Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-01-27
From Florida

In letter to +. V. Alexander, John
Spriggs says, In writing of Florida ac-
cording To my promise l will confine
myself to the parts l have seen, as it
is very spotted country or i might say
kind of sandwich country that is made
up in slices of good and bad so that a
general description would be hard 10 get
at, in this vicinity the prevailing timber
is long leaf or turpentine pine what is
termed the low rich pine land, soil is
dark vegetable mold mixed with a
small percent Of very fine grey sand
underlaid with clay subsoil.
The Hanock lands are densley tim
bered with live Oak, Hickory, Gum,
Ash, Eastwood, Mahogany, Black and
Green Ebony, soft Maple, Beech and
many other tree including Magnolia and
Cyprus and Red Cedar the latter princi-
paly in the swamps while the Fern
grows in what is termed high Hanock
although the big Hanock land is very
damp but deep rich Black soil TO the
depth of two foot or more, the climate
of Florida so far is as near perfect as
can be found any where, / think, and
any one that can get a winter home
here | think would be identified as the
weather is at all times pleasant during
the winter, true il is little chilly at
night though not freezing cold, there has
been several times when your coat was
comfortable and little fire became
necessary, yet ice has only formed twice
in small ponds where water was per-
fectly still, nothing was hurt except real
tender vegetables such as Beans and
Tomatoes, who were foolish enough TO
have them coming up at that time of
year. But the weather is now fine anb
spring has commenced and every body
is busy putting in their early spring
crops some have their Irish potatoes al
ready, they raise every thing here they
do in the north except wheat, clover,
timothy and many other things that do
not grow there that is only adapted to
southern climes. The fruits consist of
all the semi and some of the tropical
fruits. There is no stone or under
brush except in the Hanock lands, their
is quite a lot of the raw palmetto in
clumps or patches growing from 3 TO
5 feet high with regular palm leaf and
some edges on the leaf stem that cuts
like knife, they are a mean thing TO
get out of the ground, l think they are
worse than the pine stumps as the roots
grow all over the top of the ground as
large as ones leg and it is impossible TO
pillow where they are until they are all
grubbed out.
At present Florida is in its infancy,
the country is new and money is needed
to develop it, already the country is
dotted all over with settlers, rough small
houses, clearing and improving their
land, so that the average at this point
(St Johns Park colony under estima-
ton is small but inside of five years if
the present energy is kept up instead of
scattering pine woods dotted with shant-
les you will see fine residence having
the appearance of city with buildings
on each 10 acres or more of land with
orchard, orange groves and gardens, this
is the future of this country and any
one can not go wrong in buying land
while ii is cheap, as il is advancing in
price right along though their are yet
few tracts that can be had at from $50.
to 800. per acre | believe this is ALL
John J. Spriggs.
Omega z. o., Florida.