The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1897-06-02

indicates it's still further increase Of
means are not found to keep 1t in con-
dant, navigation will be entirely stopped
at any rate in the upper portion of the
river south of Palatka. This would
mean a serious disaster to a large and
important region of the state. About
eight steamers ply regularly up and
down the st Johns and Ocklawaha rivers,
carrying freight, mail, and passengers.
The entire section reached by the st.
Johns steamers is, furthermore, greatly
benefited by the low freight rates secur-
ed owing to water competition. The rates
where competition exists are only about
one-half or one-third those to places of
equal distance not having water trans
portation. Should the water hyacinth be-
come much more abundant, many Of the
small tugs and launches now doing bust
ness on the St. Johns river will be un-
able to run.
Effect on the Timber Industry.-Bor-
dering the ST. Johns river and it's tribu-
taries are extensive and valuable forests
of cypress, pine, and red cedar, which
are largely sawed by mills located in
Palatka and Jacksonville. The logs are
cut and RATED down the st. Johns to the
them in this way. Over twenty tugs, it
is said, are engaged in this rafting bust
ness. Great difficulty has been expert
enced by the lumbermen in getting their
become entirely covered by dense masses
of the water hyacinth. From Palatka
alone there is shipped annually about
55,0OO,OoO feet of lumber, representing
value in the raw material of about $110,-
600. The difficulty in rafting caused by
the water hyacinth is estimated by lum-
bermen to cause loss of about one
fourth the value of the logs, so that the
yearly loss to lumbermen at Palatka
from this pest would thus be about $27,-
50O At present twice this amount, or $780,
00O, would probably be a fair estimate of
the yearly damage to the lumber indus
trV of the entire river.
Effect on the Fishing Industry.-Fish-
ing for shad and other fresh-water fish
has long been an important industry on
cinth has become abundant, however,
much difficulty is experienced in operat-
ing the nets. Occasionally at certain
places fishermen are unable for days at
time to use their nets, or do so at great
risk, as the net may be caught between
floating masses of the hyacinth and car
ried away All along the river it is diff
which to land nets, and it is usually nee
essary to spend some time in clearing the
water hyacinth away in order to provide
suitable place. The detritus OF dead
plants which accumulateS on the bottom
of the river is also some hindrance to
fisherman. Previous to the Introduction
of the water hyacinth the bottom of the
river in most places was sandy and clear
of obstruction. Now in many places, the
writer is informed, the decaying plants
have collected in masses several feet
deep. On the fish, however, the effect of
the rapid spread of the plant has appar-
emily been beneficial, as they are more
abundant now than ever before. Fish
ermen think this is due to the protection
which the masses of vegetation afford to
the young fish.
Should the hyacinth spread in the next
four years as rapidly as it has in the
past four, fishing with nets will proba-
bly, have to be abandoned. The obstruc-
ton has already become serious in some
places. One fisherman, having about
thirty men employed constantly informs
the writer that he has been damaged to
the extent of over 81, 900 this year by the
loss of time and nets caused by the wa
ter hyacinth. Probably 500 men along the
St. Johns depend upon the industry for
their SuStenance.
Effect on Bridges.-In hoods the bank
ing up of the masses of water hyacinths.
and the resistance offered thereby to the
passage of water, is liable to prove dis
astrous to bridges. The railroad bridge
across Rice Creek was considerably in
five feet of the trestle being destroyed.
The force of the water in this was doubt
less greatly increased by the presence
of the hyacinth. Some trouble is also
experienced by the washing produced by
Inducements caused by the plants bank
ing up against the bridges. At the Buff
falo Bluff bridge men have been en-
ployed to push the plants through to pre-
vent block.
Effect on Health.-There is much COM
plant of the unwholesome conditions pro-
duced by the water hyacinth, particular
ly in the towns of Palatka and Sanford
While the plant itself is not directly in
furious to health, the accumulation of
large masses of decaying vegetable mat
ter on the banks and in lagoons probably
affects the general healthfulness of a re-
gion. When the wind blows steadily in
one direction for some time, it piles many