obtained long lengths for the yo
Inside planking that is fastened to to
em. From about midway of the it
-orlda Peninsula down to the dense wa
'erglades immense tracts of live oak the
wv exists principally of second me
owth. Practically, there is little or an,
market for it, as it is not of long of
1gths, suitable for girders or beams. les
d does not work we'll and becomes sta
different to any polish. The same wa
~ be said Of yellow pine excepting !
lengths. OF all the muleish timber mu
think Florida yellow pine beats. sen
u may as we'll do, when the attempt MOI
made to work it, as Josh Billings ster
when attending the obsequies of a O
tain deceased mule-go about three is
lares behind him. It is soggyness Gar
elf no life, no spring, but a hard. mot
mass Ofcontrariness. Geor- Hot
has pines that you need not pine emo
er, but these of Florida are deplora- dem
. One may as we'll try to saw into Vic
ale of cotton. Such oak as YOU M
70 at the north and selling for $2S worl
thousand sells here for $40. White whl'
9 comes like an angel of comfort "ou
n long tussle with vollou, -. and
humble palmetto makes no pre- unse
Sc to being timber aud is used puri
rely for wharf piling, yet the day e1er
come in paper making when the cult.
of the palmetto will be more use shall
than either the live or the white lerin
. JAMES B. SCOTT. =.
Ven w,,ts :, do,vn ,,r Pana
Ill everybody is sick of seeing it OF III
Ill everybody knows it without seeing n non