The Republican journal., 1906-03-29
NOTES FROM FLORIDA.
A Good Catch of Bluefish. The Razor-back
Hog. Orange Groves Moving South The
Season Nearing its Close

Season Nearing its Close.
CORRESPONDENCE of The Journall
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. March 10,
1906. A few days ago | went fishing
with some friends, Mr.. Leroy Hlscock
and his father, who own the trim little
launch Helen, and as it was my first
fishing trip in Florida you may be
assured that the fact | came out high
line was most gratifying. l was awak-
ened from slumbers by my friends IN
the early morning hours and craving
out of bed pulled on my clothes ana
was soon breaktaStlng with them. Al
ter such a breakfast as BELTS good
fisherman we left on the little boat for
a trip up the lake and were soon on the
fishing grounds. The catching of blue
fish here is considered great sport and
we landed a good catch. We used a
bright piece of lead with a bit of red
flannel and while the hook was larger
than mackerel jig it was on similar
lines. The fish bit readily and as we
did all the fishing by trolling we had to
keep the little boat going most of the
time. At noon we landed in cosy
place under the trees and ate the lunch
which was prepared at home. The al
ternoon was spent in fishing with good
results | came home with many hSh,
bliStertd hands and hole in one finger
torn by the line OF fast-movlng hsh,
and which | still carry as a souvenir.
We carried a coiored boy who took the
fish off the hook and we did the fishing,
landing them il the boat. While he re-
baited the hook if necessary.
One of the best known products OF
Florida is the raZor-back hog which
runs half wild all over the State except
perhaps in Jacksonville and tampa.
They are as thin as starved steer ana
can run like deer. When Florida
farmer wants pork he goes out INTO the
woods with dogs which run down and
capture one of the razor backs and 1t
is taken back to near the house and
turned into a sweet potato field where
the potatoes have not been dug. The
animal will feed on the tubers until the
skin is not glued to the bones, when the
animal is called fat.
The leading feature of razorback
is its nose, which is almost as long as its
body and heavy and ungalnlv looking.
\ genuine razorback is high in the
shoulders and slants back to its tail
like giraffe. 1t is said that the
.'cracker'' lnative) way of telling
whether a razorback is fat enough to
Kill is to lift it by its ears. If it is
heavy enough so that the body will
overbalance the snOut the animal is
ready for slaughter.
Another description of a razorback is
that it is a piece of pig skin with hair
on both sides. Still another story on
the razorUack is of northerner VINO
was taking Florida farmer to task be
cause he did not raise better grace OF
swine The Floridlan replied: u
reckon YOU don't understand the com
mercial necessities of this here region.
The commercial necessities hereapoutS
call for a hog that ken outrun mgger
ana we've got the breed
The poorest and apparently most
deserted section of Florida is that north
central section where formerly there
were fine orange groves, now all killed
out bv repeated cold spells. The orange
groves have moved farther south and
there is nothing as yet to take their
place. but within a few years peach
orchards lave been set out at several
points and are proving profitable to
their owners, and the optimistic now
look to peaches to bring back prosperity
to these sections of the state. The
Florida peaches ripen i'll May and are
the first IN the northern market.
The Florida season is fast drawing to
a close-indeed the tourists are already
fitting northward. One tourist says:
Il had rather visit Florida than to live
in FLORIDA, but that, of course, grows
out OF habit with me more than any
thing else. / have never gotten III the
habit OF living in Florida. When tel-
low from any other section goes to
Florida he has to get used to Florida IN
Floridas way before he can enjoy 1t to
So 4,,II.c+ aytput - The hot els and rail
roads complain that the tourist travel
has been % per cent off this winter
from last winter. But they claim that
last season was the largest in the his
tory of Florida. ORRIN j. DICkEY,