Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-02-16
The Florida Everglades.

The islands of the Everglades are COW
cred with luXuriant virgin forests. The
live-oaks and the bays are present In
large numbers. interspersed with wild
cucumbers, wild lemon and wild orange.
The papaya, the custard-apple, and the
prickly-ash are of very frequent occur
renee. and here and there, governed by
the size and elevation OF the islands, are
the cabbage palmetto and the pine Wild
rubber-trees are also found in some To-
callties, growing to enormous size.
Throughout the region there is a phe-
nomenal growth of vines The morn
ing-glory and honeysuckle attain great
size and are almost everywhere. The
wild fig. which fastenes itself about a
massive trunk OF live-oak or bay, lives
Its cannibal life until the supporting tree
trunk has been destroyed. Wherever the
land is dry enough, the counterpart
fiourishes. This plant is really the Florida
Seminole From its root he extracts
flour and starch, both of which are deli
cate and digestible.
There is n remarkable variety and pro-
fusion OF wild flowers. Water-lilies and
spider-lilies abound. orchids are found
In great numbers and are of great beauty.
on many Of the islands grow giant ferns,
the fronds OF which measure ten feet in
length.
The shores OF the streams by which the
Glades are entered are covered with rank
growths of the cocoa-plum. The same
tree grows all about the edge of the
Glades, producing blue fruit on the east
ern edge and white fruit toward the west.
The flora OF the whole region Is unique
and unstudied. and contains, no doubt.
scores of plants unknown and unclassi-
fed.
The Everglades are not a sportman's
paradise, In the usual sense Of that term.
Nevertheless, animal life is fairly album
dant In that portion of the area where the
larger islands lie. Deer are found on both
the eastern and western edges and now
and then bear is seen. The panther has
not entirely disappeared, an occasional
one finding his way into the explorer s
camp. Offers are plentiful, and the Semi
noles, who hunt both the otter and the
alligator for their skins. derive a con-
siderable revenue from other traffic.
The alligator is often seen, and his gentle
roar is by no means unmusical. On the
southeastern edge the crocodile (Crocodi-
lus Americanus) is found in small num-
bers, though his more favorlte haunts are
among the mangrove Businesses between
the Glades and the bays and sounds about
Cape Sable.
The climate Of the Everglades is almost
faultless. II is singularly equable, show
ing no extremes of heat and cold, and not
subject to sudden change. Even a
''norther," coming out OF the region Of
ice and snow, is soon softened to milder
temperature; and the heat OF summer Is
made genial, though the mercury may be
well up in the eighties, by the ozonized
air which is everywhere in the Glades.
The year is divided into the dry and
rainy seasons. The latter may be roughly
spoken of as including June and Septem-
Der, although, well in the Glades, sudden
light showers in limited areas are likely
at any season, and in the autumn a high
degree of humidity is constant. A life
time might be spent in the region and no
sign of malaria ever be discovered. Pure
air, that moves in gentle breezes over a
vast expanse of pure water. is the perfect
assurance of health, as evinced in the fine
physique, splendid coloring, and athletic
vigor of the Seminole, who has a monopoly
Of as fine a climate as there is on earth.