The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-03

that the pine lands. almost universally
healthy, are situated at intervals OF
few miles with "hammock" lands of
the richest quality. These hammocks
are not as is generally supposed. low,
wet lands, on the contrary they are
high dry, undulating lands that never
require either ditching or draining.
They vary in extent from twenty acres
to 10000 acres, probably averaging 800
each. The inhabitants can select their
residences In the pine lands and culti-
vate the low hammocks' without en-
dangering their health. Experience
shows that a mile intervening will be
entirely exempt from malarial disease
and that negroes who cultivate the
"hammocks" and retire at night to
pine land homes maintain perfect
health, even in low malarial districts.
CLIMATE.
The climate of Florida is one of the
finest in the world being remarkably
equable. and agreeable. subject to fewer
atmospheric variations and with mcr-
curry ranges much less than in any
other part of the United States except
a portion of the coast of California. In
every part of the United States, and
even in Canada. than 1t does along
the coast of Florida.
This is shown by meteorological sta
tistics i'm the United states bureau. AS
respects health. the climate of Florida
stands pre-eminent. That the peninsu-
la climate of Florida is more salubrious
than that of any other state of the
,,,,N t., l,lt tgIa hNv IN
medical statistics of the army. They
prove that the diseases which result
from malaria are a much milder type
in the peninsula than in any other state
in the Union. Reasons given are that
during the whole year and especially
the summer months, the peninsula is
favored with a cool refreshing sea-
breeze, which sets in from 9 to IL
o'clock in the forenoon and continues
until sunset. This breeze is remark
ably cool for the latitude owing TO the
fact that the cooler waters of higher
and colder latitudes are constantly
thrown along down the Florida coast
by the back current of the ever-flowing
Gulf Stream. forming what might be
termed a vast eddy, extending from
Cape Hatteras to Cape Canaveral and
verse winds, at the rate Of two miles an
hour.
The cool temperature of these wa
tcrs is itself the cause of this never
failing breeze. being some seven de-
grecs colder than that of the Gulf Of
Mexico as the sun rises the atmos-
phere over the gulf is soon heated and
rarifed. This heated air rises and
| .l t.
across the peninsula to supply the vac
uum, thus forming a steady breeze
during the warmer part of the day.
| The daily ocean breezcs in summer
modify the heat. The gulf breeze,
coming in with the setting sun, cools
| the air at night. The thermometer
rarely rises above ninety degrees in
summer. while official records show
the average temperature to be in sum
mcr sevcnty-eight and in winter sixty
degrees. The average number OF sun
ny days in the year is 80. In the win
| ter five out of every six days are
bright, cloudless and of the most
agreeable temperature, which resem-
bles very much the so-called Indian
summer" except that the sky is per-
fectly clear and the atmosphere dry
and elastic. In word. Florida's most
valuable asset is her climate. Lying
at the foot of the continent. replete
with ozone and washed by the warm
Gulf stream, she is fast becoming the
home of thousands of Northern health
seekers and tourists.
A NATURAL GARDEN.
Florida is the natural garden Of
the world. still holding her own and
exhibited "A reCuperatVe power unap-
preached by any other state in the
| t'uion. The wonderful resources of
Florida in agricultural, horticultural
and industrial pursuits are so many
and varied that TO so into specific
details would require lengthy vol
ume. New industries are being year
ly established, and the raising of early
vegetables and fruits for Northern
and Western markets is growing in
importance the most valuable being
the orange. while the lemon, the pine
apple and the banana are largely
grown. The largest groves of wild
oranges are on Orange lake, also Lake
Griffin, Harris, Weir. Bryant. Jessup
George and in other interior bodies of
water, while on the Indian river and
along the Florida East Coast railway
are grown the finest oranges on earth
Here are few statistics:
The annual output of the lumber
interest approxmates 5OOOOO.OOO super
fetal feet: oranges. 900 900 boxes; cab
bages, 100000 barrels millions and
millions Of melons, comprising 5000
carloads over one, the Plant railway
,1n 4
crates; canteloupes, 100000 crates; the
phosphate mining industry exceeded
$4,000, 900 in 1900: the annual output
of cigars is l50000,000. and the selling
value is sl0OOO.000, and from 5000 tc
$1,000 persons are employed in this in.
dustry.
SOUTH OF JACKSONVILLE.
Leaving Jacksonville with our faces
turned southwark, in eleven miles We
reach Baldwin, where there is a june.
ton of the three divisions-the west.
crn to Tallahassee, 1876 miles, and the
central to Cedar Keys and Tampa
9Oi miles. In 80 miles we pass through
Lawtey, settled by Northern people
the chief Industry being orange cul.
ture, vegetable and strawberry farm.
ing, the success of which their neal
and often elegant residences attest
At Starke is branch to the Suwan'
nee river. also surrounded by orange
groves, peach and pear orchards, vine
yards and strawberry farms.
At Waldo. 90 miles from Jacksonville
is a branch to Cedar Keys on th'
Gulf of Mexico. II miles distant; anC
here We will diverge from the mair
line, passing through large. compac