Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1911-01-27
CLIMATE OF SOUTH FLORIDA
By A. ]. Mitchell, Director of
U. s. Weather Bureau

The territory embraced in this dis
cussion comprises that portion of the
Florida peninsula south of the 10Th
parallel, and constitutes about $4,000
square miles, with population of about
six to the square mile, The upper por-
) ton of the district may be regarded as
the beginning of the semitropical Sec
ton of the state. The physical features
Of the district present no radical con-
trasts as the most elevated portions
barely reach the dignity of hills. The
elevation ranges from sea Level toabout
100 and possibly 200 feet in portions of
the interior. In this district may be
found nearly every variety of soil, from
: sandy pinelands of the coastal region to
those OF darker hue and great fertility
in portions of the interior. Interspers-
ed throughout the district are numer-
Gus fresh water lakes and sluggish
streams. The soil is adapted to the
growth of all agricultural products in
digenous to the state, and, in addition,
as consequence of latitude and eleva
ton, many varieties Of fruits not to be
found elsewhere in the United States,
save possibly in sections of California,
have been successfully introduced.
Probably four-ffths of the citruScrop,
and all the pineapples of the state, are
grown in this district. The growth of
early vegetables has assumed large pro-
portions, though thousands of acres are
still covered with virgin timber, Enor-
nous beds of>phesphate rock are un-
touched. Assthe drainage of overflow
ed lands In the east and the conserva-
ton of moisture in the semi-arid region
of the west have the same object in
view-that of making waste lands avail
able for successful agricultural pursuits
lit may not be inappropriate to ssate
that work of great magnitude is now
being prosecuted in the districts with
y, elaeg 8 frainlna Che Eycfgiadesl
(0keecnobke Lake sectlen 1be area
to be reclaimed, comprising about 81
100000 acres in the south central por-
tion of the section, is OF great fertility
and peculiarly adapted to the growth OF
sugar cane. AS the reclamation Of this
vast area is Of great Importance, as In
dicated by the utilization of the rain
fall data compiled by the weather bu-
reau over the section concerned, it may
be pertinent to state that the Okeecho-
bee section proper is claimed to be
about 20 feet above sea level. The
drainage to the eastward is through
various minor streams, the principal OF
which is the New River, which is the
outlet for probably one-half of the wa
ter that empties into the Atlantic
ocean from this section. The Caloosa-
hatchie river is the main drainage ba-
sin into the Gulf of Mexico, while the
Kissimmee river and several less pre-
tentious streams drain into Lake Okee-
chobee. The contamination of the task
OF canal drainage, now being vigorously
pushed by the state, will make availa-
Bile an enormous area for fruit, vegeta-
qles and cane growing rendered doubly
valuable by reason of the comparative
immunity from destructive trosts and
freezes.
The temperature is the most impor-
tant element entering into the climate
OF the district, because q large parcent-
age Of the products grown are subject
TO serious damage by low Temperature.
As might be expected from the latitude
the range In temperature is unimpor-
tant, and though the summers are long
the extreme heat, even at stations In
che southern portion Of the district, 10
rarely 100 degrees. During the warm
est part Of the day atmospheric circula-
ton is most active, the winds sweeping
across the peninsula from ocean TO gulf,
and thereby mitigating, in a great
mersure, the disagreeable sequences OF
warm days and high humidity. The
warmest weather occurs during July
and August, when maximum tempera-
lures Of 100 degrees or slightly more,
may be recorded at stations in the inte-
rior. The mean summer temperature
ranges from about 80 degrees -continl-
Ing about so during September 10 the
southern portion. AS q rule the Octo- !
Der average is from 6 TO degrees cool
O. than September. AS the last men