{"1": {"fulltext": ".^^i", "height": "3577", "width": "2392", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "Class\\nBook__\\nCOPYRIGHT DEPOSIT", "height": "3395", "width": "2158", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2158", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2158", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "IT TELLS ALL ABOUT THE INDUS-\\nTRIES OF THE STATE, ITS CLI-\\nMATE AND RESOURCES.\\nIVj itten in Common Sense Language withont\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0paint or varnish^\\nBY\\nDJK. W. B. SHOBMAKBB\\n1887.\\nNEWVILL,B, PA., TIMES STEAM PRINT.", "height": "3395", "width": "2158", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year t i?7 by\\nDr. W. B, Shoemaker,\\nin the Office of the Librarian of Cougresa at v Milton. D C\\nALL KIGIITS RE ERVED.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "Introduction.\\nBe it known to all the world and the rest of mankind,\\nthat within the last few years, much has been said and\\nwritten about Florida, extolling this land of -Sunshine and\\nFlowers. Many, if not all of these descriptions have some\\ntruth in them, but much of it is so embellished, in such\\nglowing colors and only the bright side shown, that many\\npersons come to the conclusion at once that if they can only\\nget to this land of promise (by those interested) that sick-\\nuess and sorrow will never reach them and that labor and\\ntrouble will vex them never more.\\nThis little book has been written with a view to unde-\\nceive such persons to take the glamor from these stories\\nand to show Florida as it is without paint or varnish,\\nthat is the good and bad that has to be encountered in this\\nland, to show people what they must do here and how to\\ndo it.\\nI do not propose to write a history or geography of the\\nState, but simply to state the facts as they would present\\nthemselves to you were you to take a trip through the State\\nat this time.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "I will describe the manner of living, the t-tate of society,\\nthe caltivation of the soil, (sand) clearing lands, draining\\nmarshes, planting and cultivating orange groves, tropical\\nfruits, the kind of houses the people live in, the kind and\\n(juality of stock they raise, the game and fish they have,\\nthe mosquitos and pests that are there in fact I propose\\nthat this little book, Florida As It Is shall be to the\\nreader a complete trip all over Florida at a very small cost;\\nthat the same in ormation in the usual way of traveling\\nwould cost you hundreds of dollars and then you would\\nhave no more accurate information and no more of it than\\nyou will have after a careiul reading of this book. I have\\nalso aimed to write the book in plain common sense lang-\\nuage so that any and every person can, and will understand\\nit. I have tried to avoid all personalities so as to give of-\\nfeuse to none.\\nI have given the facts as they are without fear or favor.\\nI have had very little outside aid. The entire book is my\\nown observation and experience, being right on the ground\\nand I will only say, that after reading the book you will\\nknow more about Florida, its ins and outs and pros and\\ncons, than nine-tenths of the people who have spent a season\\nthere and in addition saved much money.\\nTHE AUTHOR.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS,\\nFlorida was aiscovered by Juan Ponce de Leon,\\nApril 4th, 15 12. In 1539 it was explored and in\\n1565 a body of French Caivinists, who had estab-\\nlished a settlement three years previous, w^ere\\ndriven out by the Spaniards the latter held pos-\\nsession until 1763, when it reverted to England by\\nsession in 1781. The Spaniards regained posses-\\nsion of the country and two years later were con-\\nfirmed in their possession by the peace of Versailles.\\nIn 1820 Florida was ceded by Spain to the United\\nStates, received a territorial constitution in 1833,\\nand was admitted into the Union as a State, March\\n3d, 1845.\\nFlorida is located in the extreme Southern part\\nof the United States, between latitudes 24 and 31,\\nand longitude 80 and 88 West from Greenwich.\\nIts greatest length North and South is about 500\\nmiles, and the longest line from East to West is\\nabout 400 miles. The State is amorphous in shape-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nbeing neither round, oval, oblong or square. Its\\narea is about 60,000 square miles or about ihe size\\nof Penns} Ivania, New Jersey, Delaware, Connec-\\nticut and Rhode Island all put together.\\nThe State is bounded on the North by Georgia\\nand Alabama, on the west by Alabama and the\\nGulf of Mexico, on the South by the Gulf of Mex-\\nico and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.\\nThe State is divided into forty counties, and\\nthe area or surface of the State is land and water.\\nThe land mav be divided or classed as f^jllows\\nHigh Pine, Flat Woods Pine, Scrub Pine, Gray\\nor Rolling Hammock, Low Hammock, Cypress,\\nMarsh and Swamp Lands.\\nThe water may be and is divided into lakes,\\nrivers, creeks, springs, ponds and bay heads.\\nLAKES.\\nThere are thousands of lakes in the State, rang-\\ning in size from less than a quarter of an acre to\\nthousands of acres in extent. Lake Ocheechobee\\nalone, covers not less than hsilf a million of acres\\nof land.\\nLake Apopka covers not less than forty thous-\\nand acres East and West Tohopekaligas about\\nthe same. There are very man}^ other lakes that\\ncover from ten to ten thousand acres, and some of\\nthem much moi-e. Most of these lakes are very\\ndeep and the water in them is clear and said to be\\npure in nearly all of them. A great many of these", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\n]ake8, e.^pecially the smaller ones have nice slop-\\ning banks, which, with the bottoms are sandy, and\\nperfectly safe to enter, or drive into the lakes in so\\nfar as swamping is concerned, but it is always well\\nenough to go slow^ly when in the water, or you\\nmay get beyond your depth before you are aware\\nof it many persons have lost their lives by ventur-\\ning too L.r in places of this kind.\\nSome of the larger, and a few of the smaller\\nlakes and ponds have quick-sand holes. These\\nare specially to be avoided, for should you by ac-\\ncident or otherwise, get into one of these holes or\\nplaces, your chances for getting out would be very\\nslim indeed, unless help was right at hand. Some\\nof these lakes, both large and small, have what\\nthey c^ll muck bottoms. This muck is njthuiu-\\nmore or less than the accumulation of decayed\\nvegetable matter that has been accumulating for\\nages these when drained make the richest and\\nbest vegetable and sugar-cane land in the State\\nand perhaps in the world, and here is where the\\nDisston Land and Drainage Company are making\\ntheir money.\\nRIVERS.\\nThere are quite a number of rivers (so called)\\nin the State, the largest of which is the St. Johns.\\nThe peculiarity of this river is that it flows North-\\nw^ard, while the entire State seems to fall off\\ntoward the South, and eventually sinks into the", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "8 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nGulf of Mexico. Notwithstanding all this, the\\ncurrent of this river is toward the North, This\\nriver is navigable for more than two hundred miles,\\nand a very large class of steamers ply on it from\\nJacksonville to Sanford, a distance of about two\\nhundred miles and make regular daily trips.\\nSmaller steamers run beyond Sanford, it being the\\nhead of navigation ior large steamers before the\\nera of railroads in Florida. The St. Johns was\\nabout the only highway on which travel was had,\\nand merchandise could be shipped from the sea-\\nboard to the interior of the State. Some of the\\nother rivers of note are Suwanee, Appalachicola,\\nOklockonee. Ancilla, Santa Fee, Withlacoochee,\\nPease, Caloosahatchee, Kissmimee, Ocklawaha,\\nIndian and Wekiva. The most of these fivers or\\nwaters are navigable for small steamers and are\\nthus utilized. There are other rivers or rather\\nkind of natural canals leading irom one lake to\\nanother. Many of these are being dredged and\\ncleaned out so that small steam boats can run cut\\nof one lake into another, thus in many cases, mak-\\ning water navigation from place to place for re-\\nmember that very many of the larger lakes have\\nsteamers on them, both for freight traffic and\\npleasure. Nearly all streams that have any cur-\\nrent at all are called rivers. The streams in\\nFlorida are nearly all sluggish, as for example\\nthe St. Johns River is said to have only a fall of", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nsix feet in two hundred miles, and were you to\\ntravel on it you would probably say it had no cur-\\nrent at all. It is very crooked some of the bends\\nbeing so short that the larger steamers sometimes\\nhave difhculty in getting through. I know of no\\nstreams of any length in the State that have a cur-\\nrent of more than a mile in a half da}^. There are\\nalso many waters here called rivers, that are noth-\\ning more or less than arms of the Gulf or Atlantic,\\nextending inland as the Indian River. This river\\nis on the east coast and separated from the Atlan-\\nic, by a strip of land, very narrow in places and\\nwider in other places. This water has no current,\\nits surface bein^ on a level with the Atlantic Ocean.\\nSaid by some persons to be two feet higher than\\nthe Atlantic Ocean.\\nUNDERGROUND RIVERS AND SPPJNGS.\\nThere seems to be and certainly is, underground\\nrivere here as is proven by such large streams\\nl^ursting out of the ground as Silver Sprino-s.\\nThis spring covers about four acres ot ground and\\nis from forty to sixty feet deep, and the run from\\nit is one of the principal sources of the Ocklawaha\\nRiver and good sized steamers come up the run\\ninto the springs\\nClay Springs is another of the same kind, only\\nnot quite so large. Glen Cove, Euniak and many\\nothers demonstrate the fact that there are many\\nunderground streams in Florida.\\nAgain streams of water and even lakes suddenly", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "lo FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ndisappear. Lake Levy, a body of water which,\\nwhen lull, covers about twelve hundred acres, has\\nbeen totally dry, the water disappearing in a few\\ndays, and in one instance remaining so for several\\nyears and nearly all the bottom was farmed in corn\\nand cotton. There was only a small river running\\nwhere the lake was and it disappeared about where\\nthe centre of the lake was. This hole seemed to\\nfill up and the ground became covered with water\\nagain.\\nThis has occurred several times within tlie last\\nrifty years. The laxe is now tull of water and is\\nkwown as Lake Levy or Paines Prairie. No per_\\nson knows how soon or when the bottom of the\\nlake will again fall out.\\nBetween Orange Lake and Micanop} as; well\\nas in the neighborhood of Gainesville, there are\\ngreat holes in the earth. The bottom is far below\\nthe surface of the lakes in the surrounding country.\\nSome of these holes or sinks are more than one\\nhundred feet deep, and several hundred feet in di-\\nameter at the top, and are funnel shaped. Many\\nof them are perfectly dry, and have large trees\\ngrowing inside nearly to the bottom. The tops of\\nmany of them does not reach as high as the surface\\nof the ground surrounding the hole.\\nOthers of these holes are barren of trees and\\nthere is water at the bottom. How deep this water\\nis, I had no means of fmding out and no person\\ncould tell me anything about it. The fact is, the", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. ii\\nnatives seem to be afraid of these places and do\\nnot care to go near them. There is not even any\\nsigns that cattle or stock of any kinds goes near\\ntlie holes, especially those that have water in them.\\nThere are some natural curiosities in Florida,\\nand they are of such a nature that I know of no-\\nwhere else in the world that the same kind exist.\\nTake for instance this Silver Spring, which is a\\nveritable Niagara Falls, turned upside down, and\\nit the reader should ever visit Florida, do not fail\\nto see it, with its pure, clear pellucid waters, big\\ncat fish and other kinds offish, and where you can\\ndrop a nickel or any other small coin or substance\\nand watch its descent until it strikes the bottom\\nfrom forty to sixty feet below you. The water is\\nso clear that you can see objects on the bottom\\nabout as plainlv as if there was no water there at\\nall.\\nPONDS AND CREEKS.\\nPonds are grass lakes, usually with mud or\\nmuck bottoms, and are inhabited with fro^rs, alii-\\ngators and other things too numerous to mention.\\nCreeks are connections between sloughs or cypress\\nswamps, as Shingle Creek, near Kissimmee, or\\nSweet Water Creek, near Bayard, in Duval county\\nand many others.\\nFISFI AND OYSTERS.\\nIn nearly all of the waters of Florida tfiere are\\nabundance of Fish, Trout, (P lack Bass), Straw-\\nberry Bass (Perch,) Blue and Mud Catfish, some", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "12 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nof which are very large. They say there are oth-\\ner fish here also, such as Bream, Red Horse,\\nWhite Fish, Eels. c. This may be, but I have\\nseen none of the latter.\\nThere are a great mon\\\\- oysters, both on the\\nGulf and Atlantic Coasts of Plorida, but they are\\nvery small and inferior in every way, to the\\noysters farther North-East; there is no care taken\\nof these oyster beds, and it is said many of them\\nare being destroyed by wash from rivers and\\nstreams, covering them up with sand and other\\ndebris. These are called Coon Oysters, and cer-\\ntainly would not be relished bv the epicure or con-\\nconnjisseur.\\nALLIGATORS.\\nThere are thousands and millions of Allig;4tors\\nof all sizes from a few inches in length to almost\\nfifteen or more feet. There seems to be but one\\nspecies of alligators, and all the difference there is\\nin them is in size alone. They can, and do live\\nboth in and out of the water. They are not dang-\\nerous except when wounded on their nests or hi-\\nbernating grounds are molested. A ten feet alli-\\ngator can crush a man s body with his jaws or kill\\nhim with, a strike of his tail.\\nAt mating time frequent fights occur between\\nthe males At such times you can hear them hol-\\nlow for miles. Their hollowing is something like\\na mad bull.\\nThey are a heavy, ugly and ungainly animal,", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 13\\nand are something after the shape of an enormous\\nLizzard. They are web footed and their hind legs\\nare much longer than their front ones, and are at-\\ntached higher up or nearer the back than the front\\nones and their legs are unproportionately close to-\\ngether. They swim slowly in the water more\\nlike floating than otherwise, and when swimming\\nor floating, their bodies are about one-third out of\\nthe water.\\nTheir movements on land are usually slow and\\nawkward, but when pursued or pursuing, they can,\\nand do travel as fast, or faster than a man can\\nwalk, or even run for a short distance. They\\nmove on land in very nearly a straight line. They\\nare so iormed that that they cannot make short\\nturns or curves when in motion on land. Notwith-\\nstanding all this, you should not fool with them\\nwhen at rest, as they sometimes make very awk-\\nward motions with their tails and jaws, and you\\ncannot always tell what kind of a move they may\\nmake. There is some danger of being bitten or\\nreceivinpf a stroke with their tail.\\nTheir traveling on land is principally in the\\nnight time or on dark cloudy days during a rain or\\nimmediately after a shower, when they frequently\\ngo from one lake or swamp to another. On fair,\\nwarm and sunshmy days you can see thousands of\\nthem basking on old logs and stumps on the banks\\nof the lakes something after the style of little turtles\\nin tlie mill-dams of the North.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "14 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nTheir nests or hibernating grounds are formed\\nby themselves, where the water is rather shallow\\nor on a knoll or kind of island They collect all\\nmanner of stuff, pieces of logs, sticks, brush, grass,\\nmoss, pine knots and indeed nothing seems to come\\namiss to them. This is all formed into a mass\\nwith mud, muck and wild cabbage leaves and sand.\\nThese nests when completed, rise several feet\\nabove the surface of the water and are kind of\\nsaucer shaped or scooped out on the top. Here\\nthey deposit their eggs, and cover them, and\\nnature does the balance\\nThe gators however do not leave this locality\\nduring incubation, and here let me say it is rather\\ndangerous to examine these nests, or even ap-\\nproach them unless you are well armed and have\\na steady nerve and well prepared to do battle, for\\nunless somebody has been there before you and\\nkilled the gators, you are sure to see them and\\nthey will be upon you before you are aware if not\\non your guard, and sometimes as many as a djzen\\nvj iW approach you from different points and here\\nthey are dangerous. If however you have a good\\nWinchester or some other good repeating rifle of\\nabout forty-four calibre and are a good and true\\nshot, you need not have much to lear, for if you\\nkill one or two of them, the others will soon disap-\\npear, and here let me say, the fatal spot to hit an\\nAlligator is right in the lower part ot the neck or\\nright behind the front leg, below the middle. You", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ncan sometimes kill them by sijooting lliem in tin;\\neye or through the bod} but it is not a sure thing\\nThe mouth of the o-ator contains eighty-four\\nteeth. Forty in the lower and forty- four in the\\nupper jaws, and they are all canine or sharp point-\\ned, and some of them in a big gator are as much\\nas three inches long, and are very irregular, and\\nif one becomes broken nature replaces it.\\nThe head of a ten foot gator is ju--t about the\\nsize of an ordinar} horse head. The jaws are full\\nlength of the head. The condyles or hinges are\\non the necK, so you see when he opens his mouth\\nthe entire head is in two pieces as it werk.\\nImagine a horse to be able open his mouth clear\\nup to his ears and you can have an idea of a\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2gator s mouth. It is no trouble for a gator to\\nsvNallow a good chunk oi a dog or a little nigger\\nat one swallow, both of which it is said, they are\\nvery fond of.\\nThe top or upper part of the head is very flat\\nand the bones are from a half to three-quarters of\\nan mch thick, hence you might about as well shoot\\nagainst a rock as against a gator^s head to kill\\nhim. They feed on just about anything that comes\\nin their way. In many instances pine knots have\\nbeen found in their stomachs, worn as smooth as\\nglass.\\nDISSTON LAND AND DRAINAGE COM-\\nPANY.\\nThe head quarters of the company is at Kissim-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": "i6 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nmee City, a town of three or four years growth,\\nsituated on the North shore of WestTohopekaliga.\\nThe city now is said to have about twelve hundred\\ninhabitants. I think however if eight hundred\\nw^ere taken out of the town, but few would be left.\\nTliis Disston Company was formed three or four\\nyears ago. They built several steam and dredge\\nboats, and went to work to lower the lakes of East\\nand West Tohopekaliga bv opening a canal\\nthrough a kind of natural drain or water way into\\nLake Ocheechob ee. After their engineer corps\\nhad surveyed and gone over the route, their report\\nseemed to show that there was a fall of some seven-\\nty feet from the south end ol Lake Tohope-\\nkaliga to Punta Rassa on the Gulf Coast, and that\\nTohopekaliga through the nalura) channel had a\\nfall of about one inch to the mile, which, by prop-\\ner canalling, c., could be increased by shorten-\\ning the distance to at least three inches to the mile,\\nwhich would, by their calculation, drain and re-\\nclaim about rive million acres of land. An ar-\\nrangement was made with the State that the com-\\npany should have half of cdl the land in fee simple\\nthat should be thus reclaimed. On these conditions\\nthe company went to work, commencing at the\\nSouth end of Tohopekaliga and cut a canal some\\nthree or four miles into Cypress Lake, and from\\nthence into Lake Kissimmee five or six miles.\\nThis canal is wide and deep enough to allow a\\nsized st\u00c2\u00ab amboat to pass through. It was", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "FLORIDx\\\\ AS IT IS. 17\\nfound as soon as the canal was opened, that the\\nwater in Tohopekaliga would be drawn off to a\\ncertain extent, though these canals are carried in-\\nto Ocheechobee through the Kissimmee River.\\nThe next move was to cut a canal a distance of\\nabout three miles, thereby connecting East and\\nWest Tohopekaliga Lakes this was accomplished.\\nThen the Kissimmee River was next cleaned\\nout, dredged and shortened, thus opening a water\\nnavigation for steamers and other boats into Lake\\nOcheechobee. This lake seems to have no natural\\noutlet, but near the South end of it and about four\\nmiles westward, is Lake Hickpochee, which is the\\nhead water of the Caloosahatchee River. To\\nwork, the company went and cut a canal from\\nOcheechobee into this lake and then opened and\\ndredged the last named river, which runs through\\nLake Flirt, and thus completed the water route\\nto Punta Rassa on San Carlos Bay on the Gull of\\nMexico. This, however did not seem to lower the\\nwater in Ocheechobee very much. They are now\\ntrying to drain this latter lake into the St. Lucie\\nSound on the Ath intic coast, thus necessitating the\\ncutting of a canal through swamps and other lands,\\na distance of some thirty miles. A part of this\\nwork is done, but it will be sometime before it is\\ncompleted. And what effect it will have w^hen\\ncompleted is yet to be determined. One thing\\nhowever is a fixed fact, the company have opened\\nwater communication from Kissimmee Citj^ to the", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "i8 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nGulf, and steamers and sail boats are making\\ntrips between these poinds and they have lowered\\nthe waters in both the Tohopekaliga Lakes, about\\nlive feet tl\\\\us reclaiming. The company claims\\nabout two and a half million acres. I think\\nthe claims are too large, but be this as it may, there\\nare thousands of acres of as good land as there is\\nin Florida under cultivation to-day that was two\\nyears ago covered with water, and thousands of\\nacres more are being prepared t) plant sugar cane\\nand vegetables. Should this company fail to re-\\nclaim any more land, they have already done a\\ngrand work, both for the State and themselves.\\nHIGH PINE LANDS.\\nNow the reader must not understand that any of\\nthe lands in Florida are very much elevated above\\nthe level of the ocean or large lakes. Take the\\nState throughout and it is flat very flat, more so\\nthan in Kansas, but still there are elevations and\\ndepressions, none of which exceed a very few\\nhundred feet. I suppose the elevations about cor-\\nrespond with the depressions.\\nThe term -High Pine Lands, as well as the\\nother descriptive terms used, are relative terms and\\nused more to designate the kind and quality of the\\nland than its elevation, High Pine Land would\\nbe just as well designated, and perhaps better by\\ncalling it dry pine land, and that is just what it is.\\nThis land is among the highest in the State The\\nbest quality of this land is covered with a growth", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 19\\noi large yellow pine trees, some of which are\\ncurly pine, and very valuable. The trees are\\nnearly all large, some ot them as much as two and\\na half and three feet across the stump and from\\nfifty to seventy-five feet without a limb. When\\nsawed into timber, it is worth t rom thirteen to\\ntwenty-two dollars per thousand feet at the mill,\\nand the curly pine is worth irom forty to fifty dol-\\nlars per thousand when sawed into lumber at the\\nmill This kind of land you will usually find in\\ntlie neighborhood of deep lakes with sand bottoms\\nand rather high, sloping banks the trees growing\\nnearly to the water s edge.\\nOccasionally in the high pine lands, you will\\nfind here and there a scrubby live oak. The un-\\ndergrowth is wild oats. This is a kind of rou^h\\ngrass that grows tall and not at all thickly on the\\nground. It is not good for much. Stock will eat\\nit when they can get nothing else.\\nThere is very little Bramble or Palmetto on this\\nkind of land, hence it is easily cleared and pre-\\npared for cultivation and when it is well fertilized\\nwill produce melons, beans, cucumbers, corn,\\nand sweet potatoes,- and makes excellent orani^e\\nland. Many prefer this kind of land for oranges\\nand all the semi-tropical fruits pmrticularly those\\nof the citrus family, for the reason that it costs less\\nto clean up and prepare for a crop. The timber,\\nif at all within the reach of a mill, will much more\\nthan pay for the clearing and planting of a grove,", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "20 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nwhile the cost of clearing Hammock lands will\\nmore than pay for fertilizer to bring a grove mto\\nbearing.\\nAgam orange trees on high pine land are not\\nsubject to Die Back or foot rot. This disease is\\nsaid to be caused by the tap root of the trees strik-\\ning the water or hard pan, which the} are al-\\nmost certain to do in low lands. The soil, it soil\\nit may be called, is nearly all pure sand white on\\ntop after removing the top, it is of a yellowish\\ncolor, and the yellower the sand is the better the\\nland is said to be.\\nSCRUB PINE OR BLACK JACK LAND.\\nThis kind of land is partially covered with\\nscrubby pines, a kind of dwarf oak called Black\\nJack, a few scraggy, little live oaks and kind of\\nthorny, rough bramble. This kind of land in my\\njudgement, is of such a nature that it never can be\\nutiHzed for anything. The soil is white sand from\\ntop to bottom, and I guess the more a man owned\\nthe poorer he would be.\\nLOW OR FLAT WOODS PINE LAND.\\nThis is called second class pine land. It has a\\ngood deal of pine timber on it, also Live Oak\\nand sometimes a little Water Oak, not usually\\nheavy timbered, and the timber is not of as good\\nquality as that on the high pine land. It has\\nmuch more white or sap wood than the other or\\nhigh pine. It does not grow so large as the other", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 21\\nand it is a rarity to see a curly pine on this kind of\\nland. This has an undergrowth of scrub. (Hog)\\nand saw Palmetto, sometimes of pretty dense\\ngrowth and is hard to clear and grub and when it\\nis prepared for cultivation is pretty good for veget-\\nables, grapes, guavas and strawberries. It is\\nvery poor land for oranges, or indeed any of the\\ncitrus family. It will do for pine apples and ban-\\nanas. The soil is a blackish mold, (Irom decayed)\\nvegetation,) for half an inch or so on top, then\\nwhite sand for ten to fifteen or more inches, when\\nyou get to a kind of brownish quick sand that is\\nusually from a few inches to several feet in thick-\\nness. Under this is a kind of a hard pan which\\nseems to separate or divide the surface water from\\nthat below. This hard pan seems to be formed of\\nvery line, grayish sand, and is almost impervious\\nto water and very hard and usually about a foot\\nthick. To get water at all fit to drink, you must\\ngo below this stratum.\\nRemember to raise crops on this land, you mus^\\nfertilize and that heavily and constantly. We may\\nas well say it here as elsewhere that fertilizing is\\nthe key note to all the vegetables and fruits raised\\nin Florida with perhaps one exception, and that is\\nsweet potatoes and a little of it does not hurt them\\nI)y any means.\\nHAMMOCK LANDS.\\nAre of two kinds, rolling or high and fiat or low\\nHammock. This word Hammock seems to be pe-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "22 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nculiar to Florida. The word originally meant a\\nsolid mass of turf, considerably elevated above the\\nsurrounding earth, then spelled Hommock, or\\nHummock, then the Indians called any little\\nhillock, or small eminence of a rather conical form,\\nwhether covered with trees or not, a Hommock,\\nbut now the people of Florida call any piece of land\\nwhether high or low, that produces hard-wood\\ntrees, such as oak, hickory, ash, magnolia, c..\\nHammock lands and the original Hammock is now^\\ncalled reclaimed marsh land. This will enable the\\nreader to fairly or properly understand what is\\nmeant by Hammock lands. All land on which\\nhard wood predominate, w^hether high or low, are\\ncalled Hammock land, and all lands on which pine\\npredominates, are called pine lands.\\nROLLING OR GRAY HAMMOCK\\nLand is usually covered with a heavy growth of\\ntimber, such as oak, hickory, magnolia and all the\\nhard w^oods that grow in the State. The under-\\ngrowth of palmetto, green briars, devils staff; (a\\nkind of prickly ash) and other bramble is very hard\\nto clear and get in shape for cultivation, and costs\\na great amount of outlay, but wdien once got into\\nshape, produces well and with fertilizer can be\\nmade to produce immense crops of vegetables and\\nstrawberries. This is also the best of orancre land\\nprovided it is high enough above the w^ater level.\\nFLAT HAMMOCKS\\nAre much lower than the other kind, and have a", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 23\\nmuch denser growth both timber, and undergrowth\\nIhan the former, consequent!} are much harder to\\nclear off and prepare for cultivation, but when\\nbrought under cultivation are among the best lands\\nin the State, and if an}* land in the State will pro-\\nduce crops without being fertilized, this kind of\\nland will, and this produces much better by being-\\nfertilized. On this land you can raise vegetables\\nof all kinds that will grow here, provided the bugs,\\nVARMINTS, and insects let them alone. In abun-\\ndance you can also raise lemons, grapes, guavas,\\npine apples, bananas, and many other of the semi-\\ntropical fruits and berries.\\nOrange trees, as a general thing, do not do well\\non flat hammock, except where wild orange stocks\\nare used, which can be, and are frequently budded\\nwith sweet orange buds and do well.\\nThe famous -Bishop and Harris Grove on\\nOrange Lake in Levy County, was sta\u00c2\u00abrted in this\\nway, than which there is none better in the State,\\nbut this is the exception rather than the rule.\\nSWAMP LANDS.\\nThese are almost useless and are not susceptible\\nf reclamation, being very low and thickly set with\\ncypress trees and other w^ater plants, vines and\\ntrees. There is thousands of acres in some of these\\nswamps, into which the foot of man has never trod,\\ni^md never will, or if he attempts it, the chances of\\nhis ever again getting out are all against him. En-\\normous alligators, venemous snakes, reptiles.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "24 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\npoisonous insects and dangerous wild animals are\\nthere.\\nMany of these swamps are trackless, pathless\\nwilderness in every sense of the word, as for ex-\\nample the Big Cypress Swamp in Monroe county,\\nwhich covers not less than seven hundred thous-\\nand acres of territory in nearly a solid body. This,\\nhowever is the largest cypress swamp in the State.\\nThere are, however, thousands of cypress and\\nother swamps in the State that cover from one to\\nten thousand and more acres each, and many of\\nthem just as impenetrable as the B\\\\^ Cypress\\nSwamp.\\nTHE CYPRESS TREE\\nHas some peculiarities that seem to entitle it to a\\nparticular description. It seems to stand alone\\namong the trees, particularly in that. It is always\\nfound in clusters and very few, if any other trees\\nwill grow, or do grow where the cypress has once\\ntaken hold. Sometimes you will find a few cab-\\nbage, palmettos and it may be a scraggy live oak\\nin the edge of a cypress clump or swamp. The\\ntree seems to belong to the fir or pine family in that\\nits leaves or foliage is of that nature. It is neither\\na deciduous nor yet an evergreen, yet its foliage\\njs green almost the entire year. It pushes out new\\nfoliage each year and the old one remains on until\\nthe new starts. So the tree presents the appear-\\nance of being clipped (so to say) once a year.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 25\\nThese trees all grow or have their roots in the\\nwater, and the peculiarity of their formation is that\\ntheir roots or knees, as they are called here, are\\nvery much the larger part 01 them. The tap, or\\nmain root is said to be as far under the water as the\\ntop extends above it. The base of the tree for the first\\neight or ten feet after it leaves the water, is cone\\nshaped, then it grows up straigjht and presents a\\nbeautiful appearance, having but few limbs or\\nboughs and putting on a nice umbrella shaped top.\\nThese trees usually grow from fifty to a hun-\\ndred feet in height. A cypress tree that is one\\nfoot in diameter, ten feet from the surface of the\\nwater, is perhaps from six to ten feet in diameter\\nat the surface of the water. The roots or knees\\nseem to widen out, locking and interlocking and\\noverlapping each other, thus forming a complete\\nnet work of the biggest kind of stumps and roots,\\ncovering acres and acres, and in many cases miles\\nand miles of territory.\\nThe trees may be cut ofl. They make good\\nlumber, shingles and posts. The stumps and roots\\nremain and as time seems to have no effect on them\\nso far as decay is concerned, they still remain and\\nbecome almost as hard as iron, hence the utter im-\\npossibihty of utiHzing these swamps, even if they\\ncould be drained, which is, as a general thing\\nabout as impossible as to get rid of the stumps and\\nroots, there being no place into which they can be\\ndrained*", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "26 FLORID V AS IT IS.\\nThese swamps are well defined and are usually\\nfound in the pine regions. Hardly ever find a\\nCypress swamp and Hammock land adjoining.\\nThey do not seem to have any affinit}- for each\\nother.\\nA beautiful sight is a Cypress swamp. The\\ngreen foliage of the trees all covered with gray\\nmoss, and it hanging from the limbs of the trees\\nin long festoons, and they waving in the breeze\\nand the sparkling water underneath, and the mos-\\nquitos buzzing, the alligators bellowing, tae frogs\\ncroaking and the parokeets chattering. It is a\\nsight and scene once seen and heard will never be\\nforgotten.\\nTHE COUNTRY AT LARGE.\\nThe general appearance of the country is rather\\nfiat It I fl\\\\t, and to the eyes of a Northern\\nman or Northern people, presents rather a sorry\\nand desolate appearance. (I now speak of the\\ncountry away from the towns and cities), and\\nabout the first question that is asked is, \\\\yhat do\\nyou do or what can you raise here to make a liv-\\ning, and what have you to back up your country?\\nand about a hundred more of the same sort.\\nWe see no grass, no grain ol any kind gro win o-.\\nThe groves we pass seem to be set in nothing but\\npure sand, and that of the sandiest kind not even\\na stone or rock of any kind to vary the monotony.\\nThe road we are travelling on is nothing but sand\\nn", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 27\\nand that irom a few inches to a foot deep.\\nThe horses step in the loose sand every step to\\ntheir pasterns, and the wheels of the carnage sink\\ninto the sand about as deeply as do the horses feet\\nIf you drive faster than the walk, the wheels carry\\nthe sand around and soon your clothes, shoes and\\nthe carriage are full of sand, and when you arrive\\nat your journey s end and examine yourself, you\\nwill find that you are pretty well covered with sand\\nyourself. About now you will begin to tind out\\nthat there is something besides sand in tlie soil, for\\ninstead of shaking and brushing it ot^ you will\\nrind that it takes soap, water and labor, or rubbing\\nto get the stuff off you, especially off your body.\\nThis substance, which is mixed with sand along\\nwith fertilizer and climate, makes the soil produc-\\ntive. The soil on top looks very much alike in\\nthe pine lands simply white sand on top for a few\\ninches, then it becomes of a yellowish color, ex-\\ncept in the scrub pine or black jack lands, where\\nthe sand is white, I reckon to the bottom.\\nIn the Hammocks, the sand is of a dark color on\\nthe top for several inches and sometimes for sever-\\nal feet, then usually quick sand underneath except\\nin the lower Hammocks, which are usually covered\\nfor several inches on top with vegetable mold. In\\nsome places this vegetable mold is several feet\\nthick under this is sand. In all the low lands at\\na certain depth from the surface some places\\ndeeper than others, is a kind of dividing line or", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "28 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nhard pan that seems to divide the water. That\\nabove is brackish and not fit for use unless it be\\nfirst boiled and strained, but when you penetrate\\nor dig through this hard pan, and either pipe or\\ncurb out the wild or surface water, you obtain\\nwater that can be drank and used for cooking pur-\\npose and those persons who like it, say it is good\\nand wholesome to me it is warm and tasteless.\\nThe water business in more senses than one, is\\nthe worst drawback Florid? has to contend with.\\nThe soil i^s ot such a nature that brick or cemented\\ncisterns in the ground are nearly an impossibility.\\nThe only remedy is to have large tanks made of\\nCypress wood and catch rain water, then if you\\nare where ice can be had, vou can manage to get\\nalong, provided you can keep the wiggletails cut\\nof your tank.\\nTHE EVERGLADES.\\nThere is a vast scope of country lying in the South-\\nern part of the State, principally in Monroe and\\nDade counties. It is a kind of marsh the most of\\nit is covered with water. It is a kind of net work\\nof rivers la ^es and ponds, lagoons and bay heads\\nwhere the ground rises above the water. It pro-\\nduces the rankest kind of tropical and semi-tropi-\\ncal vegetation, cane brakes and saw grass of im-\\nmense growth are there, and were you to become\\nlost in the brakes or entangled in the saw grass,\\nyou w^ould in all probability die right there. The", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 29\\nmost of Florida s cultivated truits grow there in a\\nwild state. The Mango or Mangrove grov^ b v^ild\\nand can be eat, though not very palatable. The\\nland seems to be highest along the coast and some\\nfew people live down there and eke out an existence\\nby hunting, fishing, trying to cultivate the cocoa-\\nnut and tame the Mangrove.\\nThe Disston Land and Drainage Company are\\nworking on the JNorth end of the Glades and they\\nthink if they can succeed in draining Ocheechobee\\nLake and low^ering the water from six to ten feet\\nthat quite a large portion of the Everglades can be\\ncultivated. This, no doubt would be the case,\\ncould the drainao;e be made. The bottoms of the\\nlakes, rivers, ponds, c., of the Glades are com-\\nposed of decayed vegetable matter that has been\\naccumulating for thousands of years, but in my\\njudgment a company that should undertake to en-\\nlarge the borders of the State of New Jersey by\\nundertaking to drain the Atlantic Ocean, would be\\nabout as successful as this company w^ill be in\\ndraining the Everglades of Florida.\\nMARSH LAND.\\nThese are sometimes called swamp lands, but\\nthere is about the same difference between Cypress\\nswamps and Marsh land as there is between the\\npoorest Scrub Pine land and the richest Hammocks\\nThe Marshes are a kind of low^ prairie or shallow\\nbay head, extending or running out from the lakes", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "30 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nin the low country. They are partly covered with\\nwater during the greater part of the ear and whol-\\nly covered in a v\\\\ et time. The} receive and retain\\nall the wash from the higher lands, and there is\\nalways a rank growth of vegetable matter on and\\nsurrounding them, v\\\\hich decays and thus enriches\\nthem. This growth and decay has been going on\\nfor ages, until now there is many feet deep of this\\ndeposited in them.\\nThis is the kind of land that first attracted the at-\\ntention of the Disston Land and Drainage Com-\\npany.\\nWhen these Marshes are drained and brought\\nunder cultivation, they are among the very best\\nlands in the State, if not in the world for raising\\nsugarcane and all kinds of veget?ibles, and it is\\nsaid that Irish potatoes do very well if planted in\\nJanuary or Februar} on these lands. Thousands\\nand thousands of acres of these Marshes have been\\nreclaimed within the last three years, on which\\nthere is now grooving sugar cane, cabbage and all\\nkinds of vegetables that can be grow^n in this cli-\\nmate.\\nIn some cases orange trees have been planted on\\nland thus reclaimed, and so far they seem to grow\\nand do well. How^ they will do w^hen the tap root\\nreaches the w^ater level is yet to be seen. Any\\nand all trees that have no tap root, such as lemon,\\nguava, peach, c., do well on reclaimed Marsh\\nland. Bananas do first rate, but pine apples not so", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0034.jp2"}, "35": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 31\\nwell as they require a sand} soil. The beaut} of\\nthese lands are that they, and they alone will pro-\\nduce crops for an indefinite length of time without\\nfertilizer, and indeed, this reclaimed Marsh land\\nwhen hauled out and spread on pine land, acts as\\na fertilizer itself. As before stated, many thous-\\nands of acres of this kind of land have been re-\\nclaimed, and there is yet thousands of acres of the\\nsame l^ind of land m the State that can, and no\\ndoubt will be reclaimed in the near future.\\nSEASOx\\\\S A\\\\D CLLMATE,\\nBoth are rather peculiar in this peninsula. The\\nseasons, so to speak are only tw^o, winter and sum-\\nmer. The winters are short, and in the South\\nhalt of Florida, snow has never been seen; no, not\\nby the oldest inhabitant, and seldom any seveie\\nfrosts, but I do not know that I can give any de-\\nscription that will nil the bill better than to quote\\nfrotn a letier receiitly published in the Hee^ly\\nTimes.\\nSome ooe has said take the climate from Florida aud\\nthe State will be the very poorest of them all. That would\\nbe the exact truth except for one impossible fact If the\\n{)reseat climate of Florida were taken away, it woidd of\\nnecessity have another climate, because no place on the\\nglobe can exist climateless. Therefore, to take away the\\nclimate of Florida would be the same as to- give it another\\n{iliraate and that climate might be worse, or it might be\\nbetter. To give to Florida the climate of Denmark, Mo-\\nrocco or Mexico, would give it a worse one than we now\\nhave, but to give it the climate of South Japan, Hawaii c^r\\nSan Domingo would be a slight improvement upon tlie lia\\nbilities to frosts from the cold waves of winter, but nf n- lor", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0035.jp2"}, "36": {"fulltext": "32 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nthe balance of the year.\\nClimate is as much, a part of any country as its soil, and\\nuntil there shall be ai,...^,,.e chanoe of the ciimatical cou-\\ndiiions of the atmosphere, the climate peculiar to each\\nregion must remain as at present. Such changes have\\ntaken place during the first periods that have existed since\\nthe most ancient rocks were first formed and they may oc-\\ncur again. Florida may become as it was. When tropi-\\ncal heats produce the iinmense vegetable growths of the\\ncarbonaceous period or in later periods when the elephant,\\nihinocerous and tapir fed on the plains at the head of the\\nMississippi and the JNIastoden and Megatherium browsed\\nthe tropical herbage of Florida, so may Florida again have\\nthe climate that existed when the whole of the Northern\\nStates were covered with ice and snow a thousand feet deep\\na those regions had glaciers and climate conditions now\\npresented in the Northern Greenland.\\nThe man who buys a farm in Florida, buys the climate\\nas well as the soil and the plants upon it the atmosphere\\nabove the mineral below the surface become his The acres\\nof climate corresponds to the acres of the surface. Florida\\nwithout its c imate would not be Florida. It would be\\nshorn of its best qualities or would be improved, who can\\ntell which.\\n1 his matter of the climate of Florida should never be\\nlost sight of in considering questions pertaining to the\\nhealth^uluess and capabilities of the State, especially\\nshould the person who plants a crop raise an animal, writes,\\ntalks about or gives advice concerning agricultural s-ubjects,\\nbear constantly in mind that Florida has a climate, Sui\\nGeneris (particularl} to its own) that must remain with all\\nthe equability consistent with the geographical situation.\\nIt must not be lost sight of for a moment that each Decem-\\nber and January a frost more or less severe will occur Id\\nall the Northern halt of the State That between the sum-\\nmer solstice and the f utumual Equinox, is the season of\\ngreatest rains, cooli.ig showers and greatest humidity of\\nthe atmosphere and the peri( d of greatest vegetable growth\\nthat May and early June is tue s ason of greatest aridity-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0036.jp2"}, "37": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\n(dryness) and the hottest midday sunshine and that the\\nbalance of the year has a fair proportJ^^^^ of raiut all for the\\nsuccessful growth of those plants, ..^ted to their locations\\nand seasons. Ft also rn ist not be forgotten that climate\\nwill not yield theories however plausible, but theories to be\\nof auy value, must conform to climate and practice must\\nbe goverened accordingly. The guiding star climate must\\nalways be in sight and always kept in view if the agricul-\\nturist would march in the way of success.\\nHow to grow and care for an orange grove or orchard in\\nCalifornia, Spain or Italy, where irrigation is an absolute\\nnecessity, can be of little value to men in Florida where\\nclimatic conditions are varient (different,) the same remark\\nmay also be applicable to the cultivation, gathering and\\nhandling of fruits and vegetables for the markets. If Hie\\nclimate of some other region requires lemons to be gathc\\ned wnen they can be passed through an iron ring of a giveii\\nsize that is not a reason why the lemons of Florida, thai\\nwill grow to nearly twice the size without deteriorating,\\nshould be passed through the same rmg, so too, a descrip-\\ntion of how to grow an orange orchard or handle the fruit\\nin Porti Rica or Jamacia, would, to the common reader be\\nequally uninstructive unless the climatic differences between\\nthose places and Florida were also kept in view. Climate\\nis the keynote with which the whole must accord, or there\\nAvill be discords innumerable.\\nFlorida has its own climate which must remain as per-\\nmanent as earth itself. It cannot be taken away, and\\npeople must conform to it, or failure will certainly ensue.\\nMuch, if not all of the above letter is true in a\\ngeneral sense, but inuch more may, and can be\\nsaid about the seasons and climate of Florida.\\nllie thermometer seldom ranges below 30 de-\\ngrees above zero. In January 1886, it however\\ngot below twent) This is said to have been the\\nhardest freeze that ever occm-red since 1835, ^vhen\\nit was about as cold. Tlie last freeze destroved", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0037.jp2"}, "38": {"fulltext": "34 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nall thefruiis of Florida, except the oranges and it\\nhurt them. All the citrus trees were frozen to the\\nground, (roots not killed) except the orange treesy\\nmany of which were not hurt at all, while many\\nCithers lost their foli^^ge and some in exposed places\\nwere frozen to the ground Thi^-, however, seems\\nto be an exception as this kind of weather ver}-\\nseldom occurs. As a general thing in the winter\\nseason the thermometer ranges from about thirty\\nto seventy above zero, and in summer Irom about\\nsixty-live to ninety-five above zero. Sometimes,\\nhowevt^r, the mercury clinbs up to one himdrecl\\nand even above that. About this time the weather\\nis pretty hot, but w hiie the da^^s are hot, nights\\ncomparaiivcly cool, tliere being usuaUy a breeze\\nthat mak\u00c2\u00ab s it pleasant, but sometimes t .is breeze\\nfails to come, or you may be so placed that 3 ou\\ncannot get the advantage of it. At such times if\\nyou were here you wotild think the nights pretty\\nwarm also. There is not much cloudy wrather.\\nRains come in showers and are f f short duration,\\nthen sunshine. A day in Florida that the sun does\\nnot shine brightly some part of tlie day, w^ould be an\\nQj anomaly. Fogs are almost unknown the air\\nseems to be pure and very dry indeed very dry,\\nwhen w^e consider the amount of water with which\\nwe are surrounded.\\nThe climate in the winter about compares with\\nthe climate of New A^ork and Pennsylvania in\\nNovember and April, leaving out the cold rains.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0038.jp2"}, "39": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 35\\nThe winter season.s here, are as a UMial thing, rath-\\ner dry that is there is not much rainfall. Oc-\\ncasionally a v\\\\et spell about the latter part of\\nMarch or in early April, then usually very dry un-\\ntil late in June, when the rainy season sets in,\\nwhich usually lasts about three months, during\\nwhich time scarcely a day passes without one or\\nmore showers of rain, and some of these are\\nvery heavy, and usually accompanied with thun-\\nder and lightning, and oh I such vivid and bright\\nlightning. When these show ers occur at night, as\\nthey frequently do, it seems sometimes as if the\\nwhole heavens w^as lighted up with continuous\\nstreams of liquid lire, and the thunder so loud and\\nsharp the ground seems to tremble and shake, and\\nit actually does. It is grand and sublime to see\\nthe lightning and hear the thunder, but it is rather\\nunpleasant to have it so near you. What are call-\\ned settled rains never occur here, though sometimes\\nit will rain right along for as much as a half a day\\nat a time and v\\\\ hen it rains there is no drizzle to it,\\nbut a genuine pour down and done wath it. Should\\none of these big rains occur, then look out for high\\nwaters.\\nLow lands are converted into lakes and ponds in\\nthe shortest possible space of time, and if you\\nchance to be in some of the flat portions of the\\nState, (and the greater part is flat) you will be-\\ngin to think that Florida is nearly all lakes, ponds\\nand sw^amps, sure enough, but on the contrary", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0039.jp2"}, "40": {"fulltext": "36 FLORI DA AS IT IS.\\nshould you visit Florida in a dry time, you certain-\\nly would think they have a good deal of dry land\\nthere, and so we have a good part of the year,\\nhowever some, and a large sum too, that is dry in\\nsome parts of the year, in other parts ol the same\\nyear are several feet under water. This kind of\\nland is not of much account for anything but pas-\\nture for stock and not worth much for that, simply\\nbecause not much of anything but bramble grows\\non it.\\nFlorida is a very pleasant State to live in during\\nthe winter season provided you have plenty of\\nmoney to enable you to secure good and comfort-\\nable quarters or to build you a place to suit your-\\nself. With all the necessaries, luxuries and deli-\\ncacies of liie can be procured here at all times.\\n(What are not grown and raised here are shipped\\nhere from the I^ orth and other places,) but some-\\ntimes, and nearly always, the prices are enormous-\\nly high and the very many tropical fruits and\\nberries that you expect to see \u00c2\u00a3^rowing here in\\nabundance, you will be rather surprised to find\\nthat many of them are brought here from foreign\\nparts and a great many things that are grown here\\nthat you had expected to find common and low in\\nprice, when you discover the facts you will find\\nthat many of these things had to have great care\\nand nursing to bring them to even partial perfec-\\ntion, and the price asked will be more than the\\nsame fruits, vegetables and berries could be bought", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0040.jp2"}, "41": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS\\nfor in Norihern markets, even at the same time of\\nthe year. Almost all the substantial food we eat\\nin Florida, is shipped here from the North flour,\\nbutter, bacon, Irish potatoes, apples, corn meal,\\nc. To feed our horses we use hay from the\\nNorth, even from JNevv England. Oats and corn\\nare all shipped here, and we have even to ship our\\nchicken feed.\\nTrue we raise oranges, lemons, limes, grape\\nfruit, grapes, sweet potatoes, water meloiis, cante-\\nlopes, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, mulberries and\\nvStrawberries. Oh yes we fairly bask in straw-\\nberries and cream. The cheapest strawberries I\\nsaw in Florida, were twenty-five cents a box,\\n(about a pint,) and small at that, from the holi-\\ndays to about [the first of April, they usually sell\\nat about one dollar a box. Cheap, is nol it so?\\nYou see that persons with plenty of money can in-\\ndulge in strawberries and cream, when the} can\\nget the cream. It costs forty cents a quart blue\\nmilk from fifteen to twenty cents a quart, depends\\na little on how badly you want it. For people\\nthat do not have a great deal of filthy lucre, straw-\\nberries and cream is no good in Florida.\\nNow take snap beans. These grow well here\\nand are plenty in the month of April, and sell right\\nalong at about one dollar a peck, About this time\\nthe Irish potatoes that grow in Florida come into\\nmarket at about the same price as beans. Onions\\nby the bunch, (about half a dozen little ones in a", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0041.jp2"}, "42": {"fulltext": "38 FLORID A AS IT IS.\\nbunch) sell at from fifteen to twenty cents a bunch.\\nRed beets are verv hard to o-row here, and sell\\nvery high. Lettuce, cabbage and all other garden\\ntrucks sell at about the proportion of the above\\nfigures. About the first of June green corn, water-\\nmelons and tomatoes come into market and sell\\nabout as follows very small corn per dozen,\\ntwenty to fifty cents until watermelons come be-\\ncome plenty, they bring a dollar a piece they get\\ncheaper about July first. Tomatoes sell for a dol-\\nlar a peck, and not very good even at that price.\\nThe only things that are really cheap are turnips\\nand sweet potatoes, and these sell all the time\\nfrom forty to ninety cents a bushel. So it is pretty\\nplain to be seen that unless a ou raise these things\\nyourself or have plenty o{ money, you might as\\nwell be anywhere else as in Florida, so far as en-\\njoying the eating of them is concerned. Notwith-\\nstanding all this, the climate of Florida in winter as\\ncompared with the Northern States, is delightful.\\nIn the summer I prefer being in a climate that the\\nheat is not quite so great, and I have a very strong\\nimpression that should the readers ever spend a\\nsummer in Florida, they will agree Avith me long\\nbefore the summer is ended.\\nSOMETHING ABOUT ORANGES, ETC.\\nThere are several varieties of oranges. They\\nripen from October to February, according as they\\nare early or late varieties. They are not easily\\nshaken from the tree and aiter being matured and", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0042.jp2"}, "43": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\n39\\nfully ripe, they stick so tighily to their lastenings\\nthat the branches to which they grow are frequent-\\nly broken off in attempting to pull them. When, or\\nin gatheriijg the oranges, the gatherer fastens a\\nsack or basket, made for the purpose, in front of\\nhim with straps o\u00c2\u00bb strings passriiig around his\\nshoulders, and with a pair of snips (scissors) or a\\nknife witli a hooked blade, thus equipped he\\nmounts a step ladder after placing it in proper po-\\nsition about the tree and gathers the golden truit,\\ndepo^iting each orange in the receptacle separate-\\nlyv This gathering of oranges is a kind of a trade\\nand an expert will thus gather many thousands in\\na single day, w^hen many another who does not\\nunderstand the business w^ill not be able to gather\\nas man}^ hundred in the same length of time. Pro-\\nfessional orange gatherers work or gather by the\\nhundred and some of them do nothing else. They\\nmake (earn) enough money during the gathering\\ns^easons to keep them the balance oi the year. Oc-\\ncasionally you will see two crops on the same tree,\\n(ripe and green) and very frequently you will see\\nthe tree bloom out for a new crop and have plenty\\nof ripe fruit on at the same time, yet they produce\\nbut one full crop a year and not as many suppose\\nIhat the tree is an everbearer, that is that they are\\nproducing fruit all the time. I never saw an\\norange tree that was an everbearer and the reason\\n}ou occasionally hear as above written, is because\\nof the tenacity with which the Aar t sticks to cr ad-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0043.jp2"}, "44": {"fulltext": "40 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nheres to the tree and not having been gathered*\\nIf, however, the tree or fruit is unsound, the fruit\\nloses this tenacity and falls to the ground, hence\\nou never see an orange grower eat an orange that\\nhas not been cut or taken directly from the tree\\nnotwithstanding some unscrupulous persons will\\nship uind falls, that is oranges that have dropped\\nfrom the trees, from being diseased in some w^a}\\nThese oranges can always be told in this wa\\\\^ and in\\nno other. The absence of a small part ot the stem\\non which the orange grew, is very suspicious- All\\nrirst-class oranges have this smal\\\\ part of the stem\\nfirml}^ attached and it is almost impossible to get it\\nofl^ without injuring the rind or sktn of it.\\nThe orange trees as well as all the citrus famil}-,\\nis an evergreen, that is it is always full of green\\nleaves. Should the foliage become destroyed, as\\nis the case sometimes by frost, worms, or insects,\\nit will soon put out a new folias^e. The tree is all\\nthe time (very slowly) casting off the old and mak-\\ning new wood and foliage, yet you scarcely ever\\nsee an orange leaf under the trees.\\nAN ORANGE ORCHARD.\\nAn orange grove is planted something after the\\nstyle of an apple orchard (in the North) and by\\nplanting three year old budded trees that have had\\nproper care and by planting properly and giving\\nthem all the attendance necessary and fertilizing\\nthem all they will take if on the right kind of soiL-\\nyou may expect, and will get a few^ oranges the", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0044.jp2"}, "45": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS ITIS. 41\\nthird or fourth year after planting. Your orange\\ngrove must be cared for just like a garden, and\\nthe more you work, manure or fertilize it, the bet-\\nter it will do, and if you fail to give it proper at-\\ntention, it will show it very qaickl3^ About the\\nseventh or eighth year after planting, if it has had\\nthe proper kind of attention, it wall begin to pay\\nyou, that is you v\\\\ill begin to get fruit and when it\\nonce begins to make returns, (the older the grove\\ngets the more it will returii) provided you always\\nkeep fertilizing and giving it proper attention. You\\nmight just as well fatten an animal and after he is\\nfat, expect him to remain so without feed or atten-\\ntion as to plant an orange grove and bring it into\\nbearing and then expect it to copxtinue bearing\\nwithout giving it the same attention that you did\\nto bring it into that condition. In this respect\\norange trees are very sensative and are more like\\ncorn or vegetables; they show^ neglect or good\\noare almost immediately* The man or person who\\nexpects to get an orange grove by simply planting\\nthe trees and then let them ta ^e care of themselves\\nwdl only reap vexation and disappointment. You\\nmight just as well plant corn in a clover held with-\\nout ploughing, and then expect a crop of corn with-\\nout any further attention, the one would be just\\nabout as likelv to succeed as the other. Work, at-\\nlintion and fertilizing are the three main points in\\nmaking an orange grove.\\nFrom wliat I have seen, know and learned", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0045.jp2"}, "46": {"fulltext": "42\\nFLORIDA AS 1 1 IS.\\nn\\nabout this orange business, in my judgement there\\nare ver\\\\- few orange groves in the State that have\\never paid the cost of bringing into bt^aring and\\nkeeping up. Do not undtTsiand that all who have\\nplanted groves have lost money very far from it.\\nOn the contrary, nearly every pt rson that has\\nplanted groves and given them any kind of care\\nor attention at all, have made money by the oper-\\nation of planting and starting groves, and also\\nmade money by bringing them into bearing, not\\nin the fruit however. It is done about in this way t\\nPurchase five acres of land within a mile or two of\\na smart town for fifty dollars per acre* have it\\ncleared and fenced, (or do it yourself) and planted\\nfor sav one hundred dollars per acre more be\\ncareful to have nice thriving trees; have them set\\nout in June, about the be ^inning of the rainy ^:eas-\\non have the ground in prime condition all tjie\\ntrees, stumps and roots taken out, and make it look\\nlike a garden trees start to grovv at once, being\\naided by the wet weather and some powerful fertil-\\nizer watch and attend to them carefully, keeping\\noff all sprouts and suckers watch the orange dog,\\na kind of worm something like the worm that gets\\non seed parsnips in the North they destroy the\\nfoliage also keep off the ants and all other insects\\nthat infest orange trees wash the trees occasional-\\nIv with whale-oil soap, and don t forget your fer-\\ntilizer, and by the first of November you will have\\na new ^rowth of wood from three to five feet, and", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0046.jp2"}, "47": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 43\\nthe trees will look beautiful. Now this whole bus-\\niness up to this time will not have cost over two\\nhundred dollars per acre, including your own work\\nand all expenses. Some man from the North or\\nelsewhere, comes alonp- with more dollars than\\nfc\\nknowledtre and he wants an orano-e o-rove, vou\\nask him a thousand dollars per acre or five thous-\\nand dollars for the w^hole tract you show^ him the\\nbig growth. He wants to know how old these\\ntrees are, when they were planted, now much at-\\ntention and how^ much fertilizer you have used.\\nOf course you tell him all about it, making as\\nmuch out of the grow^th as you can and enlarging\\non the very short time in which they put on the\\nthis very heavy growth keep the fertilizer and the\\nattention paid to the trees as much in the bac\\nground as possible you will show^up all the good\\nqualities of your country, or your place in partic-\\nular do not however seem to want to sell, but\\nshow by figures and calculations what your grove\\nwill produce, (no probabilities about this) as soon\\nas it comes into bearing you can easily figure up\\nthat in six or eight years your grove will produce\\nthe interest on from ei^^ht to ten thousand dollars\\nper acre and maybe you can get him to believe it.\\nWhether you do or not, he does not know how^\\nmuch truth you have told him, and he w^ill not be\\nlikely to find out very soon unless he should hap-\\npen to buy and come to Florida to live. However,\\nii you have played your part well, you have him", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0047.jp2"}, "48": {"fulltext": "44 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nfascinated by this time, for this orange business is\\nfascinating to a stranger he will very probably\\nmake you an offer for your grove of perhaps one\\nhalfoi what you asked him; 3 ou of course could\\nnot think for a moment of taking any such offer,\\nbut before the matter is settled you have sold your\\ngrove for seven hundred and fifty dollars per acre\\nacre and have thus made over two thousand dollars\\nclear money, and he has the. grove. This is not\\na bad speculation for you, but unless he stays right\\nthere and attends to his grove just as well as you\\ndid, he cannot help but lose money. I know of a\\ncase just exactly like this and know the parties,\\nbut suppose you do not sell the first fall or winter,\\nthere is such a thing as dv^^arfing and pushing an\\norange tree, that it will bear a few oranges the sec-\\nond year from the bud. You are likely to have a\\nfew of thesekind of trees, and if so, you will be\\nsure to call particular attention to them and they\\ndo look nice, and almost certain to attract and fas-\\ncinate, and many times you make money by not\\nselling the first year, but then it is generally all\\nthe worse for the end man. You certainly have\\nmade money by planting an orange grove. The\\nman that now owns it, has his to make yet. My\\nJudgement is that there is more money made out\\nof orange \u00c2\u00a3jroves before they come into bearing than\\nthere is afterward. I mean clear money. There\\nare many, very many things about this orange\\nbusiness that the uninitiated know^ but little about.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0048.jp2"}, "49": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 45\\n^owever, with all the tricks thrown in, some of\\nthe tinest oranges raised in the world are grown in\\nFlorida, and it is a nice business and many honor-\\nable men and women are engaged in the business\\nof growing oranges and orange trees in Florida,\\nand many of them are doing well, while others,\\nand many of them are ready and willing to sell out\\nas soon as the right man puts in his appearance.\\nYou can always bu}^ orange groves.\\nLEMONS AND LIMES\\nAre not, as a general thing planted in groves, but\\nin odd corners and sometimes between the rows\\nof orange trees. They are more of a bush than a\\ntree and come into bearing in two or three years\\nfrom budding. Florida produces lemons and limes\\nof a good quality, but not of the best. These trees\\nor bushes are very tender and a frost of any se-\\nverity at all, ruins the fruit lor that year, hence\\nthe fruit growers do not cultivate them to any great\\nextent. There is, however a large, rough, thick\\nskinned lemon that stands about as much freezincr\\nas an orange tree. They are not of a very good\\nquality and not much accounted of.\\nCITRON TREES OR BUSHES,\\nThis fruit is more of a novelty than anything\\nelse. It is a large fruit and somewhat bell shaped,\\nsome of them weighing as much as ten pounds.\\nWhether it is the citron of commerce or not, I have\\nnot been able to learn, nor have I been able to\\nearn of anv person making any use of them", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0049.jp2"}, "50": {"fulltext": "46 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nwhatever. The trees or bushes are rather small,\\nsomething like a lemon tree. The branches are\\nvery tough and elastic, and the weight of the fruit\\nbends the boughs until the fruit-touches the ground.\\nGRAPE FRUIT.(6/ja:c /^^c./s;/\\nThis seems to be a kind of an orange. It grows\\non a tree that looks like an orange tree, and unless\\nyou saw the fruit, you would say the tree was an\\norange tree. The fruit is very full of juice and is\\nused in various ways, as lemons for drink and mak-\\ning PIES. Jelly is also made of grape fruit, and\\nby many persons it is eaten the same as an orange.\\nIt is not so sour as a lemon, but much more so than\\na good orange. In size it is very much larger than\\nthe largest orange one or two grape fruit trees is\\nall any person wants on his place. They ripen\\nand stick on the trees about like an orange. They\\nare not often shipped JNorth for the reason that\\nthere is not much money made by handling them.\\nThe tree grows as large, if not larger than an\\norange tree aud bears heavily every year, if kept\\nin good condition.\\nGUAVA.\\nThe tree is of a bush character and grows some-\\nthing like a quince does when left alone (in the\\nNorth.) It does not grow tall, but branches out\\nfrom the ground. I have seen them from\\ntwelve to fifteen feet in diameter through the\\nbranches, six or eight feet from the ground, and\\nnot more than ten or twelve feet hig-h. These", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0050.jp2"}, "51": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 47\\nbushes are not hard to propagate and when once\\nstarted, need but very little care and they bear an\\nabundant crop every year (when not frozen.) The\\nfruit is about the size of a small lemon, and shaped\\na little like a mandrake or May apple and is very\\nfull of seeds, something like tomato seeds, only\\nlarger. The fruit is used for a great many pur-\\nposes, and a great many persons like them to eat\\nright off the bush and nearly every person becomes\\nvery fond of them after they once get the taste prop-\\nerly. They are used for jellies and jams, for which\\nthey are excellent, as the jellies and jams can be\\nflavored to taste. They make excellent pies and\\nnot a bad desert in the absence of something bet-\\nter. The bushes bear the second or third year\\nfrom planting.\\nPINE APPLES,\\nThese are rather hard to raise, being a tropical\\nfruit they cannot stand frost, hence must be pro-\\ntected in w^inter. A good many are raised, how^-\\never, in the southern part of Florida. Under pro-\\ntection they mature from the planting in about\\ntwenty-one months. The ground is prepared as\\nfor cabbage the plants are set in rows about two\\nfeet apart, and the rows are about the same dis-\\ntance apart they must be carefully cultivated and\\ntertilized, and no grass or weeds allowed to grow\\namong them cultivated like cabbage. Alter a\\nproper time a kind of spike shoots up from the\\ncentre of the plant, something like a poppy head", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0051.jp2"}, "52": {"fulltext": "48 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nor tulip flower, with a bulb on top this bulb is tht?\\npine apple, which grows and enlarges and finally\\nripens. Each plant produces but one apple then\\ndies, but while it is bearing this apple it is at the\\nsame time lattooning or throwing out several other\\nplants from the old root, which in turn, each bears\\nan apple. So you see a pine apple bed is self-\\npropagatirjg, and once planted is there indelini tely\\nIf proper care is taken of them, all you have to do\\nis to see that it does not become too thickly set\\nwith btalks, in which case the fruit would be small.\\nAfter the ]3ed or orchard is properly started and\\ncared for and w^ell protected in winter, 3 ou can*\\nand will have ripe fruit the whole year around, as\\nthere seems to be no special season of the year in\\nwhich they ripen, so that after a very few years,\\nyou will have pine apples all the time in all stages^\\not growth and oi all sizes. The pine apple stock\\nis very rough, and in working among them the\\nhands, arms and legs must be protected with leath-\\ner, in order to keep your skin and flesh from being\\ntorn and lacerated. Plants are obtained from the\\nroots and also from small suckers that shoot out\\nfrom the base of the apple. If the top of the apple\\nbe cut otf and planted, it will also grow and in due\\ncourse of time produce another apple.\\nBANANAS,\\nThis is also a tropical fruit and plant but partiaL\\nly acclimated to Florida, and when planted in\\nplaces not too much exposed, fruits tolerably welL", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0052.jp2"}, "53": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 49\\nThe least bit ot a freeze stops the fruiting. It\\nis grown for ornament in nearly all gardens ana\\nlots in the State, particularly in the southern part.\\nIt grows to the height of twenty or more feet in\\ngood soil. Its loliage or leaves are from two to\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0six feet long and when flattened out will measrue as\\nmuch as two feet in width the leaves have a rib\\nor stem running through the middle the long way\\nof the leaf, thus it appears to be double, drooping\\nfrom the stem. When the stock is ready to fruit,\\nit sends up a strong stem from the centre of the\\nstock, after the nature of the pine apple. This\\nstem is from one to three inches in diameter on\\nthe outer or extreme end of this stem or spike is\\nwiiat is called the blow: this is in shape a good\\ndeal like an ear of corn and about the size, the\\nlayers answering to the husk on corn it is red and\\nwhen this biow opens, as it always does, is very\\nbeautiful when the blow begins to open then the\\nbutt or lower end of this spike begins to, and does\\nthrow out segments partially around it, which\\nseems to divide, each pushing out a small yellow\\nflower this is the blossom Each blossom is the\\nend of the Iruit, which growa very much like a\\ncucumber, in that the blossom is on the end of the\\nfruit. In a .short time ^nother of these sequents\\nforms and the process is repeated again and agam\\nuntil from a dozen to three hundred bananas are\\nformed on this stem or spike. When the blow flrsL\\nmakes its appearance, its weight curves the stem", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0053.jp2"}, "54": {"fulltext": "so FLORIDA AS IT IS\\nand by the time the truit is well formed the top of\\nthe bunch is toward the ground, A stock only\\nbears one bunch and then dies, but like the pine\\napple, is self-propagating, sending out rattoons or\\nsuckers from the roots, which in turn produce fiuit.\\nThe stock has the nature of corn, being very\\nporous, but not jointed, and are sometimes as much\\nas eight inches in diameter within a foot of the\\nground. T hey will grow in almost any kind of\\nsoil, but do much the best in low lands. They\\nwill grow without fertilizer, but will do better with\\nit. They propagate in Florida entirely from the\\nroots they will not mature seed outside ot a purely\\ntropical climate there are several varieties of them\\nsome of which are much better than others very\\nfew, if anv bananas are shipped from Fl rida\\nabout all that grow here are consumed in the\\nState.\\nGRAPES.\\nThe are several varieties of natural grapes, none\\nof which amount to much except the ^Scupper-\\nnong, which is a very fair grape, especially when\\nno better is to be had. There are several varie-\\nties of grapes growing wild in the Hammocks that\\nare something like the fox grapes of the North,\\nonly smaller. Grapes other than the scuppernong\\ndo not seem to do much good in this climate.\\nPEACHES.\\nThere are two kinds of peaches that can be", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0054.jp2"}, "55": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 51\\nraised in Florida. The Peen-to or Pinto is a small\\nflat, fair peach it does lairly here and ripens in\\nearly June. The honey peach is small and yellow-\\nish it is very sweet ?nd ripens a little later. The\\nkind and varieties of peaches that grow in the\\nNorth, do not seem to grow here- There is, how-\\never, a new peach called the Bidwell, about which,\\njust now a big blow is being made. I have not\\nseen any of these peaches, but if one-half that is\\nsaid about them be true, they will revolutionize the\\nfruit growing business in this State. They are\\nsaid to even ripen earlier than the Peen-to, and it\\nis further said that they are worth in the New York\\nmarket about twenty-seven dollars a bushel. The\\nreader must bear in mmd that we do not vouch for\\nthis Bidwell peach, but simply write what is said\\nabout them by those who are interested in the sale\\nif the Bidwell peach trees and what is published\\non the papers by those otherwise interested in this\\nvariety of peach. One thing is pretty certain, and\\nthat is that time will test this peach as well as many\\nother things in Florida.\\nPEARS.\\nThe Leconte is the only pear that can be raised\\nin Florida. This grows something like the seckel\\npear of the North and somewhat larger it has a\\nfine flavor, (rather too sweet.) The trees are\\npropagated from cuttings.\\nPLUMS.\\nIt is said that plums grow wild in some parts of", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0055.jp2"}, "56": {"fulltext": "52 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nthe State. I have seen the so-called Persian plum\\nwhich grow on a tree something like the horse\\nchestnut tree. The fruit is about the size of a\\ngreen gage and is much relished by some people.\\nThere is to me very Itttle, if any plnm taste about\\nthem.\\nPERSIMMONS.\\nThere are two varieties here. The common per-\\nsimmon of the North flourishes here and produces\\nabundant crops, but are of very little use. The\\nother variety has been brought here from Japan\\nwhen ripe, is rather a fancy fruit, and is relish-\\ned by everbody. The fruit is yellow when ripe,\\nand is usually about three inches lon^ and about one\\ninch in diameter, having but few seeds, and they\\nare verj^ small. The fruit is very slightly astring-\\nent, even when very ripe, not enough so, however\\nto make it objection al. The trees are propagated\\nby budding into wild persimmon stocks and from\\nseed the trees raised from seed must be grafted\\nor budded to insure ^ood fruit. Shaddocks have\\nbeen described under the name of grape fruit, as\\nboth names mean about the same fruit. A further\\ndescription would be superfluous.\\nPOMEGRANATES\\nAre grown in some places they are like the\\ncitron, more ornamental than useful the tree or rath-\\ner bush is very beautiful, and the fruit in shape re-\\nsembles a half grown quince in appearance and\\nsize, the colors however are reddish.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0056.jp2"}, "57": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 53\\nBKRRIES.\\nStrawberries are the principal, and in tact about\\nthe only cultivated berry in Florida. They need\\nno particular description as every person knows all\\nabout strawberries. I may say that by proper cul-\\ntivation and planting at the right season, these\\nberries may be had or the crop continued irom the\\nholidays until about the first of July. The princi-\\npal crop, however, is made during March and\\nApril. In order to obtain berries as early or late\\nas the holidays, the plants must be set out in June\\nor early in July. Planting them at this time of the\\nyear, they require the greatest kind of care, mul-\\ncing and protection from the hot sun, and by keep-\\ning away from them all grass and weeds and using\\nthe proper fertilizer, you may succeed in gettmg\\nsome berries, provided the frost don t kill them.\\nYou will not get much of a crop, but what you do\\nget will be worth Irom two to five dollars a box in\\nNew York no not worth that amount, but will\\nbring that prtce. If only a few quarts are thus\\nraised, and they are, it answers first-rate for an ad-\\nvertisement of what can be done in the State, and\\nwill find big accounts of strawberries raised in the\\nopen air in Florida. These accounts never give\\nthe modus operandi of raising the berries To\\nmake a success of raising strawberries in Florida,\\nthey must be planted in September or October, the\\nground being first well prepared and fertilized,\\nthen if properly attended, you can expect, and will", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0057.jp2"}, "58": {"fulltext": "54 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nget a fair crop of berries the following March and\\nApril. Sometimes you can begin to pick ripe\\nstrawberries in February and from the same plants\\nget a few berries as late as July. The berries do\\nnot ripen all at once as they do in the North, but\\ncontinue ripening all along throughout the season,\\nof say three or four months, or even longer from\\nthe time the first berries come until the last are\\ndone. These old plants produce but very few\\nberries the second year, so of necessity you must\\nplant new beds each year or reset the old ones.\\nThe price of strawberries here is about the same as\\nit is in the New York market all the time, so you\\nmust either raise your berries, have plenty of\\nmoney, or do without, just as it happens,\\nHUCKLE AND BLACKBERRIES\\nOf an inferior quality grow wild in Hammocks\\nand low lands, and in season are peddled around\\nas they are in the North. They bring from ten to\\ntwenty-five cents a quart, depends a little on how\\nbadly you want them.\\nCURRANTS, RASPBERRIES, GOOSJi-\\nBERRIES, ELDERBERRIES AND\\nCHERRIES.\\nI have seen none ol these, nor have I seen any\\nperson that did see them, notwithstanding, it is\\nsaid some of each grow in the State, and I know\\nno reason why they should not grow here at least\\nas well as strawberries.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0058.jp2"}, "59": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 55\\nMULBERRIES\\nGrow wild in the Hammocks, and they seem to\\nbe of the same variety as the Northern. There is\\nalso a tame or cultivated mulberry that is very\\nlarge and ripens in April. They, however, are\\nnot very valuable as they are rather soft and taste-\\nless\u00c2\u00bb\\nVEGETABLE AND TUBERS.\\nCucumbers and sweet potatoes are perfectly at\\nhome in Florida about all that is to be done to get\\na crop of either, is to prepare the ground and plant\\nthe seed. You can either plant the whole sw^eet\\npotato or the draws (plants) or pieces of the sweet\\npotato vine, and with very little cultivation you will\\nget a fair crop better cultivation will produce a\\nbetter crop. Cucumbers do the best when planted\\nin February or March. If planted much later the\\nhot sun interferes with their maturing. Sweet\\npotatoes should be planted the latter part of May\\nor early in June to make the best crop, however,\\nthe can be planted at almost any other time of the\\nyear, and generally do w^ell the crop may remain\\nin the ground for a long time without injury. This,\\nhowever, is a lazy -way of keeping them. The\\nright way is to dig them, take them out of the\\nground and bank them, (put them in pits) as they\\ndo Irish potatoes in the North. Many people dig\\nthem and put them on piles, cover lightly with\\nsand, then cover all with palmetto bu^hes or moss.\\nAs a general thing enough of seed is left in the", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0059.jp2"}, "60": {"fulltext": "56 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nground to produce a crop the next season, and\\nfrequently the second crop is almost as good\\nthe tirst, without much, if any additional\\nlabor.\\nWATER AND MUSH MELONS.\\nThese can be, and are raised here by the million.\\nThey, however, must have a good deal of atten-\\ntion and the ground must be well fertilized and the\\nseed planted at the proper time, which is in Feb-\\nruary and never later than March for general crop.\\nStart the plants with plenty of good fertilizer^\\nwatch the cut worms, (they do have cut worms in\\nFlorida) and insects, keep your plants and vines\\ngrowing vigorously, one hill to each ten feet\\nsquare is plenty thick enough, and if you have\\nmore than three stocks in a hill, it i.\u00c2\u00ab too thick.\\nMush melons may be planted a little closer- All\\nthinjjs being favorable, the melons produced in\\nFlorida cannot be surpassed in the known world.\\nIRISH POTATOES,\\nThe Irish potatoes that are raised in Florida,\\ncannot be classed as first quality by any means,,\\nalthough there are some fair pcTtatoes raised here.\\nWhen planted at the proper time, and January, by\\nmy observation, is the right time. As a general\\nthing Irish potatoes that are raised here have a\\nwatery nature and many of them are black inside.\\nThe whole of it is, raising Irish potatoes in Florida\\nis not a success, and I do not think ever will be.\\nn", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0060.jp2"}, "61": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 57\\nCABBAGE.\\nCabbage on certain kinds of soil, grows very\\nwell, as (or instance on reclaimed marsh land or\\nlow hammock, provided you can keep the cutworms\\ninsects, and cabbage worms off. I have seen no\\nvery large heads of cabbage grown in Florida, but\\nhave heard ot them. I have however seen hun-\\ndreds that were called fine cabbage if the heads\\nbeing small and solid made it fine, then the saying\\nis true. As a general thing the heads weigh from\\none to four pounds, although I have .seen others\\nthat weighed five and six pounds.\\nONIONS.\\nOnions are not a success, still on good land, with\\ncare and plenty of fertilizer and planting wide\\napart fair onions can be raised here.\\nTURNIPS,\\nTurnips of all kinds grow pretty well. Fertil-\\nizer helps them wonderfully.\\nRED BEETS.\\nRed beets for some cause not known to the\\nwriter, does not grow here except in special local-\\nities, and in no locality do they amount to much,\\nSQJJASHES AND PUMPKINS.\\nAs a general crop are a partial success. Egg\\nplants in certain localitie^^, with care and plenty of\\nfertili;zer, make a fair crop.\\nTOMATOES.\\nAs a general crop whh ordinary care and a lit-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0061.jp2"}, "62": {"fulltext": "58 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ntie fertilizer, make a good crop, especially the\\nsmall round cluster tomato. To be a success, they\\nshould be planted very early in the season, say\\nthe last of December or rirst of January. Be sure\\nto protect when there is danger ol frost.\\nCORN.\\nThis can be raised on cow penned land or with\\nplenty of fertilizer. February is the time to plant,\\nand you will then have mutton corn (roasting ears)\\nin early June. A crop of corn yielding, say twenty\\nbushels to the acre^ is considered a pretty good\\ncrop for Florida. Not much is raised except for\\ntable use.\\nCOTTON,\\nIn the Northern part of the ^tate considerable\\ncotton is raised, both Sea Island and Short Staple^\\nand does very well.\\nWHEAT AND RYE.\\nRye and wheat will not mature here. There h\\nsome of both sowed, epecially rye for pasture.\\nOATS.\\nA very good crop can be made with plenty of\\nfertilizer in the Northern part of the State.\\nBEANS.\\nBeans when properly planted, cultivated and\\nfertilized, make an excellent crop, especially w^ax.\\nand snap varieties. Many thousands of bushels of\\nbeans are raised in Florida every year and shipped\\nto the Northern markets. Beans are one of the\\nstaple crops of the State.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0062.jp2"}, "63": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 59\\nCOW PEAS.\\nThese are a kind of a small bean generally sown\\nbroadcast on new land. As a first crop, it is said\\nthey sweeten the land, that is takes out the wild-\\nness, and mal^s land productive. These cow\\npeas are frequently plowed down, thus acting as a\\nfertilizer, other times they are left stand until about\\nhalf ripe, then cut and cured like hay. In this shape\\nthey are excellent food for stock, they do not\\nseem to impoverish the land, but rather to enrich\\nit. These cow peas are very rough food for man.\\nHOSS (HORSE) BEANS.\\nThese are grown for ornament and shade. They\\nare climbers. I have seen them climb a pine tree\\nfor forty feet their foliage is very dense, and the\\nbean pods are as much as a foot long, having usual-\\nly twelve ^arge beans in each pod. I know of no\\nuse for the beans.\\nHOPS.\\nThese are not grown in Florida to my knowl-\\nedge.\\nASPARAGUS.\\nHave neither saw any or heard of any in the\\nState.\\nHORSE RADDISH.\\nThe same as Asparagus.\\nRADDISHES.\\nThese grow quickh^ when fertilizer is used, but\\nget spongy very soon", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0063.jp2"}, "64": {"fulltext": "6o FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nTOBACCO.\\nIt is said tobacco will gr3\\\\v well in places, but I\\nhave neither seen the places or the tobacco grow-\\ning.\\nCASAVA.\\nCasava is said to be a sure anU profitable crop.\\nThis is the root out of which tapioc? is made. I\\nhave heard of it, but know of none growing in the\\nState.\\nPEA NUTS, PINDARS OR GOUBERS.\\nThese grow well and yield abundantly if proper-\\nIv planted, cultivated, cared for and fertiHzed.\\nCASTOR BEANS.\\nThese grow to be quite large, (that is the stocks)\\nI have seen them as much as six inches in diam-\\neter near the orround. These stocks were all frozen\\ndead in the heavy freeze of January 1886, and it\\nwill be several years before such large stocks will\\nbe seen again. A castor bean stock will naturally\\nlive and bear beans for several years in succession,\\nnot killed by frost or otherwise. Many orange\\ngrowers plant or sow castor beans in their groves\\nfor the purpose of keeping down other weeds and\\ngrass and to shade the ground, thereby acting as a\\nkind of mulch and yet letting the air circulate free-\\nly on the surface of the ground. The bean stocks\\nare said to act as a fertilizer for the orange trees in\\nthat way. How this is I do not l^now, but I do\\nknow that where you see an orange grove thickly\\nset with castor beans, the trees look nice and", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0064.jp2"}, "65": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 6i\\nthrifty and seem to be doing v\\\\ell.\\nBUCKWHEAT.\\nI never saw or heard of any buckwheat growinc-\\nin the State.\\nRICE.\\nA very little rice is grown. It is sown in rows\\nabout eighteen inches apart and thickly in the row.\\nWhen it first comes up it looks like oats and un-\\nless you knew what it was, you would sav it was\\noats, until it shoots out the heads, which are a\\nlittle different from oats, being much stifFer and\\nmore upright. Rice like most other grain, grows\\ntaller or shorter in the straw, according to the\\nquality of the land on which it is raised.\\nFIGS.\\nNearly every fruit grower in Florida has a tew\\nfig trees or bushes. These, as far as I can see,\\nare like some other fruits grown here, more orna-\\nmental than useful. While some people eat the figs\\nright from the tree and pretend to say they are\\ngood and palatable, I would about as soon eat oak\\napples. I do not know but that these figs could be\\nprepared in some way and made palatable and\\nsalable, but as they are now, they might as well be\\nmarked N. G. However they do very well to talk\\nabout by persons who are much interested in this\\nEldorado. They can say figs grow there also.\\nNATIVE GRASSES.\\nThe native grasses of Florida are nearly all of a", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0065.jp2"}, "66": {"fulltext": "62 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ncourse, rough character and do not seem to possess\\nmuch nutriment, with very few exceptions.\\nAmong them all, the crab grass seems to be the\\nbest. This is a joint grass and grows very thickly\\non the ground, and when trampled upon, wher-\\never a joint touches the ground, it grows fast and\\nforms a new stock it also produces seed in abund-\\nance, so you see it reproduces both from the tops\\nand by rooting from the joints. It somewhat re-\\nsembles blue grass when it is standing straight up,\\nbut very much coarser and rougher. Cattle and\\nhorses eat it readily and greedily and stock fatten\\non it alone. When not grazed off, it will grow to\\nthe height of two or three feet and in many places\\ncovers the ground as thick as it can stand. If\\nmown or cut just before the seed ripens and well\\ncured it will make very good hay. Cattle and\\nhorses will eat it when well curea and seem to\\nrelish it about as well as when green. Unfortun-\\nately this grass grows only in certain localities and\\nis only available for pasture, and hay for a com-\\nparatively short time. It does not remain green\\nall the year around, but it cures on the stock an^\\nbecomes hard and dry, as do most of the native\\ngrasses here, and then stock either will nor or can-\\nnot eat it. Wire grass is a native. When young\\nand tender stock eat it, but it soon begins to have the\\nappearance of running briars, becomes hard and\\nwoody, when nothing but goats can eat it. It is\\ngood for nothing then that I know of but to harbor", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0066.jp2"}, "67": {"fulltext": "FL ORID A AS IT IS. 6^\\nand breed red bugs or jiggers. There is also a\\nnative grass that is more general than any other\\nin the State. It has the appearance of what people\\nin the North call white top, a grass that grows\\nin old natural meadows in the North, and is as\\nthick as the hair on a wooly dog, near and on the\\nground and hardly ever grows over a foot high.\\nThis grass is fine in the stem, and remains green\\nthe greater part of the year, hence it is the main\\ndependence ot^ the stock raiser. Then there is a\\nvery fine grass (that is fine or small in the stock)\\nvind short that grows in old roads and old fields.\\nCattle only eat this when the} can get nothing\\nelse then there is what is called bunch s^rass, some-\\nthing after the nature of what is called sour grass\\nin the North, only it grows in bunches. The\\nwestern man will understand when I say it com-\\npares in appearance with the roughest kind of June\\ngrass then there is what is called saw grass.\\nThis, when young and tender, is much relished\\nby cattle, but soon becomes hard and the teeth on\\nthe blades so sharp and hard that cattle will not\\neven go near it then there is the marsh swamp and\\nbull grass and a kind oi grass that grows in the\\nbottom of shallow lakes and ponds- These latter\\nremain green the whole year around and are the\\nonly source of feed for stock in the winter season,\\nexcept the scrub and saw palmetto, which is the\\n^-oughest kmd of forage, unless hay or dry {tied is\\nprovided, hence the cattle get very poor in the", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0067.jp2"}, "68": {"fulltext": "64 FLORIDA AS IT IS,\\nwinter and toward spring and many of them die\\nfrom sheer starvation. There are some other\\nnative grasses and plenty of weeds, mosses, pig-\\nweed, c., that would be useles and of no advant-\\nage to any person to describe,\\nBERMUDA GRASS.\\nThis grass is a foreigner, imported from Ber-\\nmuda, but took to the soil of Florida at once. Jt\\nseems to be very closely related to the crab grass.-\\nbut of a finer quality. It is also a joint grass and\\npropagates the same wa_y from the roots and joints,\\nbut produces no seed, hence to start it you mu.-t\\nplant the roots or joints, either of which will grow\\nin any kind of soil or even in pure sand, and when\\nonce started, it is there just as long as you want it^\\nand sometimes longer, for should you want to get\\nrid of it, you will find a larger job than it was to\\nstart it in the first place. 1 his Bermuda grass is\\nbetter in quality and equally as good in quantity.\\nand answers every purpose that the crab grass-\\ndoes, with the advantage that it will grow any-\\nwhere or place where there is soil or sand of any\\nkind, which the crab grass will not do.\\nTIMOTHY AND CLOVER,\\nThere is none growing anywhere in the State\\nthat I know of, nor do I think there ever will be.\\nThe scil is not the kind to produce either the one\\nor the other.\\nALFALFA OR GERMAN CLOVER.\\nI have heard it said that some man got a few", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0068.jp2"}, "69": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 65\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2st::eds 01 it, planted it in his garden and it sprouted,\\ncame up and after it got to be a few inches high,\\nhad an advertisement put in the papers to the ef-\\nfect that Alfalfa was the coming gras.*^ for Florida.\\nHe knew there was no mista^ e about it that he had\\nihe thing itself growing luxuriously on his place,\\nwhen the facts were exactly as stated above. This\\n^stem alone will give you some idea of how Florida\\nis boomed up by those interested. Persons read*\\ning the ab ,ve mentioned notice a thousand miles\\nNorthward, where clover, timothy and Alfalfa are\\ngrown in large field ?5 you would at once take it\\nfor granted that this man away down in Florida had\\nacres of Alfalfa growing on his farm, and it is a\\nwell known fact that this grass is a great producer\\nand you would at once conclude, well if Altalta\\ngrows that way down there, there surely need be\\nno scarcity of either pasture, fodder or hay,* when\\nthe facts were simply a few stocks had been coaxed\\nto grow a few inches Now it has been said that\\ntruth is might}^ and will prevail, I reckon the\\nsa}ing is true, when the truth, the whole truth and\\nnothinor but the truth is said or written. Now iu\\nthis Alfalfa case the truth and nothing but the\\n^ruth wa\u00c2\u00a7 written or ad^ crtised. the Alfalfa seeds\\nwere planted, germinated rnid grew, but it was told\\nin such a way that it would mislead almost any\\nperson that w^as not, at least partially acquainted\\nwith the circumstances, climate or country. Thr\\nfact is a crop of Alfalfa cannot be |jrown in FJor-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0069.jp2"}, "70": {"fulltext": "66 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nida, no more than timothy, clover or an}^ of the\\nNorthern tame or held grasses, for the reason that\\nthe season, soil, climate and all other natural con-\\ndi ions are against it, just as they are against growing\\nwheat and other cereals that require the seed to be\\nfrozen in the ground, or the ground frozen and pre-\\npared before the seed is put into it. It will be well\\nenough to theorize, say and write that there is no\\nreason known why thus and so can t be done, but\\nthere are reasons and good ones, too, why certain\\nthings cannot be done. Notwithstanding all our\\ntheories, speculations or imaginations about them,\\nif the natural conditions are not favorable in the\\nend, you will have your labor for your pains and\\nreap only disappointment and vexation. Theories\\nand imaginations to amount to anything at all, must:\\nconform to the nature of the thing or subject\\ntheorized upon, otherwise they are valueless.\\nWILD FLOWERS\u00e2\u0080\u0094 TREES.\\nAmong the wild flowers, the Magnolia lor size\\nand sweetness, may be called the queen. These\\nflowers when in full bloom, resemble an enormous\\ncabbage rose, only the}^ are perfectly white. A\\nlarge magnolia in full bloom is a sight when once\\nseen, will never be forgotten the most delightful\\nperfume fills the air for many rods around the tree.\\nMany of the flowers are more than a foot in diam-\\neter when in full bloom. There is this peculiarity\\nabout them, while they are perfectly w^hite, and\\nremain so while on the tree and after they are taken", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0070.jp2"}, "71": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 67\\noff, unless your finger or an\\\\^ part of your flesh\\ntouches them, when the spot touched immediately\\nturns red and remains so. The tree remains in\\nbloom for sev^eral weeks, but produces no kind of\\neither nuts or fruit, nothingr but kind of cone. It\\nis an evergreen, but only blooms once a year, and\\nthat in April or early May. There are some other\\ntrees that produce flowers, but when you have\\no-nce seen the Magnolia, all the other flowering-\\ntrees dwindle into such insignificance that a de-\\nscription here seems to be superfluous.\\nWILD VINES.\\nThe trumpet flower and the honey suckle grow\\nwild here in the Hammocks and produce large and\\nbeautiful flowers. Some of the trumpet flowers are\\nas much as fifteen to eighteen hiches in length,\\nwhile the honey suckles bloom abundantly Ver}\\nmany of the flowering vines and shrubbery of the\\nNorth grow wdld in this State.\\nFLOWERING SHRUBBERY.\\nThe wild Jassamine is perhaps the grandest.\\nYou will see great masses of this in the Hammocks\\nliterally covered with flowers in early summer.\\nThe flowers of many are variegated, while others\\nare white, and indeed you can find Jassamine of\\nalmost any color. It is said the flowers are pois-\\nonous, but of this I could get no certain knowdedgc\\nThere are many other shrubs and small bushes\\nthat produce flowers, some nice and large, others\\nvery small and tiny. There is a bush that grows", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0071.jp2"}, "72": {"fulltext": "68 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nto the height of several feet and produces a purple\\nand white flower. The flower both before and\\nafter it opens is covered w^ith a kind of stick sub-\\nsance something like syrup or honey. The flies\\nseem to like this substance, but woe to the fly that\\na lights on flower bud or blossom his feet immedi-\\nately become fastened and in his efforts to get\\nawav, his wings become fastened also and in a\\nvery short space of time the fly is dead. This\\nbush is plenty in some localities and where they\\ngrow you do not find the flies so plentiful. If 30U\\nbreak oft the bush that have flower buds and blos-\\nsoms on them and place them, or hang them in\\nyour horse, in a very short time they will be full\\nof dead flies. I know of no name for this bush or\\nflour but FLY catchp:r.\\nMARYGOLDS.\\nMary golds of the reddish variet} grow wild\\nhere. There are hundreds of flowers of about all\\nsorts and sizes growing in the timber and low\\nlands of Florida, some of which are very beautiful,\\nand very many of them are tiny, and but very few\\nof the wild flowers have any perceptable perfume\\nin them,\\nCULTIVATED FLOWERS.\\nOre pinks, petumas, nearly all varieties of\\nroses, four o clock, tulips, peonies, asters, chrysan-\\nthemums and any, and nearly all other kinds and\\nvarieties of flowers that you may fancy can be\\ngrown in Florida, provided yovi have the patience,", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0072.jp2"}, "73": {"fulltext": "l^LORIDA AS IT IS. 69\\ndme and money to buy and attend to them. Many\\nof the flowers here are like tropical and semi-!rro]\\ncal fruits and shrubbery in the North. They can\\n~^be had with proper care attend on and protection.\\nWith a very few exceptions the natural and wild\\nflowers of Florida are neither plentier or prettier\\nthan they are in ihe North, and yet il is called the\\nLand of Sunshine and Flowers. It could be\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0called the Land of Sand and Shower with rather\\n-more propriety than the other, but there h not s(i\\nvery much in a name after all, particularly when\\nthe truth is known^\\nLILLIES AND CALLA LILLIES\\nOf nearly every kind and color grow wild; so\\ndo flags. These latter grow in some lands, some\\nof which are very pre^tty.\\nFLOWERING MOSSES.\\nSuch as are cultivated in the North, are here^\\ntreated asvveeds, and are con.siderable of a nuis-\\nance in the gardens.\\nEVERGREEN TREES\\nAre all of the citrus lamily, such as orange,\\nlemon, shaddock, lime, c. The magnolia bay,\\nlive oak, turkey oak, water oak, palmetto, man-\\n$^rove, pine and .some others.\\nDECIDUOUS TREES,\\nOf those that shed their leaves in late summer or\\nfall and again put out leav^es ifi early spring, are\\nthe hickor\\\\ and pignut, the pecan the red, black,", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0073.jp2"}, "74": {"fulltext": "70 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nscrub and post oaks, maple, wild cherry, mulberry\\nash, persimmons and some others.\\nHANGING OR HAIR MOSS.\\nThis is the moss of commerce. After being pre-\\npared, it grows on nearly all trees in the State,\\nparticularly in the south half of it. The heaviest\\nmoss is in the Hammocks and cypress swamps.\\nIt seems to fjrow best on the hard wood trees and\\ncypress, but you find plenty of it on most of the\\npine trees, especially in the neighborhood of lakes\\nor indeed waters of any kinds, whether lake, pond,\\nriver or springs. The higher the land the less\\nthere is of moss. I have seen moss grow on orange\\ntrees in orange groves however where this occurs\\nthe man or partv owning that grove had better sell\\nto some man who will take care of the grove and\\nkeep the moss off the trees, for if he does not, he\\nwill in a short time find out that kind of a grove is\\nnot profitable. The moss does not grow on the\\nb:dy or trunk of the trees, but attaches itself to the\\nlimbs or boughs and seems to thrive best when it\\ngets a hold near the top of the trees it seems to\\nfeed on the air. It certainly is an air plant, for it\\nwill grow on a dead tree just as well as on a live\\none. It does not seem to injure any kind of trees\\nexcept fruit trees, and the trouble here seems to be\\nthat the moss being so thick excludes the air par-\\ntially from the fruit. The moss is attached to the\\nlimbs of the trees .seemingly by very small fibrous\\nroots which adhere very closely. It grows in", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0074.jp2"}, "75": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS, 71\\nbunches something h ke a horses tail, and hangs\\nthe same vvaj^ Some of these bunches are as\\nmuch as fifty feet in length, and there may be from\\ntwenty to live hundred of these bunches hanging\\non one tree, varying in length from three to hfty\\nfeet; the color of them when growing is of a dark-\\nish gray. It bears a liny whitish flower and blos-\\nsoms for several months in the year. There is\\nmillions of tons of this moss in Florida. It is not\\nlit fur use when taken from the trees, it seems to\\nbe of the nature of flax it must undergo a rol-\\nling process, after which it is milled or broken, the\\nfibre is then .separated ana packed in bales it is\\nthen the moss of commerce and ready for use. It\\nseems to the writer that right here in this moss\\nbusiness, there is a good opening to make money\\nand do it legitimately andm a business way. All the\\nmoss that is prepared, and being prepared, is done\\nin a primitive way, and nearly all by manual labor\\nand much of it is roughly and carelessh put up\\nwith a great deal of dirt in it. It certainly would\\npay to form a company on a large scale, put up\\nproper machinery at suitable places, and prepare\\nthis moss in a clear and proper way for the market\\nand I wall here venture the guess that in the near\\ntuture, such a company will be organized,\\nmachinery built and much money made by it.\\nAIR PLANTS,\\nAir plants are rather singular in iheir nature or\\nratlier they have a peculiar penchant for fastening", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0075.jp2"}, "76": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS\\nor growing on almost anything, whether it ha s\\nroots or not the most lingular to fny mind is llie\\nmistletoe. This is a mixture between the bramble\\nbush and a vine, it seems to come by a kind of\\nchance^ (if -^uch a tiling can be) and att Aches it-\\nself to some tree of the oak family, either bve or\\ndeciduous and grows m a solid bunch tVom the\\nsize of a crows ne.^t( which it som-ewhat resembles)\\nto manv feet in diameter, It usually aj*sumes a.\\nroundish form^ it i^ an evergreen and wheti found-\\non deciduous treee, it presents a ver} sii^gular ap-\\npearance- when the leaves of the trees have lallen;\\noff.\\nThere is aroother very singular dr plainfi, llhe\\nname of which I could nat learn-. In form and ap-\\npearan4:e- it i^alrrsost identical wilh the pine apple-\\nIt grows to ai large siz-e aud |:^oduces a spike or\\nstem, but instead of forming a solid fruig on ^op as-\\ndoes the pine apple, it separates into many buncheS\\nor forks at the top of the ^tem and produces beau--\\ntiful flowers of various colors, but neither fruit or\\nseed that I could discover or find out This plant,\\nattaches itself to almost a-ny kind of tree, but seems\\nmore abundant on live oak in the low lands v They\\ndo grow and thrive on dead trees, and I have seen\\nthem growing on posts and against the sides of old\\nhouses and stables. There are many other va--\\nrieties of these (so-called) air plants that grow\\nhere, a description of which would be very nearly\\na repetition of what has been above written.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0076.jp2"}, "77": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 73\\nCACTUS OR COWLEEKS\\nThe cactus family in Florida is not large, but\\nwhat are here grow to an enormous size. They\\nincrease in size tVomyear to year ana produce very\\nnice flowers until tlnally a freeze kills them, root\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a24nd- branch.\\nSUGAR CAiNE,\\nSugar cane seed is not seed at all, but simply\\nthe cane stock cut in proper lengths, laid in the\\nfurrow or ground, cjvered eniirely up if the stocks\\nare ripe aad in good coadition, they sprout at the\\njoints and thus produce the ncvv cane.\\nAs a general crop in Florida, it has only been a\\npartial success and that only in special localities,\\nnotwithstanding, the reclaimed marsh lands is the\\nright kind ot* land to raise this crop on, and when\\nonce the people get properly in the way of raising\\ncane, in my judgement it certainly will, and must\\nbe a success. As yet sugar making in Florida is\\nnearly all prospecdve all the}^ can now grow is\\nnearly all made into syrup and the most of that is\\nconsumed within her borders. Some of the s3n up\\nmade in Florida is equal to the best New Orleans\\nmolasses and there is no good reason why it should\\nnot all be of a good quality, if proper machinery\\nwas put up and proper care taken in manufacturing\\nof the syrup.\\nThe cane seed or pieces of stocks are planted in\\nrows several feat apart and in the row\\\\s about like\\ncorn. It is cultivated about like corn. The ijrst", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0077.jp2"}, "78": {"fulltext": "74 FLORIDA AS ITIS.\\n1\\nseason, a field or patch of cane looks very much\\nlike a field of corn the stocks are jointed, and the\\nblades all ret^emble corn. The stocks in rich\\nmarsh lands grow as much as twenty feet highy\\nand many of them are as much as two and a half\\nand three inches in diamtter at the butt and they\\ncarry thfir thickness for from six to ten feet before\\nbeginning to taper. At the proper time they tassel\\nout something like sorgham or broom corn very\\nsoon ofter tasseling, they are what is called ripe?\\nand then syrup or sugar making begins, the cane\\nV^eing cut and cured can be worked up months\\nafterward. As soon as the cane is cut the roots\\nrattoon stool out, thus producing the start for an-\\nother crop, and when freezing does not interfere\\none planting will answer for several years and it is^\\nsa d that more and better sugar and syrup can be\\nmade tVom these rattoon s or suckers the second,\\nthird, and even up to the fifth year, provided the\\nrattoons or suckers are not allowed to cover the\\nground too thickly, and are not frozen. It is said\\nby those who ougnt to know, that sugar cane will\\nnot ripen seed anywhere in the United States, con-\\nsequently when new cane farms are first started\\nthe seed must first come fj-om cuba or elsew^here.\\nOne thing I do l^now, that the parties who are now^\\nstarting sugar farms in the reclaimed marsh lands-\\nof the Disston Company, imported their cane seed\\nfrom Cuba. Sugar making in Florida may or\\nmav not be a success, the future alone will tell..", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0078.jp2"}, "79": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 75\\nand ibr the information of those who have been\\notherwise informed, I will only say, that while\\nsugar has been made in Florida, it is by no means\\nestablished that the business can be made a paying\\nbusiness.\\nHORSES.\\nThe native horses are all small and of the pony\\norder there are, however, some very fine horses\\nhere, nearly all of which have been imported or\\nbrouo-ht here from other States and cost bitr\\nmoney.\\nMULES\\nAre used tor drawing loads, plowing, etc. They\\nare as a general thing, brought here from Ken-\\ntucky, and it is a very indifferent one that will not\\nsell for one hundred and fifty dollars, and some\\ngood ones will bring nearly double that amount of\\nmone}^.\\nCATTLE.\\nThe native cattle are very small and of the com-\\nmonest kind, generally weighing when lat enough\\nfor beef (when they are three or fours years old)\\nfrom two to three hundred pounds net, and thous-\\nands of them will not weigh that much each when\\nhun\u00c2\u00a3^ in the market. A cow (all cattle are called\\ncows here, no matter whether it is a bull, cow,\\nheiier, steer, stag or call) that will dress from two\\nhundred and fifty to three hundred pounds of clean\\nmeat, is considered extra large. There are, how-\\never, some very fine milk cows in the State, which", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0079.jp2"}, "80": {"fulltext": "76 FLORIDA AS IT IS,\\nhave been imported from other places. This kind\\nof stock does not do very well here, either on ac-\\ncount of climate or some other cau;se. It requires\\n^ri eat care to acclimate them and even with all the\\ncare that can be taken, a large percentage of them\\ndie the fh-st j-ear after being brought here.\\nOXEN, (COWS)\\nAre much used for carr3ing, (drawing.) Re-\\nmember in this countr} nearly everj^thingis carried\\nas for instance carry the cows to water, carry the\\nlog to the mill, etc.. Hauling or drawing in this\\ncountry is always called carrj-ing and an^ thing\\nthat IS small and can be carried by hand, is here\\ncalled todng, as for example, tote these eggs to\\nmarket, or tote this wood into the kitchen, etc.\\nThe reader will have to pardon this digression, I\\nstarted on oxen, (cow). Drawing cattle ma} be\\nsteers, bulls or cows, and it is no unasual sight to\\nsee a bull and a cow under the same yoke, draw-\\ning a load. Cows are also driven single in shafts.\\nYon see Florida buggies drawn hy a single cow.\\nA Florida bugg}^ is a kind of a cart mounted on\\ntwo wheels with two poles for shafts, the motive\\npower being a cow. I have seen in or on one of\\nthese vehicles, a man, a woman and five children\\nand they seemed to be about as happy as mortals\\ngeneral!} are. but to me it seemed rather a sorry\\nlooking crowd. I have seen as many as six and\\neightpairs of these cows attached, or hitched to a\\nwagon loaded with a load that any two good", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0080.jp2"}, "81": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 77\\nNorthern horses would have walked ric^ht aloncr\\nwith it on a good Northern road, but what the horses\\nwould, or could have done in a Florida sand road,\\nthe writer has- no means of knowing.\\nSHEEP.\\nThere are very few of them in the State. I\\nkow of no reason w^hy they should not do well.\\nGOATS.\\nThis certainly would be a grand country for\\ngoats, if rough garbage and weeds are the stuff for\\nthem to forage on, and if they could be utilized in\\nany way. As it is, very few goats are here and I\\ndo not know of any use they are being put to, ex-\\ncept as playthings for the boys.\\nHOGS,\\nThe native hogs are very small and of the razor\\nback or cat fish variety about one-third of the\\nwhole hog is head, then gently tapering to the\\ntail. It takes a big hog here, when fat to weigh\\none hundred pounds, I mean a native Florida hog.\\nThere are some imported stock that is much better.\\nTo my mind Florida is not much of a country to\\nraise hogs in nothing to feed them on.\\nDOGS.\\nOf all the States that I have ever been in, Flor-\\nida beats them all for mongrel curs.\\nCATS.\\nHouse cats are not plenty, but pole cats are.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0081.jp2"}, "82": {"fulltext": "78 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nCHICKENS.\\nChickens do well. They are not subject to di-\\nsease, and with a little proper attention, are a source\\nof revenue. The common dunghill or mixed breed\\nseems to be the best adapted to this climate. Near-\\nly ever person who have tried the pure bloods or\\nthe so-called fancy chickens have failed for some\\ncause. I can see no reason why any l^ind of chick-\\nens should not do well in Florida, as above stated\\nthey are not subject to any of the diseases that\\nchickens are in the North. It is true, however,\\nthat the mites (chicken lice) are very much worse\\nhere than they are in the North, but they are easily\\nkept down if understood. It is said, but I have not\\nseen them, that there is a kind of a chicken flea\\nin some parts of the State, that when these fleas\\nget on a chicken that they become so numerous\\nthat they destroy the skin of the chicken and cause\\ntheir death.\\nThere are so many beetles, bugs, grasshoppers,\\ncrickets, and so many and various insects here\\nduring the greater part of the year, that fowls run-\\nning at large about pick up their own living, and\\nabout all vou have to do is feed them a little each\\nmorning and evening, shut them up at night and\\nkeep them shut up in the morning until after they\\nlay, thus securing the eggs, then let them run the\\nbalance of the day. It is no trouble at all to raise\\nyoung chickens, and it seems strange that so few-\\nare raised. They always command a good price,", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0082.jp2"}, "83": {"fulltext": "FL ORIDA AS IT IS. 79\\nand eggs are never less than twenty-five cents a\\ndozen any place in the State that I have been, and\\nvery often are sold for fifty cents a dozen, the fact\\nis in many places fresh eggs cannot be haa at any\\nprice half the time\\nTURKEYS.\\nTurkeys for some cause that the writer does not\\nknow^ seem to not do welL\\nDUCKS AND GEESE.\\nThese^ if properly taken care of, the right kind\\nwf coops and pens made so as to protect them from\\nalligators, skunks ?nd opossums, certainly ought\\nto and would do well, but I do not now remember\\nof seeing a tame duck or goose in the State.\\nNOTE.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Since wilting the above, T saw one old tame goose.\\nGAME..\\nIn the Soistherfi part of the State, deer and bears\\nare plenty wild turkeys, quail, and rabbits are\\nfound in nearly all parts of the State. There are a\\ngood many wild cats, and in the extreme south are\\nfound many American panthers, cougar or cata-\\nmount, coons, opossums, and others are here in\\nplaces very abundant. Squirrels are said to be\\nplenty, but I have seen none in the State. There\\nis abundant room and plenty of glorious fun for the\\nsportsman and hunter, even without the squirrels,\\nindeed you would hardly thifi of them when you\\n4iad such game as deer and the others named, and\\nlast but not least by any means is shooting alli-\\n.igators, this in itself, is royal fun or sport th\u00c2\u00aben3 uu", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0083.jp2"}, "84": {"fulltext": "So FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nhave wild ducks and geese, which, in season and\\nplaces, are very plenty then there are thousands\\nof cranes, plume birds, herrons, blue, gray and\\nwhite Cormorants, black ducks, water turkeys and\\nthousands of other birds, so that the sportsman can\\nenjoy himself to his hearts content. A great many\\nof the large birds known in Florida, are not seen\\nin the North at all in a wild state.\\nBUZZARDS.\\nBuzzard-s are the natural scavengers of the\\ncountry. They are very plenty and are especially\\nprotected by law under a severe penalty. They\\nclean up everything of a meat or fish nature that\\nthat is thrown out, even before it becomes offensive\\nThey are so tame that they will come into your lot\\nand even to your door, and very often you can go\\nnear enough to touch them. They are perfectly\\nharmless and destroy nothing that is Useful. It is\\nrather a singular sight to see buzzards stepping\\naround among 3^our flock of chickens, (this the\\nwriter has seen many times), neither seeming to\\ncare for, or be afraid of the other.\\nPAROKEET^.\\nThis is a bird of beautiful plumage. They are a\\nkind of parrot, and it is said that when taken very\\nyoung, they can be taught to imitate the human\\nvoice, and even articulate certain words. This\\nmav be so, I however have the first one et to see\\nor hear that made any sound, that had the faintest^\\nresemblance to the human voice to my ear.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0084.jp2"}, "85": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 81\\nBEES.\\nBoth the black and Italian bees are in Florida in\\na wild state 5 when put into hives they make or\\ngather some honey, but are not very profitable.\\nIn the spring or early summer when the orange\\nand magnolia trees are in bloom, they do well and\\ngather vast quantities of honey, provided there is\\nnot much rain. The honey plants and flowers\\nhere, are no better than they are in the North, and\\nmany of the best honey plants of the North are not\\nhere at all, such as white clover, catnip, buck*\\n\\\\vneat, and others i the locust and apple are also\\nmissing, but to balance this, Florida has the orange\\nand magnolia, and in the extreme South the man-\\ngrove. The bees here have a much longer season\\nto work in and all things being favorable, a good\\ncolony will gjather more honey here in a year than\\nthey will farther North or w here the seasons are\\nshorter. Bees do not seem to care to work when\\nthe thermometer is much below sixty-five, conse-\\nquently there is quite a while in the winter season\\nIhat they cannot, or do not gather honey, and if\\nthey could, or were disposed to gather at this seas-\\n*-3n, there is verry little, if any to gather. It is true\\nthere are man} varieties of flowers in lull bloom in\\nmid-winter, but there is tio honey at all in most of\\nthem, and such as do have honey in them, is so\\nh^haped thai the bees cannot get it. Again it is\\nnever so cold here but what the bees are active in\\nthen- hives, and they have brood at all seasons of", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0085.jp2"}, "86": {"fulltext": "82 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nthe year, an(;i when they cannot gather honey trom\\noutside, they consume what is inside. It is said\\nthat bees do much better further south, especially\\nso in the mangrove country. From my own ob^\\nservation, if I were to raise bees I would seek oth-\\ner quarters to operate in.\\nSNAKES.\\nRattlesnakes, of which there are several kinds\\nor species Moccasin and Cottonmouth, seem to be\\nthe most dangerous. These all have fangs and\\ntheir bite is frequently fatal, unless the proper rem-\\nedies are at hand to apply. I have seen the skins\\n(if Rattlesnakes in Florida that were all of twelve\\nfeet in length and to all appearance the snake when\\nliving must have been eight inches in diameter in\\nthe thickest part. This kind however are not very\\nplenty. There is a rattlesnake called the Ground\\nRattler, that is plenty and perhaps the most dan-\\ngerous of all the snakes of Florida because of his\\nhabits. This ground rattle snake is small never\\nexceeds a couple of feet in length is of a kind of\\ngrayish color he crawls under pieces of bark,\\nwood or boards coils himself up there and should\\nyou go to remove the matter with which he is cov-\\nered, or step on the same, you are almost certain\\nto be bitten. This snake gives no warning, al-\\nthough he has rattles he does not use them only in\\nthe act of biting, the warning is then too late. Not\\nso with his big brother, which always warns before\\nbiting, and unless you can come upon them very", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0086.jp2"}, "87": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nsuddenly there is not much danger from the larger\\nspecies, for there is generally enough time be-\\ntween the warning and the bite for you to get out\\nof their way and I would here advise you not to\\ntackle (attempt to kill) one of these big fellows\\nunless you are well prepared to do battle or have a\\ngood rifle with you. Then besides these two\\nspecies above named, there is a medium sized rat-\\ntle snake that presents very nearh the same ap-\\npearance as the large one, whose habits are about\\nthe same. It is said that this is a distinct species\\nI did not investigate this snake business very closely,\\nbut from what I saw and know of this snake, I am\\nof the opinion that when he lives as long as his big\\nbrother, he will be about the same size.\\nAs for the Moccasin snake, I have never seen\\none, although they are said to be numerous and\\ntheir bite very poisonous. The most danger from\\nthem is that they lie out at night on the public\\nroads, foot paths and even on board walks and if\\nyou should happen to step or tramp on one of them\\nyou are almost certain to be bitten.\\nThe cotton mouth is a l^ind of adder somethin^j\\nlike what the Northern people call a blowing viper\\nWhen disturbed they throw back the upper part of\\ntheir neck, thus exposing the entire inside of their\\nmouth, which very much resembles an open ball\\nof cotton, hence the name cotton mouth. It is said\\nthis snake is not apt to bite unless provoked or sud-\\ndenly surprised.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0087.jp2"}, "88": {"fulltext": "84 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nThere are many, very many other kinds and\\nspecies of snakes in Florida, as the black snake,\\na large gray snake, coach whip, (Northern people\\ncall it black racer), garter house and others, none\\nof which are very dangerous.\\nSALAMANDERS AND CHAMELEONS.\\nThese are a species of lizzards from four to\\neight inches long thev burrow in the sand, throw-\\ning up great piles of it, especially in the scrub pine\\nlands, you will frequently find thousands of these\\nlittle sand hills about the size of a half bushel on a\\nsingle acre of land. You do not want much of\\nthat kind of land to raise oranges or truck on.\\nGOPHERS.\\nGophers are a kind of rat or ground mole that\\nburrows in the ground and a half a dozen of them\\nwill destroy a young orange grove by eating off\\nthe roots in a very short time if only left alone.\\nThe only way to stop them is to trap them, (which\\nis very hard to do) or dig after until you catch\\nthem, which is quite an undertaking, as they get\\naway about as fast as you get after them.\\nCOOTERS.\\nThis is a kind of terrapin or land turtle, which\\nalso burrows in the sand. They are harmless as\\nfar as I can ascertain. When they are full grown\\nthey weigh about twenty pounds and are said to\\nbe very good to eat, equally as much so as soft\\nshell turtles, of which there are abundance in many\\nof the lakes in Florida.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0088.jp2"}, "89": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nMOSQiJITOS, GALINIPPERS,\\nAnd Gnats are very numerous and verv pestif-\\nerous. You hear it said and read it in news-\\npapers published here, that there are some mos-\\nquitos in Florida, but in many places they are\\ncomparatively free from them. No person does say\\nthat there are none here, and no person can truth-\\nfully say but w^hat they are very abundant all over\\nthe State- In one of the towns that is aid to be\\n^ree from these pests, you cannot walk the streets\\nor sit in the house five minutes without having the\\npests singing about your ears, and it is impossible\\nto sleep at night without being protected by a good\\nmosquito bar, and the bar must be tucked under\\nthe mattress and perfectly tight or they will find\\nyou under it. If they only lasted a short time you\\ncould stand it, but they pest you for nearly nine\\nmonths of the year. This is almost too long, even\\nfor all the advantages Florida promises to give\\nthen the black sjnats are no pleasant companions,\\nthey get into your mouth, eyes and nose and while\\nthey, do not present their bills with as much pertin-\\nacity as do their big brothers, (the mosquitos and\\ngalinippers) and while they do not trouble you in\\nthe dark or while trying to sleep, they are very un-\\npleasant to have about then in connection with\\nthe mosquitos and galinippers and gnats, you\\nhave the\\nFLEAS\\nInnumerable Cimex Lecturlarius. The per-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0089.jp2"}, "90": {"fulltext": "86 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nfume from tnese latter when you smash one of them\\nis indeed very different from attar o{ roses, and\\nthe} are very numerous and can be found inside\\nand out of about all the houses in Florida, whether\\ninhabited or otherwise. The winged insects and\\nbugs are so numerous that it is almost impossible\\nto read or do anything in the house after dark by\\ncandle light without shutting doors and windows\\ntightly, or having very fine screens over them^\\nhence in traveling through Florida by rail after\\nnight, you will see large fires built near the dwell--\\ninir houses. You wonder what these fires are tor\\nin the warm weather. Here is the secret to de--\\nstro} the bugs and insects, which it does to. a cer--\\ntain extent, but the mosquito cannot be caught in\\nthat way he is a night bird to a very great extent\\nand keeps av\\\\ay from the fire. The only way to\\ndispo e ot them efl^ectually is to catch him, which\\nrequires ab.ut the same amount of exertion and\\ndexterity that it does to catch a flea, and after you\\nhave him, squeeze him gently between your thumb\\nand finger until he is dead. If these pests named\\nwere all, you still might put up with all of them^\\nlor the seeming advantages to be derived, but when\\nthe red bugs, and sand fleas begin to levy tribute\\nyou will begin to think Florida has some pests.\\nRED BUGS AND JIGGERS.\\nRed bugs and jiggers are all over the State, in\\nfields and forests, in the sand, in the grass, on flow-\\ners and weeds, on the trees and bushes and particu--", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0090.jp2"}, "91": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 87\\nlarly on old logs and in the moss that grows on\\nthe trees. They, however, do not infest the houses\\nbut it is almost impossible to keep them off your\\nbody the} are so small that you can scarcely see\\nthem with the naked eye, but. when they get on\\nyou, as they certainly will, if you walk around\\nmuch or stand among the grass or weeds. The\\nfirst intimation you have of them being on you, is\\nan itchiness, which you will naturally rub or\\nscratch, which, instead of relieving, only increases\\nthe irritation, and the more you rub or scratch the\\nitchier the place becomes on the first opportunity,\\nyou make an examination, you will then discover\\nthe skin is red and inflamed the bugs are there\\nsure enough and at work, and unless you get them\\nkilled very soon, the place where they are be-\\ncomes very sore and begins to slough (sluff) ofi\\nThe best remedy known is to rub with kerosene,\\n(common coal oil) very strong spirits of camphor\\nwill also answer as soon as vou discover that the\\nbugs are on you, if one application does not kill\\nthem, the second will be sure death. To avoid\\ngetting the bugs on you either stay in the house,\\nor rub your body all over with coil oil before dress-\\ning in the morning, then you can go where you\\nplease with impunity. So far as red bugs and jig-\\ngers are concerned, there is another pest that you\\nwill likely become acquainted with before you are\\nvery long in the Land of Sunshine and flowers\\nit is the", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0091.jp2"}, "92": {"fulltext": "88 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nWOOD TICK.\\nThese, however, are not very plenty they gel\\non your body and may be on lor days before you\\nknow it; they, like the red bug, produce an itchi-\\nness in trying to relieve, which you will tind a\\nsmall lump or protuberance, on close inspection\\nyou will tind the tick about the size of a large sheep\\nlouse no trouble to tind or see them you will tind\\nhim securely fastened. The head of the tick is\\nformed something like the sharp point of a wood\\nscrew with the thread cut the reverse way and un--\\nless you unscrew the tick and get it all out of the\\nplace where it was fastened, will become very sore\\nMany persons not knowing the nature of this pest,\\nseize hold of the body of the tick and pull them off,\\nin that case you almo^^t invariably let the head part\\nremain in our tiesh. which naturally must beal\\nout. I have named some of the most pestiferous\\npests. There are plenty of others that you will be--\\ncome acquainted with should you at any time spend\\na year in Florida.\\nBUG^, BEETLES, C.\\nThese are here by the thousands of millions.\\nThe vast majority of them, as far as I know, are\\nharmless, and are useful for chicken feed, if for\\nnothing else.\\nROACHES.\\nRoaches are very numerous and are, or do de-\\nstroy some things when they get into the houses,\\nas they generally do and not in small quantitie?;^", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0092.jp2"}, "93": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 89\\neither. 1 have seen roaches in Florida one and\\none-half inches long and lully five-eighths of an\\ninch wide.\\nCOMMON OR HOUSE FLIES.\\nThese need no particular description as they are\\ncommon all over the world in certain seasons of\\nthe years In Florida we have them in abundance\\nduring the whole year^\\nMICE.\\nMice are plentiful and just as destructive as they\\nare in the North, and seem to be about the same\\nkind of mice.\\nRATS.\\n1 have not seen or heard of a black or gray rat\\nin the State, I have no doubt they are here, not-\\nwithstanding, there is an Albino or large white rat\\nhere dom.esticated. and they are used as cats for\\ncatching m.ice\\nTOADS AND FROGS.\\nThese are numerous here, and the only differ-\\nence I see is they are smaller. There is a kind of\\ntoad here that makes a noise very much lil^e a\\nduck and there is a cricket that hollars just like a\\nyoung chicken.\\nSOMETHING ABOUT THE STATE AT\\nLARGE AND SOME OTHER THINGS.\\nThe area of the State is iibout 60,000 square\\nmiles, or say 38,400,000 acres. Fully the one-\\nhalf is covered with water and swamps, about", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0093.jp2"}, "94": {"fulltext": "90 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\none-half of the balance is marsh and low, flat land,\\ntwo-thirds of which can never be utilized for any\\npurpose this leaves about one-sixth of the State\\nthat is upland. Now perhaps one-half of this, or\\none-twelth of the State, which can with proper\\ndrainage, good cultivation and abundance of fertil-\\nizer, be made to produce vegetables and almost\\nanything that will grow in a semi-lropical climate.\\nAs to cost of production and what they will bring\\nin cash, will perhaps be the subject of another\\nchapter in this or some other book. If it were not\\nthat many of the products of Florida are raised and\\nmarketed in a season of the year that they bring\\nextra good prices, the producer w^ould have very\\nlittle but his labor for his pains, as it is, if the pro-\\nducer had to entirely depend upon the products of\\nthe soil for a living, many of them would have\\nvery short rations or allowance.\\nAbout now you will ask, what then are the at-\\ntractions and inducements for people to go to Flor-\\nida? The answer may be given by asking this\\nquestion: What are the attractions and induce-\\nment for people to go to Saratoga Springs, Cat-\\nskill and White mountains, or any and all of the\\nfamous summer resorts in the North Very few-\\npeople go there, or to any of those places with* a\\nview to make money, (except the hotel keepers),\\nbut rather for recreation and rest. This is all well\\nenough and perfectly legitimate when you have\\nample means and can afford it. Nows these sum-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0094.jp2"}, "95": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 91\\nmer resorts are generally so situated iuld their lo-\\ncatioiis are 8ucb, that there is not much chance tor\\nsharpers and speculators, Consequently you do not\\nfind many o( this character there. Now Flofida is\\na natural winter resort for the class of people who\\nhave leisure and money to spend, and who wish to\\n^void the long cold winters of the North, and the\\nTerritory being larger selections of place and lo-\\ncality can be made to suit the purses of alK The\\nwinters here are almost like summer in the North,\\nand for some thfee or four months there are com-\\nparatively few pests to trouble you. For rest and\\nrecreatior^, th .s State Cannot be surpassed in the\\nUnion, and I doubt if itl the known world, but\\n^vhen that is said, it is nearly all that can be truth-\\nfully said about it, but the chances for speculation\\nhere are too great to be overlooked many places\\n(f beauty, must be and are improved large hotels\\nand boarding houses are built, and paper towns\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2are laid out, number of inhabitants are kind of\\nmiraculously increased, flaming circulars are sent\\nbroadcast over the North- These circulars as a\\ngeneral thing Contain som^e truths and they are so\\nworded and prepared that -they -seem to describe\\nthe country almost as being a paradise all the\\ngood is told and well told, and the bad is kept in\\nthe background and is seldom, if ever mentioned.\\nSyndicates or companies of speculators are form-\\nxrd a few thousand acres are bought, the land costing\\ntVom one dollar and twentv-five Cents to three and", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0095.jp2"}, "96": {"fulltext": "92 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\na half dollars per acre, a town plot or winter resort\\nis laid oft certain lots are always reserved for\\nchurches and schools a good deal of money is\\nspent in advertising and a little in cutting streets\\nand roads in the new city a little bit of a shant} is\\nput up and advertised as a grand hotel. There is\\nusually a cut or picture on the advertisement or\\ncircular showing a magnificent hotel with carriage\\nin waiting to take you to and from the depot, also\\nshowing magnolia and palmetto and orange trees\\nladen with fruit- This all looks splendid on paper\\nwhen the facts are, that in many cases there is not\\na magnolia or palmetto tree, or a bearing orange\\ntree within man}^ miles ot this particular locality,\\nand the hotel is as above described, this, however,\\nis called booming. These circulars also set forth\\nthat there are about so many inhabitants there now\\nand for a short time small lots, say 40x100 feet,\\ncan be had for from two to ten dollars each, but\\nyou must be in a hurry about it for the lots are\\ngoing off (selling) very rapidly and the price will\\nbe double or more in a short time. You are also\\ntold that this land is first qualitj^ and on it can be\\nraised all kinds of vegetables, tropical and semi-\\ntropical fruit, and strawberries no end to them,\\nand for a very small sum you can build you a\\nhouse to live in some of them even say that lor\\nso much, they will put up for you a neat cottage\\nand have it ready so that all 3^ou have to do is to\\ncome right along, (better not come right away, the", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0096.jp2"}, "97": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS I F IS. 93\\nbouse may not be ready for some time)^ Many of\\nthem tell yon that it is just as pleasant to live in\\nFlorida in the summer as it is m witner. This all\\nlooks splendid on paper, and it does not, according\\nto these circulars, seem to require much capital to\\nown a house and lot in Florida. About the next\\nthing you begin to talk of this matter to your neigh-\\nbors and they become interested and in short\\namong you, you have sent the syndicate or com-\\npany a few hundred dollars, in due course ot time\\n3 ou get your deeds for the land or lots this is all\\nbona fide and in proper shape your title is good\\nand the land or lots are there sure enough, and\\nyou are a land owner m Florida and it has not cost\\nyou a great deal either. But now let us figure a\\nlittle and see if some person has not paid prett}\\nwell for the whistle, considering its size. *^uppose\\nyou pay only five dollars for a lot 40x100 feet, you\\nget four thousand square feet of land, this land cost\\nthe company, say two dollars per acr,e and perhaps\\ntwo dollars more an acre to advertise and getting\\nyou t*^ buy. Now we find that there is a little over\\nten such lots in an acre, so 3^ou see 3*ou have paid\\nthe compan\\\\^ at the rate of over fifty dollars for\\nwhat cost them not over four dollars, now this is\\nquite a neat little job, a clear profit of not less than\\nforty-five dollars on an investment of four dollars.\\nVery often after the company have sold the major-\\nity of their lots they abandon the enterprise alto-\\ngether they have accomplished their object to", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0097.jp2"}, "98": {"fulltext": "94 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nmake money they have made their pile, (so ta\\nspeak) and while they have failed to do as their\\ncirculars represented, what they have done has\\nbeen within the statute and there you are and with-\\nout remedy the enterprise is a fizzle or failure to\\nbe a little more explicit, it is a fraua and a swindle\\nThe only thing you can do is to bear your loss\\nand look out and not buy the next time until ou\\nsee what you are getting. This is no fancy picture\\nnor is there any imagination about it. Such cases\\nare constantly occurring and can easily be speci-\\nfied. I would not have the reader understand that\\nall land, speculations and enterprises in Florida\\nare of this character, but I w^ould have you under-\\nstand that they will all bear watching, and some of\\nthem very closely, and I here and novv advise you\\nto hold on to your money until you have thorough-\\nly investigated the case, and as for me, 1 would\\nnot entrust this investigation to any one, but before\\nI invested a single dollar. I would go and see for\\nmyself. There are certainly many good chances\\nto speculate, and make money rapidly in Florida,\\nbut in order to do it, you must be right here on the\\nground with the money to take advantage of the\\nchances as they occur. What a man wants to\\nmake money here, is some capital, the more the\\nbetter, lair judgement and some pluck, (vim), but\\nunless a person has some considerable cash en\\nhand, there are very many places preferable to\\nFlorida to live in or make money.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0098.jp2"}, "99": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 95\\nCOPY OF LETTER.\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2Ed. Falcon: Never having written yoii since mv\\narrival in the Land of Sunshine and Flowers, I\\nthought the views and ideas of one who now lives here\\nwould not be uninteresting to some of your readers, lor\\nsome of them, like the writer, may be foolish enough to\\nwant to exchange the certainties of old Albemarle for\\nthe very uncertainties of the very great humbuggers of\\nthis very great myth cf the land of gnats, sand flies,\\nsand, i.e. Florida. I have been in this State just nine\\nmonths and can truly say that the only ones that I\\nhave seen, who lil^e it, are those who came down several\\nyears ago and happened to strike land that was then of\\ncomparatively no value, and which has since risen to\\nvalue on account of immigration or those who come here\\nwith thousands of dollars in their pockets, and speculate\\nin lands and town lot sat almost fabulous prices. I my-\\nself came here with a few hundred dollars in my pockets\\nwith the idea in my head that I had only to invest that\\nin either merchandise or a piece of land, to live ever\\nafter in ease and comfort. I was wrong, my ideas were\\nbased on the articles of which the State is composed,\\nnamely sand. I found I could not buy a building lot\\nanywhere convenient to the business portion of the town\\n(Orlando) without expending the whole of the little\\ncash I had brought with me in the naked lot alone. It\\nis true I can buv a small lot 50x140 feet about one mile\\nfrom the centre of the town for two hundred dollars in\\ncash down, but why are these lots sold so cheaply? I\\nwill tell. Hold your ear close that I may whisper it, for\\nI must not speak of these things aloud. It is because\\nthe lands are so low that they are almost entirely cover-\\ned with water and a person cannot walk upon the streets\\nwhere they are located, unless he has on what our fisher-\\nman in North Carolina ca 1 hip boots. These are\\nfacts and yet they sell lots. Why? I will tell you in\\nthe fall and winter when they are comparatively dry, the\\nNorthern man with capital in his pocket comes down\\nlo invest, he is taken hold of by the land s larps, (real\\ne state agents) no reflection Mr. Editor, and first shown", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0099.jp2"}, "100": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS\\nhigher up town, which does not oveifl )w, an l offers them\\nat troiD ight hun(ired to two thousand dollars per lot;\\nof course when he is offered the other at two hundred\\ndollars b cause ihey are a little farther out; (nothing\\nsaid about their hcing low); he uaos them at once, ^oes\\nto work and puts a shell on them, costing from two to six\\nhuniirtd dollars and rents them out at trom twelve to\\ntwenty dollars a month the same house with oOxloO\\nf( et that rents in Elizabeth City lor six dollars a month\\nwould reno here quickly for from twenty to twenty-five\\ndollars per montli\\nTrade in merchandising is now very duU here, but the\\ntown authorities are using their best endeavors to make\\ntimes brisker by putting on new takes. We have\\nwater clo et tax at the rate of thirteen (iollars [*er yearj-\\nwhich tlie poor renter has to pay; a little street tax of\\nsix dollars per year for each voter. These are only i^\\nproportion to other taxes, which you see are all very\\nmoderate.\\nThere is only one thing that keeps, or hoi Is at least\\none-third of the p \u00c2\u00bbpulation of this section here; want of\\nmeans lu get away They spent their all t j get here and\\nnow can t i-ave engugh ot money to pay their way back\\nhome.\\nTidkiiig about rents, I pay for a shell that is neither\\nlathed, piastend or ceiled on the inside, and with boards\\nruhnmg up and down on the outside on a lot of about\\nseventy-five feet square; the modest little sum of fifteen\\ndollars per monch, pa5 able in advance every time, and\\nthen under obligations to take it lor the whole year.\\nMy stcre rent is more reasonable, being only Iwenty-five\\ndollars per month for a room about nine by forty-five\\nfeet but that is really low in proportion to some others.\\nIf you ask me, can people stand this long? I will an-\\nswer no Business here will not justify it and I will\\nanswer that before the summer is over, manj- will be\\ncompelled to sell out and close up.\\nYou never see corn growing here or any of the ceiealsr\\nor grass. All of the feed is imported and nearly all ex-\\ncept a few inferior vegetables that is used here for foci?", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0100.jp2"}, "101": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\n97\\nbv the inhabitants is brought here from the North and\\nWest.\\nI rude out in the country on Sunday last to admire the\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2Land of Flowers. T only saw p ne barrens, swamps\\nand lakes, what in North Carolina would be called ponds\\nNo flowers, no fields of eorn, wheat, cotton or clover,\\nnothin 4 in fact but barrens with now and then a geld of\\nsand with young orange trees set out in them. But they\\ncan raise cabbage, potatoes and other vegetables if they\\nonly chof)se to do so. I have it from the very lips of a\\nman from Ohio^ now living here, who has tried it and\\nhe says as good vegetables can be raised here as any-\\nwhere in the world, and that the cost of raising them\\nwill not be much more than double the price you can\\nsell them for. I, of course don t know whether this is\\nt.ue or not, but this I do know that ail with whom I\\nhave talked on the subject, say that the cost of culti-\\nvation far exceeds the prices obtained.\\nThis country has a great reputation for climate, in\\nfact it is all climate and sgnd, flies and other pests, such\\nas it is. I have been told that the winters here are de-\\nlightful. I suppose it must be so since they all say so,\\nbut I can say for myself, I have not found it so. My\\nwhole family, including my wife and myself, have suf-\\nfered more from the col-d and colds here than on the\\nbleak cost of North Carolina during the fall and winter\\nof 1885 and 1886,\\nComment on the above letter is useless. It is the\\nexperience of thousands in Florida to-day, and will\\nbe of thousands more, until people come to know\\nthe true condition of the State, its resources and\\ndrawbacks.\\nSOCIETY,\\nThe state of eociety may be truly said to be self-\\nish in nearly every sense of the word, A JNorth-\\nern man or woman, (when I say Northern, I mean\\nanvbodv outside of Florida, whether from the North", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0101.jp2"}, "102": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nSouth, East or West), on first coming to the State\\nespecially if they have money, which is soon found\\nout by land agents and speculators, they are taken\\nin hand by interested parties, and carried all over\\nthe town and surrounding country in good style,\\nusually with a spanking team, rigged in the latest\\nstyle, and if you are to be out all day, a good lunch\\nand may be something to wash it down will be\\ntaken. Either that or arrangements made at some\\nconvenient place. In either case, the trip costs\\nyou nothing (directly). You will always find the\\ndriver a first-rate fellow he knows everybody he\\nmeets and w^ill introduce you and the newlv made\\nacquaintance will give a flattering account of the\\ncountry, its beauties and advantages. After leav-\\ning him, the driver will again take up the conver-\\nsation. After expatiating on what the man said,\\nhe will show you that there is much more to be told\\nin his case He will then perhaps give 3 ou a his-\\ntory of the recent acquaintance which is always\\nmarvelous, particularl}^ in the way that he has ac-\\ncumulated wealth usually the party came to Flor-\\nida ver} poor, either bought or took up a piece of\\nland, cleared it oft fenced broke up, and planted\\na grove. There it is and you can, and do see it\\nwith your own eyes. These trees are from seven\\nto ten years old and this season will have on each\\ntree from a thousand to five thousand oranges\\n(mighty good trees) these at a cent and a half a\\npiece will bring, w^ell you can figure for yourself;", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0102.jp2"}, "103": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 99\\nabout this time you are some place else, and an-\\nother new acquaintance is made and about the\\nsame stor} is gone over again perhaps with a little\\nvariation, but always better, all the time, the\\nbrightest of the bright side is shown and kept be-\\nfore you and expatiated upon in the most glowing\\nlanguage and the very best and choicest places are\\nshown you, thus the day passes.\\nYou turn to the starting point, another engage-\\nment is made at the earnest solicitation of the party\\nwho has carried you around for another drive in a\\n(iifferent direction on some other day, in the near\\nfuture you leave him for the present. You, how-\\never, scarcely get aw^ay from him until some one\\nelse hails you. These men get to know you very\\nsoon and promise to take you around to-morrow or\\nnext day you soon begin to think these people are\\nvery clever and very sociable, and that this is cer-\\ntainly a very nice country to live in thus it goes\\non for a week or so until you make a purchase,\\nwhich generally reveals the true state of yourfinan\\nces as soon as this is known, or if you have in-\\nvested about what you intended and express your-\\nself in that way, these fellows will hardly recog-\\nnize you on the street, and many of the parties to\\nwhom you have been introduced, will have for i-ot-\\nten you entirely the party that sold you, (so to\\nspeak) has accomplished his end, made his money\\npaid his stool pigeons and now is looking out for\\nother victims, while others got left, as thev say", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0103.jp2"}, "104": {"fulltext": "loo FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ndown here in Florida. Now when this transaction\\nis thoroughly sifted, we find that by a previous ar-\\nrangement that nearly all of the persons with whom\\nyou have talked and been introduced to, there is\\nan understanding that they are to talk just about\\nthe way they did, and they always manage to have\\nenoucrh show of truth in the whole business to oaz-\\nzle and fascinate you, (and let me here say that\\nthey understand their business) and get you to in-\\nvest your money, and on further investigating you\\nwill find as you are shown around by different firms\\nthat you seldom meet any of the parties with whom\\nyou had become acquainted through other parties.\\nShould it so happen, you are quickly drawn av^ ay\\nfrom them. This being the case, and it is exacth\\nit is plain to be seen (not at the time but afterward)\\nthat nearly everybody is interested in land specula-\\ntion either directly or indirectly, and as soon as\\nthey have your money or signature, you can row\\nyour own boat. As is often the case when notes\\nare given and you fail to meet it, then the friend-\\nship is shown, for often the law is enforced the day\\nthe note falls due, and the laws in Florida are such\\nthat debts of all kinds can be collected at once, if\\nat all collectable. This same stran or thread runs\\nthrough all the business transactions with store-\\nkeepers, mechanics c. So long as you can pay\\ncash, it is all right and friends are numerous, but\\nwhen short of funds and want a favor, in ninety-\\nnine cases out of every hundred^ you will stick.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0104.jp2"}, "105": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. loi\\nThis, then fully demonstrates that the society and\\npeople of Florida, as a general thing, are selfish.\\nThere are some honorable exceptions, but they\\nonly prove the rule. There are very few neigh-\\nbors, all are strangers as it v^ ere, and each one is\\ntaking care of him or herself, vs^hile their way of\\ndoing business is in some respects commendable,\\nin others it is far from honorable. The rule here\\nis to buy and sell for cash\u00c2\u00bb This is all right, but\\nif the trade is of such a nature that money can be\\nmade out of it, they will hold out every inducement\\nfor you to buy, (not particular about the cash,) but\\nas soon as the trade is made and closed, as a mat*\\nter of business of course you give your obligations\\nto pay at a certain time and just as soon as the time\\nis up, if not paid the statute is put in force and the\\nmoney is made, no matter how badl} or who it\\nhurts. There are a few exceptions to this, but\\nthey are very few indeed- My advice here, is\\nnever give a note or obligations of any kind in\\nFlorida, unless you are sure you know where the\\nmoney is to come from to pay it, and that you are\\nsure you will get it in time, or my word for it, you\\nwill have trouble and costs to pay also.\\nMISREPRESENTATION.\\nThere are but few men or parties who are in any\\nkind of business in Florida, but what will misrep-\\nresent, or at least make things appear to be fullv\\nas large as they are and many of them seem to\\nthink it no special harm, but rather smart to repre-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0105.jp2"}, "106": {"fulltext": "io2 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nsent an article as first-class when they know it is\\nnot, or to say an article cost so much when it did\\nnot cost one-half of what they say. Another thing\\nis very common here and that is to have several\\nprices for the same article, the lowest of which is\\nalways high enough. If you happen to know^\\nwhat a thing is worth, you can generally buy\\nabout right, otherwise you will in all probability\\npay double or treble for it. This is considered all\\nright and counted as smart, the fact is the motto\\nseems to be, get money, get it honestly if you\\ncan, if not, get it any way, so you don t steal it and\\nget caught.\\nPOLITIC^.\\nThere really does not seem to be much bother\\nabout it in the State. The proclivities however^\\nare Democratic, but 30U hear very little said and\\nelections are held with very much less clamor and\\ncorruption than they are in the North. The ma-\\nnipulating or wire w^orking (if an}-) are done iri\\nthe registration of voters. A man connot vote un-\\nless he is registered such a length of time prior to\\nthe election, and as the Board of Registration is\\nlocated at the count}- seat of each county, you must\\ntherefore go to the county seat to find out if you\\nare registered or not, otherwise 3 ou will find out\\non election da}^ as the list of registered voters is\\nsent wath the other election papers to each polling\\nplace in the county. As a general thing nearly all\\nvoters, both white and black, are registered and sc", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0106.jp2"}, "107": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. lo^\\nfar as I Know or can see, or find out, each and\\n-every man, both white and black, casts their vote\\nas they please without let or hindrance from any\\nperson the stories you hear in the North to the\\ncontrary notwithstanding. I would not have the\\nreader understand that there is no electioneering\\nhere about election times, for there is and some-\\ntimes excitement runs very high, but I have never\\nheard of any money being offered for votes in the\\nState, it may have been done however*\\nJNIGGERS.\\nThe word nigger is a term of general accepta-\\ntion all over the State, and it is as much used by\\nthe blacks as the whites, and no disrespect is shown\\nor attended when the w^ord is used.\\nThere seems to be no authentic censes or ac-\\ncount of the number or even relative number of\\nwhite and black inhabitants in the State, but it is\\nadmitted by nearly all persons who seem to know\\nthat the niggers in the State outnumber the whites\\nby very considerable. Some of the niggers arfe\\nindustrious and are doing w^ell in many cases\\nthey are doing better than the whites as they stand\\nthis hot climate better than the whites, but take\\nthem as a class, they are lazy and w^orthless, and\\nwill not work unless compelled by necessity. Many\\nof them live more like brutes than human beings\\nThey are even (many of them) too lazy to cook\\nmeat or mutton corn, but eat them raw. Then on\\nthe other hand, there are niggers who have pride", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0107.jp2"}, "108": {"fulltext": "I04 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nenough to take care of themselves, and who are\\njust as respectable and live just as good as any of\\nthe whites. On an average in doing manual labor\\ntwo white men will do about as much work in a\\ngiven time as six niggers would in the same time.\\nThe black mechanic will, however, do about as\\nmuch w^ork as the white one in the same length of\\ntime, and there are some very \u00c2\u00a3^ood mechanics\\namong them.\\nINDIANS.\\nThere are in tde Southern part of the State-\\nprincipally in Dade, Monroe and Manatee counties\\nabout five hundred Indians. This number, like all\\nother accounts of the inhabitants of the State are\\nguessed at, and I guess the number is too high by\\nnearly one-halt. Be this as it may, a remnant ol\\nthe once powerful i^eminoles are still in Florida^\\nThey seem to be perfectly harmless and subsist by\\nhunting, lishing and raising a few cattle. Some of\\nthem occasionally come as far North as Kissimmee\\nCity to exchange their furs, pelts, alligator teeth,.\\nc., for groceries, lire water, (whiskey), a little\\nclothing, gewgaw^s, and ribbons. Their clothing\\nis very scant, nor is it in the height of fashion. It\\nconsists of a garment made something like a short\\nshirt, over which is usually worn a kind of jacket\\nand head gear of some stuff or cloth usually red or\\nother glaring, or gaudy color, trimmed with beads,\\nalligator teeth or some gaudy tinsel. The buckF-\\n(men) seem to care more for their head gear than", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0108.jp2"}, "109": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 105\\nany other part of their clothing. The squaws\\n(women) dress about as the men, they however,\\nwear no head gear, but instead thereof, usually\\nwear moccasins. None of the bucks wear moc-\\ncasins, except the chiefs or those in authorit}^ who\\nwear in addition to the above described dress moc-\\ncasins and kind of pantaloons or trowsers made of\\nbuckskin and being adorned with a wide flap or\\nfringe down the legs about where the outside seam\\nof pants are. The principal chief has his head\\ngear also trimmed with eagle feathers and w^ears in\\naddition a fancy breech clotti fancifully trimmed\\nwith tinsel and gay colors. The papoose (child-\\nren) run entirely naked until they are ten or\\ntwelve years of age over the country, everglades,\\nc., living in skin tents, bark cabins, hollow trees,\\netc. A large majority of them can speak enough\\nEnglish to make their wants known.\\nMINERALS.\\nThere is in some places in the Northern part of\\nthe State some iron ore, but as yet not found in\\npaying quantities. There are no other minerals\\nthat I know or can hear of in the State except sul-\\nphur and that only in the water. Clay Springs\\nare so strongly impregnated with sulphur that you\\ncan smell it several hundred yards away from the\\nsprings and when you approach the springs you\\ncan see the sulphur all around the margins. Place\\n^i half dollar in the water and in a very few min-\\nutes it turns to a yellow color, resembling gold.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0109.jp2"}, "110": {"fulltext": "io6 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nIt however soon turns black on exposure to the air.\\nThere are many other sulphur springs in the State.\\nThe deep down water seems to all be impregnated\\nwith sulphur. Nearly all the artesian wells pro-\\nduce sulphur water.\\nSTONE COAL,\\nThere is not any in the State that I know of.\\nFUEL,\\nWood is the only fuel. Pine wood is usually\\nused (the oak is very hard to chop) and while it is\\nplenty and can be had for the gathering. The\\nwood choppers here put up the wood in what they\\ncall strans. A stran of wood is said to be eight\\nfeet long, four feet high and wide as a stove wood\\nstick is long. They will cut the wood whatever\\nlength you want, not exceeding twenty-four inches,\\nA twelve inch length is the same price as a twenty-\\nfour inch length. It seems like as if the charge\\nwas for the work and not for the wood. Those\\nstrans they will deliver to you cut, split up and aM\\nready for the stove for one dollar and fifty cents\\na stran, so you see after all fuel costs right smart.\\nThere is, however, the consolation that this climate,\\nespecially in the summer time, does not require\\nmuch fuel. The wood is always cut from the green\\ntree and you must have lighter wood to start your\\nfire with. This lighter wood is from old pine trees\\nthat have fallen down and the sap or white wood\\nhas all rotted off, leaving nothing but the fat pine\\nheart and old pine knots. Lighter wood in Flor-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0110.jp2"}, "111": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 107\\nida is called kindling wood in the North. This\\nlighter wood is delivered to you in chunks and costs\\nabout two dollars a stran and you must split it up\\ninto kindling yourself or get it done you can suit\\nyourself about this,\\nHAULING OR CARRYING.\\nYou seldom hear the word haul or hauling in\\nthe sense used by Northern people. If they haul\\nan3 thing here, it is called carrying. They carry a\\nstran of wood, they carry the lumber for a house\\nfrom the mill, they carry the stock to water, in fact\\nany and everything that is transported on wagons,\\ndrawn by horses, mules or oxen or that is driven\\nbefore you is carried and any and everything that is\\ncarried or transported by hand in this country is\\ntoted, so it is tote me a pail of water, tote me some\\nw^ood or tote these eggs to the store, or this satchel\\nto the depot, c. Many other strange and singu-\\nlar terms are used, both by whites and blacks, such\\nas sure enough. This expression is used when\\nanything startling is related as for example John\\nSmith s house was burned last night. The person\\nto whom it is related will invariably exclaim sure\\nenough, and I do not know but that the expres-\\nsion is about as elegant as the Northern people do,\\nis that so? Agam, done gone is another com-\\nmon expression. Ask if a man has done a certain\\nvork, and if he has, the answer will be, Yes, he\\ndone gone and did it, or did such a person go west?\\n*^Ye5, he done gone last week. Again that away", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0111.jp2"}, "112": {"fulltext": "io8 FLORIDA AS IT IS\\ninstead of that or this way, always putting the a\\nbefore the way, and many more seemingly ab-\\nsurd expressions, which no doubt originated among\\nthe niggers, but are now used indiscriminately\\nwith the whites and blacks there are exceptions,\\nbut they are few and far between, and strange to\\nsay people from the North fall right in and use\\nthese same expressions quite soon after coming\\nhere,\\nDWELLING HOUSES.\\nDwelhng houses are mainly built of wood (yel-\\nlow^ pine) and are covered with cypress shingles,\\ntin or boards the foundation is live oak blocks\\nwhen obtainable, otherwise pine blocks. These\\nblocks are pieces cut off trees from two to six feet\\nlong, according as you w^ant your house elevated,\\nand. are set on end on top of the ground (sand) for\\nthe top is the solid part of the country these blocks\\nare from a foot to two feet in diameter, these being\\nplaced in position the structure is then built. A\\ncommon house or shell is made of light timber\\nusually two by four inch stuff, enclosed with plank\\n(inch boards) running up and down, sometimes\\nstripped and very often not, a single story about\\neight feet high, the inside divided into two apart-\\nments, however usually all in one the roof may\\nbe plank, shingles or tin, according to the means\\nof the 15uilder, it is a fact that there is not one roof\\nin ten in Florida that turns water perfectly, no\\nI", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0112.jp2"}, "113": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 109\\nmatter of what kind of material the roof is compos-\\ned. The commoii houses have no inside finish\\nwhatever. This kind of a house can be built cheap-\\nly the lumber will cost delivered on the ground\\nabout thirteen dollars per thousand feet, so for\\nabout fifty or sevent3 -five dollars you can have a\\nhouse of your own and then sit down under your\\nown roof and contemplate on 3 our surroundings,\\nand thus enjoy this splendid country, composed of\\nclimate, sand and some other things, but a bet-\\nter class of houses are built about as follows\\nFoundation about as above described, then a regu-\\nlar frame (balloon) is made of heavier timber,\\nnovelty siding is used, planed and matched floor-\\ning is put in, a good shingle or tin root is put on,\\ndoors and windows are put in places, the inside\\ndivided into rooms, c., outside painted, then it is\\nreadv to occupy if the party has means the inside\\nmay be ceiled with plank or lathed and plastered,\\nchimneys and fire places put in and fixed up and\\nfurnished as you may desire, this, then is called a\\na very good house in Florida Such a house wijl\\ncost from four hundred to four thousand dollars,\\ndepending on just two things alone and these are\\nthe size of the house and the size of your moneys\\npile, then there are a few extra good houses built\\nhere of both wood and brick. They do have brick\\nin Florida, but they are nearly all made and burn-\\ned at Atlanta, Georgia. They cost in Florida from\\nleven to sixteen dollars per thousand, yet there", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0113.jp2"}, "114": {"fulltext": "no FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nare some brick houses built in the Southern part of\\nthe State, and quite a good many in the Northern\\npart. This is just about the size of it. You can\\nbuild just the kind of a house you may want in\\nFlorida as well as anywhere eLe, provided ou\\nhave the money to do it with. I know of houses-\\nbeing built here that cost from fifteen to twenty\\nthousand dollars. The material out of which they\\nwere built was all shipped from the North. These\\nkind of housts are generally put up by parties who\\nhave a big lot of land. A new town or orange\\ngroves for sale is not ahvays the case, but when\\nyou tind a party making a big show o( this or\\nany other sort in Florida, it will be w^ell enough to\\nkeep an eye to windward.\\nAs above stated nearly all the brick used in\\nFlorida ai e taken there from Atlanta, Georgia.\\nThere are several places in the State that brick\\nare made. They, ho^^ever, are very inferior on\\naccount c f being too much sand in the cla} or\\nthe sand not having enough of clay in it, anyhow\\nthe brick are worthless. It is claimed that a party\\nhas recently made a discovery and I believe has it\\npatented, that by a certain process the} can make\\na kind of brick or artificial stone out of this Florida\\nsatid. They put up the sand in blocks about the\\nsize of ordinary brick and witljout burning. They\\nharden these blocks so that they do not crumble\\nand they are just about as strong as well burned\\nbrick The claim is that they will stand fire anu", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0114.jp2"}, "115": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT iS. iii\\nare no more subject to crumble from exposure to\\nthe weather than good brick. I have seen solne cf\\nthese blocks and to all appearance the discovery\\nseems to be a good one. This party claims they\\ncan furnish these sand bricks or blocks at from six\\nto eight dollars a thousand a thousand of them\\nwill build aboiit as much Wall as twelve hundred\\ncommon bricks. Thev further claim when the\\nright kind of mortar or cement is used that the en-\\nlire wall becomes solid they further claim they\\ncan make door sills, lintels, cornice, mouldings,\\netc., right out of the sand. Should this prove a\\nsuccess, it will to a great extent, revolutionize the\\nbuilding of houses in Florida and some other places\\nas well. This, however, to a very great extent is\\nprospective, like a great many other things here.\\nThe worst feature about building here, is that the\\nlumber is all worked green. A log is thrown on\\nthe mill at one end and comes off at the other end\\nin the shape of flooring, siding, moulding, etc\u00c2\u00ab, as\\nthe case ma}- be, or rough boards or dimension\\nlumber, and is taking at once and put into build-\\nings. Very ma.ny times trees that w^ere standing\\nin the morning, in the evening of that same da}\\nare built in dwellings, thus you see building houses\\nentirely of the greenest kind of lumber this being\\nthe case the lumber seasons in the building and\\nnaturally gives aWay, leaving cracks and open\\nplaces, making bad work. The lumber is of such\\na nature that if to season before using, unless very", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0115.jp2"}, "116": {"fulltext": "112 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ncarefully stacked, it warps and twists all out of\\nshape and becomes so hard that it is almost im-\\npossible to work it to any advantage or satisfaction,\\nas it breaks and splits very easily. When green\\nit is soft and pliable and easily worked and bent in\\nalmost any shape you may want it, but when dry\\nit is stiff, hard and will not, and cannot be made\\nto assume any shape, but that to which it has^\\ndried.\\nYellow pine is the only kind of native lumber\\nthat is used for building purposes, except cypress^\\nwhich is too expensive on account of the difficulty\\nof gttting it out of the swamps, otherwise it would\\ntake the place of white pine in the North, of which\\nits nature partakes, in that it is soft, straight in the\\ngrain and does not warp or twist in drying or seas-\\noning. Magnolia trees make good lumber, but it\\nis too scarce to amount to an} thing. The live, and\\nother oaks when sawed, assume all kinds of shapes\\nconsequently are of no account only for blocks for\\nfoundations.\\nWELLS OF WATER.\\nThere is no trouble to sink a well anywhere in\\nFlorida, all you have to do is to difi^ a hole in the\\nsand big enough so that you can work in it. After\\nyou get down several feet, a box three or four feet\\nsquare without a bottom or top must be placed in\\nthe hole with a stout piece of scantling in each\\ncorner inside these pieces of timber should be\\nfrom sixteen to twenty feet in length of course thi^;", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0116.jp2"}, "117": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 113\\nUpper end sticks away above the hole this timber\\nis to nail your boards to, to increase the height of\\nyour box, now put on a few pieces of boards so as\\nto bring your box on a level with the surface of the\\nland, then get inside and throw out some more\\nsand as fast as you throw out the sand from below\\nthe box will sink, thus keeping your well walled\\nor curbed when you have gone down a foot or\\nso, better climb out and put more boards on your\\ntimbers or the sand will come in over the top of\\nwhat is on, soon you will strike the surface water;\\nthis you must go through for it is fit for nothing,\\ncontinue until you strike hard pans this has been\\ndescribed. You must go through this and as soon\\nas you strike water below the hard pan, it is said\\nto be good and wholesome. Your trouble now is\\nto keep the surface water outside of your box or\\ncurbing. This so-called good water is found at\\ntiifferent depths, say from ten to thirty feet from\\nthe .surface, depends if the land is high or low; in\\nany and ail cases, your box or curbing must reach\\nfrom the top to the bottom of the well or the sand\\nwill run in and fill it up, thus after having dug this\\nhole or well to the proper depth and curbed it, the\\nwater settles into it sometimes to the depth of sever-\\nal feet, and very often filis up above the hard pan\\n\\\\vhen this is the case, you must pump or draw it\\nout it may be several times, at kast until it be-\\ncomes clear, you can then use it, in fact you will\\nbe obliged to use it, simply because you can get no", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0117.jp2"}, "118": {"fulltext": "114 FLORIDA AS ITIS\\nother. The only other remedy is to procure a tank\\nand catch rain water, which, without ice is not\\nmuch better. While many of the lakes, streams\\nand springs atid some of the wells in Florida seem\\nto have nice, clear, pellucid water in them, I have\\nnever had a good drink of water since I entered\\nthe State. The water is all warm, insipid and o(\\na brackish taste and the deeper the Well, the Warrrl\\ner the water, and if it were not that ice can be had\\nat almost all the principal towns and cities at reas^\\nonable prices, say fifty cents pef hundred pounds\\nwholesale, that is by agreeing to ta^e from one to\\nthree htitidred pounds per day. At retail, that i^\\nfrom five to ten pounds per day* or a chunk now\\nand then, the price is from one to five cents pej^\\npound. This ice is all made by machinery run by\\nsteam. The ice is made somewhat on the princi-^\\nciple of making ice creamt the water to be frozen,\\nis placed in square cans of the si^e of which the\\ncake of ice is intended to be when frozen. These\\ncans are placed in a large metal or wooden tank or\\nvat, each can or mould being held in position by a\\nframe or kind of wicker w^ork, the tank is then\\nfilled with a- freezing liquid or brine. There is\\nanother receptacle or tank in w^hich is some kind\\nof chemicals, which is called the charge. This is-\\nso arranged with pipes and connections running\\nthrough and about the brine, surrounding the cans\\nor ice moulds, that the whole business is set in\\nmotion by machinery driven by an engine that they", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0118.jp2"}, "119": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\n115\\nturn out solid cakes of ice about every twenty-four\\nhours. The capacity of these machines are from a\\nfew hundred pounds to many tons of ice per day,\\nand their cost from about eight hundred to fifty\\nthousand dolhirs, according to their capacity.\\nThere is said to be a small machine intended for\\nfamih use, and driven by hand power, the capacity\\nof which is fifteen pounds per hour and the cost of\\nwhich is only about twenty-five dollars. I have\\nnot seen any of these machines, therefore cannot\\nvouch for the truth of the report, if, however it be\\ntrue, there surely is no reason why each family\\nshould not have the luxury.\\nTAXES.\\nThe method of assessing or laying taxes in Flor-\\nida are rather loose and appears novel to a North-\\nern man. There is but one assessor for each\\ncounty. He advertises to be in the difierent elect-\\ntion districts on certain days I believe two days\\neach year, at a designated place in the dis-\\ntrict usually at the voting place, each voter and\\nproperty holder of personal or real estate, must re-\\nport to him on one of these days all of his posses-\\nsions, both personal and real, and he is provided\\nwith printed forms or blanks. If 3 ou own any\\nlands or lots, you must give him the description\\nand number of the same, also the township and\\nrange, block and numbers of lots, as the case ma}\\nbe, all of which is a matter of record at the countv\\n.seat. You are then required to fix a price on tv-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0119.jp2"}, "120": {"fulltext": "ii6 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nerything you have or own, down to your household\\ngoods, and certify over your signature to the truth\\nof the same. All voters under fifty years of age\\nin addition to the above, have to pay a poll tax of\\nsix dollars a year. This, I believe is applied to\\nfixing and making roads and streets the other\\ngeneral taxes, that is State and county, are from\\none and a half to two per cent on your own valu-\\nation. Besides these taxes mentioned, the town or\\ncity authorities may levy and collect such other\\ntaxes for town and city purposes as they, in their\\nwisdom, may deem necessary and these extra taxes\\noften amount to much more than the regular taxes\\ndo. You are taxed for sanitary purposes, for po-\\nlice regulations, you are taxed in the form of license\\nfor doing any and all kinds of business. The store-\\nkeeper is taxed in the form ol a license to sell\\ngoods, the butcher must pay thirty-five cents for\\neach cow (beef) he l^ills. This I believe is called\\nthe brand tax, and he must report the brand to the\\nmarshall under penalty. The sewing machine\\nman, the book agent, insurance men and nearly all\\nmechanics must pay a tax in the form of a license\\nto do business. The real estate man must pay\\nabout seventy -five dollars a year to follow his bus-\\niness, and costs the man who sells whiskey from\\nsix hundred to two thousand dollars a year, be-\\nsides numerous fines to engage in that nefarious\\nbusiness. I have not learned if the authorities tax\\nMinisters of the Gospel in the way of a license or", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0120.jp2"}, "121": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 117\\nnot, but I rather guess that if any person escapes\\ntaxation or license, they do.\\nLAWYERS AND DOCTORS.\\nLegal fees are high and the less you have to do\\nwith either profession, the better for you and your\\npurse, for while Lawyers, notaries and squires fees\\nare high, doctors fees, in my judgement are extra-\\norcinar}^ high, while many of them are no doubt\\n\u00c2\u00a3^ood physicians and understand their business, one\\nthing IS very certain, they all know^ to perfection\\nthe art of charging, and they invariable exercise\\nthat knowledge whenever opportunity offers. The\\nonly difference is, you can, and generally do know^\\nwhat a lawyer is going. to charge you, while you\\nare entirely at the mercy ot a doctor.\\nFEES\\nOf county officials are not extravagantly high,\\nnot much, if any higher than they are in the North\\nbut township officers and Justices of the Peace are\\nabout double what they are in the Northern States\\nfor the same service.\\nCONSTABLE FEES AND POWERS\\nAre also very much higher and greater here than\\nthey are North. Constables, or as they are here\\ncalled marshalls, have the same powers in their\\nrespective towns and districts, (bailiwicks) as the\\nsheriff has in the county, and they are all empow^-\\nered to act as Deputy Sheriffs and receive the same\\npay and a salary besides for patrolling certain", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0121.jp2"}, "122": {"fulltext": "ii8 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\n1\\nbeats or districts. Summons in case of debt are\\nseldom used, but instead thereof, a capias or war-^\\nrant is used both in civil and criminal cases, and as\\na general thing, heroic treatment is put in force by\\nattachment of person or property and the cases are\\ndisposed of quickly, they know nothing of stay of\\nexecution or any other kind of stay. If they can\\nbe had at all, it must be by an arrangement be-\\ntween the parties, either before or after judgement\\nis obtained. There is no imprisonment for simple\\ndebt between man and man, but they do imprison\\nfor fines, public fees or anything pertaining to the^\\ncounty or State.\\nHOMESTEAD LAWS.\\nThey do have for actual settlers or residents of\\nthe State. These law^s, however are vague and\\ncomplicated and the machinery of them, so cum-\\nbrous and expensive that in ninety-nine cases out\\nof a hundred it costs less to pay the debt than to\\ntake advantage of the law. The fact is that nearly\\nall the\\nLAWS\\nOf Florida seem to have been made by and for\\nthelaw}ers. All of them seem to have two sides\\nand both appear to be right, and unless you have\\nthe clearest kind of a case, you had better settle it\\nbelore going before a Justice or getting into the\\ncourt.\\nMORALITY OF THE PEOPLE.\\nTaking the commonw^ealth as a whole and con", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0122.jp2"}, "123": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 119\\nsidering that this is comparatively a new country,\\nthat it is filling up rapidly with people of all classes\\nfrom different parts ol the United States with a\\ngood sprinkling of foreigners, the people are moral\\nand rather well behaved. There are some rough\\nand uncouth people, it is true, but you will find\\nsuch in all communities, particular!}^ so ^here\\nsociety is in a formative state and composed of\\npeople from almost everywhere. People here are\\nquick to resent an insult and some of them are hot\\nblooded and will shoot pretty quickly, but a stranger\\ncoming here and conducting himself properly and\\nin a becoming manner, is just as safe from harm as\\nhe is, or would be in any other place in the United\\nStates, and a great deal more so than he would be\\nin many places I know of, however there are\\nplenty of sharp men here, who will take advant-\\nage of you in the wav of a trade and unless you go\\na little slow and investigate properly, these men\\nwill have your money, legally or otherwise, before\\n3 Ou know much about them or Florida either for\\nthat matter. The better plan is when you go to\\nFlorida, say but little, especially about yourself or\\nyour business, keep your eyes and ears open, learn\\nall you can and from whom you can. There is a\\ngreat deal to be learned about the ins and outs of\\nthe country from the old negroes, both men and\\nwomen, who have lived for years in the State and\\nwho, as a general thing, have no special interest\\nin selling land or orange groves, and they are", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0123.jp2"}, "124": {"fulltext": "1 20 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nn-early all communicative, and you can draw from\\nthem much valuable information, especially about\\nthe quality of land, what has been raised on it and\\nwhat can be raised and how it is done. You c?n\\nthen draw your own conclusions, and form your\\njudgement accordingly. I know that these smart\\nalex s in Florida will hoot and ridicule the idea of\\ngetting information from the negroes on agricultur-\\nal subjects, but look for a moment, who has a bet-\\nter right or bettt-r opportunity to know than they,\\nfor the negros do nearly all the work of farming\\nand otherwiirc and most of them are smart enough\\nto know how much labor it requires to do certain\\nthings and they are observant and imitative too,\\nand when you take them all for ignoramuses, you\\nare very apt to get misled. It is true that the\\nnegros as a class are not smart, but there are smart\\nones among them.\\nAfter you have learned all you can, then do not\\nbuy too quickly, better miss a chance or two than\\nget bit or make a mistake. Remember sociablility\\nas a general thing, stops short as soon as you have\\nfastened up your money, and remember also that\\nwhile there are many chances to invest and make\\nmoney, it is not all gold that glitters, nor is it all\\nFlorida sand lots that will pay to invest in.\\nPrices of articles that are daily used are about a\\nfollows\\nFlour per barre $7 00 flour per pound, fbifr cents ci^ru\\nmeal per pouud, two and one half to three cent-* corn grits\\nper pound, two and outha .f to three cents; oat uieal per", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0124.jp2"}, "125": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 121\\npounH, three cents rye flour per pound, four cents buck\\nwheat per pouud, ten ceiit^ salt per sick, G. A., $2.00\\n.^ait pt- r bushel, G. \u00c2\u00a71 00, white sugar pjr pound, ten\\ncents browe sugar per pound, nine cents loaf sugar per\\npound, twenty cents; coffee (best), per pound, forty cents;\\ncoffee; (inferior), per pound, lifteen to thirty cents; dri^d\\npeaches per p )und, (best) fifteen to thirty cents dried ap-\\np es per pound ten to twenty cents; (ii ied blackberries per\\npound, twenty-five cents prunes, fifteen to twentv-five\\ncents ca-uied fruit, dry go )ds and clothing about the same\\nas in the N )rth chickens each, fort cents to $1.00; turkeys,\\n61 50 L 80.OO; venis-)u per p )und, fifteen au I twenty five\\ncents; quails per dozen, $1 .50 and $2 00; fresh fish per\\npouud, five to fifteen cents; eggs per dozen, twenty-five to\\nfifty cjnts; Irish potatoes by the bushel, $200 to $-4 00;\\nsweet potatoes per bu^he-, fifty cents to $1 00; tomatoes per\\npeck, seventy five cen s to $100; snap beans per peck,\\ni-eventjv five cents to $100; cow peas per peck, fiftv to\\nseventy- five cents; onions per peck, eighty cents to $1.20;\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0oranges each, two to iive cents; grape fruit each, five to ten\\ncents; lemons per dozen, forty cents; binanas per bunch.\\nsevt-nty five cents to $3 00; strawberries a box, (about a\\npibt), tweity-flve cents to $1.50; huckleberries per box, ten\\nto twenty-five cents; pt-aches per crate, (dbout a half bnshe\\n50 to $5.00; hay per one hundred pounds. $1 25 to $2-00\\napples per barrel, (Northern). $4 00 to $G 00; corn per\\nsack, two bushels, $1.40 t $1 80; oats per sack, [fuur\\nbushels) $2 10 to $2 GO; wheat per bushel, (chicken teed)\\nthree to four cents; wheat scr -nings, (chicken feed), two to\\nthree cents; lumber, rough and dimension per 1,000 fee%\\n$12.00 to $14 00; flouring, plained and matched per ihuusabd\\nfeet, $17 00 to 5 18 00; shingles per fhousaLd feet, (cypress).\\n$4,50 to $G 00; shingle, (yellow pine) per thfuisarid feet,\\n$3.00 to $5 00; wood, per stran, $1 50 to $2.00; wood per\\nt Mi d^ $3.00 th $5.00 beef per pound, native 5 to 15 cents;\\nN )i-therii beef fier pound, 15 to 25 cent p iik. l2 to 15\\ncents; mutto 1, 15 to 20 cents; veal, 15 to 20 cents. Ab ut\\nthe same average prices are p^id for aW }ou buy in Florida.\\nLANDS.\\nNine-tenths of all the up lands in Florida ar-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0125.jp2"}, "126": {"fulltext": "122 FLORIDA AS IT IS,\\nworthless for agricultural or horticultural purposes,\\nthat is they are so sandy that nothing will grow on\\nthe land in its natural state, it however, answers as\\na good base for manure and fertilizers, and when\\nproperly brought up by these agents, will produce\\nvegetables, fruits, and such other things as are\\ndescribed in this book.\\nThe value of these lands is determined much\\nmore by location than quality. Wild lands (unim-\\nproved lands) several uiiles away from towns and\\nrailroads are comparatively low in price, while the\\nsame quality or kind of land near towns or close to\\nrailroads are held at enormous prices You can\\nnow begin to see where big money is made. Get\\nahead of the railroads, buy your land cheap, or at\\nnominal figures, lay out your town, boom it up any\\nway you can, induce some persons to buy lots and\\nbuild, start a store no matter what kind of a store\\nfive or ten pounds each of coffee, sugar, tobacco,\\nbacon, and a little grits and flour will make a good\\noutfit, you do not care if you sell these goods at a\\nprofit or not, that is not your point to be made.\\nYour point is to get settlers, as soon as you have a\\nfew inhabitants you will give some railroad com-\\npany a good slice of your land just to get them to\\nrun their road through your lands. These railroad\\ncompanies are quick to see where money is to be\\nmade the offer of land in sufficient quantities will\\nbring a railroad or branch almost anywhere in\\nFlorida. Railroads are easily built here. If the", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0126.jp2"}, "127": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 123\\ncompany sees any money in it straightway, the\\nroad is built^ then the balance of your land will\\nbring more than a hundred times more than you\\npaid for it* You have made big money and are\\nthe big man of the town the railroad compan}^\\nhas made money^ not only by running their road\\ninto or through your town, but have been paid the\\ncost of making their road many times over by the\\nsale of the land you gave them for running your\\nWay, now neither you or the railroad oompany\\n(especially) cares much who sticks. You do not\\ncare much for the end man.\\nWhen the Northern man gets on to Florida soil,\\nhis first impressions are after looking about him\\nw^ell this is Florida as it is the Land of Sunshine\\nand Flowefs, The sunshine you have, that is\\nhere. The flowers I do not see, but I do see sand\\npure (poor) white sand. Is all your land so\\nsandy? Oh, no I (first fib)\u00c2\u00bb We have plenty of\\nihe richest black loam (2) you ever saw, and we\\nraise the biggest kind of vegetable (3). Your im-\\npressions begin to change very soon from this kind\\nof tal^ but without the talk the impressions run\\nin about this way What in the world can people\\nin this sandy country do for a living, certainly\\nNothing will grow on this land without first putting\\non manure or fertilizer, about as much as you can\\nin any case get off it, and where is the stufl^ to\\nmake fertilizer of? Very little grass can grow\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0here, there is no limestone, there is no natural fer-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0127.jp2"}, "128": {"fulltext": "124 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nlilizer, these pine leaves are no good, the fact is\\nthere is no soil at all, this sand seems to run clear\\nto the bottom, and if left to yourself, in ninety\\ncases out of one hundred you would turn away and\\nleave the State in disgust, go home and report that\\nFlorida w^as nothing but a sandy desert or a wild-\\nerness of pine barrens, lakes, ponds and swamps,\\nand was not fit for any person to live in, that it\\nalways was the habitations of Indians and wild\\nbeasts and all manner of pests and 3^our opinton\\nwould be, that it should forever remain so, and I\\nam not sure but w^iat your idea of the land and\\ncountry is about, at least three-quarters correct.\\nHEAT.\\nHeat in summer, especially before the summer\\nrains set in, is almost unbearable. The thermom-\\neter for weeks is high up in the nineties, frequently\\nabove one hundred degrees, (farenheit) during\\nnearly the entire day, falling at night to about\\neighty-five degrees^ The only thing that makes\\nthis climate endurable at all in summer, is the\\nnearly constant breeze or mild wdnd which seems\\nto cool the air a little. As to hot days and cool\\nnights in Florida in summer, it looks well on paper\\nespecially the cool nights, and when you read\\nabout them, in imaginatiou you feel kind of com-\\nfortable, perhaps in the enjoyment of them in the\\nfuture. Let me say right here that if there was or\\nis any truth in the saying that distance lends enchant-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0128.jp2"}, "129": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 12^\\nment to the view, it certainly applies with full force\\nin this case.\\nThis cool night business answers first-class for\\nadvertising, but when you come to test it, you will\\nhere again find that there is always some truth in\\nthese advertising circulars, but while there are\\nssome cool nights, you will find some very warm\\nones and a big majority ot them are uncomfortably\\nhot, so much so that it is impossible to sleep on ac*\\ncount of the heat. If you attempt to sleep in a\\nroom or place where the air or breeze does not\\npass over you should you go to sleep at all, which\\nis doubtful, you will very soon wake up with pers-\\npiration oozing out at every pore the nights are\\nhot, no use trying to disguise the fact, how can\\nthey be otherwise the thermometer up to ninety-\\neight or one hundred during nearly the entire day\\nand not below eighty or eighty-five during the\\nwhole twenty-four hours with the ground or sand\\nso hot that in five minutes your feet would be blis-\\ntered were you to walk on it in your bare feet 5\\nlet me ask in the name of common sense, how can\\nthe nights be anything but hot. Now then, if you\\nstill have doubts about this thing, just you come to\\nOrange county. I name this particular county be*\\ncause it is claimed to be the banner county of the\\nState and I am not sure but what it is, in fact I\\nknow it is if booming can make it so. Well you\\njust come to Orlando, Kissimmee, Eustis or Ta-\\nvares about the middle of June and try it, be sure", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0129.jp2"}, "130": {"fulltext": "126 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nand get a room where the wind does not blow oil\\nyou. You better be sure and have a mosquito baf\\nover you, and a good one too, or 3 ou will hardly\\nknow where to place the blame of your not sleep-\\ning. You might possibly think that fighting the\\nmosquitos had made you uncomfortably warm.\\nAfter you have made this experiment, I rather\\nthink you will agree with me that they do have hot\\nnights in Florida, sure enough And you will\\nprobabl}^ exclaim ?s one of old, surely the half\\nhas not been told I I might add right here that\\nOrange county and particularly the places named\\nabove, have fewer mosquitos and other pests than\\nany other part of the State. This may be so, (I\\ndo not believe it), but if these are the good places,\\n1 do not think you will ever care to visit the other\\nplaces you will be thoroughly satisfied in a short\\ntime that they do have hot days and nights, mos-\\nqaitos and pests in abundance in Orange county^\\nFlorida, and if there is the garden spot (there are\\nother places just the same in every respect) and\\ncomparatively clear of pests, what must the rest of\\nthe State be.\\nTOWNS AND CITIES.\\nJacksonville, Duval county, is the metropolis or\\ngrand ENTRE pot of the State. It is to Florida\\nabout what Philadelphia is t;0 Penns3 lvaniav As\\nnearly as I can ascertain it has a population oi\\nabout twenty-five thousand inhabitants. In the:\\nwinter season the population is much larger. Al)", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0130.jp2"}, "131": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 127\\nthe railroads of the ^outh centre here no matter\\nwhere you wish to go in Florida, you will prob-\\nably start from Jacksonville. It also has water\\ncommunications by the way of the mouth of St.\\nJohn River, connecting with the Atlantic Ocean,\\ndistance about thirteen miles also water communi-\\ncation with the interior of the State by the St. Johns\\nand Ocklawaha rivers. Steamers, ships and water\\ncraft of all shapes and sizes line her wharves Irom\\nall countries and nations. To say the least of\\nJacksonville, she is a busy, bustling little city with\\nstreet cars, electric lights, manufacturies, and all\\nkinds of business in full blast. A great many of\\nher business men are from the North, with a good\\nsprinkling of foreigners, Jews and a few natives.\\nGoods aud merchandise of almost every description\\ncan be bought in Jacksonville almost as cheaply\\nas in the Northern cities, provided you happen to\\nstrike the right parties, but there are plenty of\\nsharpers there as there are in all other large places\\nand it is well enough for strangers to be on their\\nguard while in Jacksonville, especially after night.\\nMany a man has been heard of last in that city,\\nalthough it is no worse in that respect or do I think\\nit is as bad as some other cities much farther up\\nNorth,\\nTALLAHASSEE\\nIs the captal ot the State. If the public build-\\ning and the public business were removed from\\nTallahassee, there would not be very much left.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0131.jp2"}, "132": {"fulltext": "128 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nGAINESVILLE\\nIs quite a neat little city and has a good deal of\\npush and vim. It is the county seat of Alachua\\ncounty and is said to contain about eight thousand\\ninhabitants. This town has some as fine buildings\\nas there are in the State, many of which are built\\nof brick.\\nOCALA\\nIs the county seat of Marion county. It is rath-\\ner an eld town not more than half as large as\\nGainesville, which is perhaps the wealthiest town\\nin the State of her size or according to her popu-\\nlation. Pensacola, Apalachicola, Cedar Keys,\\nKey West, Tampa, Bartow and many others are\\ntowns of some note here and are much more no-\\ntorious in the North than they are when you are in\\nthem.\\nORLANDO\\nIs the county seat of Orange county now claims\\nour attention. This town or cit} if we can believe\\nthe citizens thereof, especially the real estate men,\\nis almost an Eden, but taking the facts as they are\\nOrange county is about eighty miles long North\\nand South, and about fifty miles wide. East and\\nWest it s shape is amorphus, being very irregular\\nI cannot give figures that are reliable about it\\npopulation, therefore will not venture a guess.\\nThere are several good sized and growing towns in\\nthe county. Eustis, Tavares, Sanford, Maitland.\\nWinter Park, Apopka City, Wildwood, Zellwood..", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0132.jp2"}, "133": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 129\\nOcoee, Gotha, Longwood, Pine Castle, and last\\nbut not least by any means, is Kissimmee City,\\nlocated on the boarders of Tohopekaliga Lake and\\nclaims a population of twelve hundred inhabitants,\\nbut now again to Orlando. It, a very few years\\nago, was but a sorry little village, notwithstanding\\nit was a county seat, six or seven years ago a few\\nsmart enterprising men seeing the situation bought\\nup quite a body of land in the village and vicinity\\nand began to boom (advertise) the town their\\nventure proved a success financially and otherwise\\nand now Orlando is second to none in the State for\\nits growth, and the amount of business it does, for\\nits size, and bids fair in a few 3 ears to outstrip all\\nother towns in the State, Jacksonville alone except-\\ned. Many new and apparently thriving towns\\nhave sprung up within the last three or four years\\nand where the wild beasts and Indians used to roam\\nnow the shriek and whistle of the locomotive is\\nheard you naturally ask what has made all this\\nchange? The answer is, speculation and specu-\\ntion only, advertising and booming by speculators.\\nBOOMING,\\nBooming as I understand it, and as it is, is to\\ntalk up the place, write and advertise it all over\\nihe country, tell all the good you know about it,\\nbe very particular to write or say nothing bad\\nabout it, but tell what has been and can be done\\nin telling about what can be done, here you can\\ndraw on your imagination to almost any extent and", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0133.jp2"}, "134": {"fulltext": "ISO FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nnot be blamed for Iving, perhaps I should have\\nsaid prevarication, as that term is not quite so harsh\\nbut I think the first word is the better one in this\\ncase, and when they tell you of how much some\\nperson has made since they came to Florida, they\\nalways get the figures as big as possible the\\npeople living outside of the State do not know if\\nyou are telling or advertising the truth or not say\\nnothing about the mosquitos, sand, flies, fleas, red\\nbugs, bad water or anything about any of the pests\\nthat abound all over the State. Should the boom-\\ners be asked or written to about these things, the\\nanswer must, and will be evasive or something\\nlike the people of Ohio said about the milk sick-\\nness, it was always over in the next county you\\ncould never get to the place where it would actual-\\nly be acknowledged. They are in the State, but\\nprincipally along the coast or down in the big cy-\\npress swamps where no person lives anyhow, or\\nany other place than the particular place you are\\nwriting or talking about but they must be mighty\\nscarce about it, and if it should so happen that\\nsome man should chance to raise some new seed-\\nling fruit or berr}^ be ita peach, orange or a straw-\\nberry that has been pushed and nurtured into pro-\\nducing a fair fruit, then take hold of that, have it\\npublished in all the papers far and near, have cir-\\nculars printed and sown broadcast all over the land,\\nmake this particular thing, fruit or whatever it may\\nbe, fully as large as it really is, and if they succeed", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0134.jp2"}, "135": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 131\\nm fully describing it. draw a litde on the imacrin-\\nation and be sure to figure it out so as to show how\\nimmensely profitable it will be. that is, it will sell\\nfor so much per quart or bushel^ as the case may\\nbe, but never say a word about the care it must\\nhave or the costs of raising the fruits or berries,\\nand as 3^ou are doing this all principally through\\nst^ewspapers and circulars, there is not much danger\\not people asking questions about the cost of pro-\\nduction, taking for granted that it is a natural thing\\nfor such a fruit or berry to grow that way in Flor-\\nida, show also by circulars and otherwise that the\\nprice of lands, lots, etc., double in value about\\n\u00e2\u0082\u00acvery three months, in no case make it^ver ayear\\nthis is booming sure enough\\nThere are many towns hi the State, most of\\nw^hich are thriving, just in the proportion to the\\nway they are boomed. A descriptiota of one boom\\nis sufficient foi all^ so you see that booming and\\nspeculation go hand in hand.\\nNearly all the newtowfis in the State are started\\nas above described and very many of the older\\ntow^ns are given a tresk start by the same process.\\nWhen adjoining lands can be had in large quan-\\ntities, take {gt example St Augustine, (Augusteen)\\nthis town is said to be, and I believe is the oMest\\ntown in the United States, but until very recently\\nwas not nmch more than a mere barracKS on the\\nsandy coast, but a few^ years ago speculators with\\ncapita] took hold of the old town, bought adjoinint?", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0135.jp2"}, "136": {"fulltext": "132 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nlands and went to booming the town and now the\\nplace is quite a city, and the surrounding lands\\nthat even four or five years ago were comparative-\\nly worthless, sell for hundreds, and in some cases\\nfor thousands of dollars per acre, not because it is\\nvaluable for producing anything, for it is as poor\\nas poverty itself, but simply because it is near St,\\nAugustine.\\nHundreds of persons are thus making money in\\nFlorida, and the more money you have to start\\nwith the more you can make, provided your specu-\\nlations turn out favorably to you. Here again I\\nwill say, that with very few exceptions the man\\nwho has but little or no ready cash, can do much\\nbetter almost any other place than in Florida.\\nNow because I have not mentioned or named\\nother towns, the reader must not think that there\\nare no other towns in the State for there are hun-\\ndreds of them and some not mentioned are larger\\nand perhaps much better than some that are named\\nTo write them up separately with their history and\\ngrowth, with their advantages, (if they have any)\\nand their disadvantages, would make a volume or\\nbook of such a si^e that it would be too cumbrous\\nto handle, besides such a work would be very\\ntedious and entirely too prosy to read, for when\\nyou know the history and booming of one town,\\ncity or place, it will fit to all of them with very lit-\\ntle variation very few exceptions to this as a rule*\\nTowns and cities seem to take root and grow here", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0136.jp2"}, "137": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 133\\nabout as well, if not better than anything else I\\nknow of, particularl}^ for the first fev\\\\ years of their\\nexistence, especially if they are well fertilized with\\nproper booming. This is about the only fertilizer\\nthat I know of that will cause towns and cities to\\ngrow, and if it is properly applied, it and it alone\\nwill pay the purchaser thereof. Here again how-\\never, look out and do not be the end man or you\\nwill get left.\\nNEWS PAPERS e\\nNewspapers are numerous here, the fact is it is\\nalmost impossible to boom a town or place without\\nthe printing press, and as it is much cheaper to buy\\na printing press and hire a printer than to pay for\\nthe necessary amount of printing needed in the\\nenterprise about the first thing in a new town is a\\nso-called newspaper generally owned by the com-\\npany and apparently .managed by one man; the\\nprofits from the paper at first is nothing, the ex-\\npenses however, are not very heavy as soon as\\npeople begin to come to the place and invest, start\\nup little stores and embark in such business as\\nmust necessarily follow the people advertising is\\nresorted to, and when you put an advertisement in a\\npaper in Florida, you will find the price something\\nlike the doctor s bills, however it must go in, thus\\nthe paper soon pays the expenses of running it and\\nthus the company gets their advertising for com-\\nparatively nothing, and can print what they please\\nand can draw it mild or strong to suit the occasion.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0137.jp2"}, "138": {"fulltext": "134 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nThe subscription price of newspapers here are not\\nany more than in the North.\\nYou will notice that a great many things that ap-\\npear in the papers as local matter on close inspec-\\ntion look like advertisements, for example nearly\\nall the newspapers note the transfers of lands tak-\\ning place w^eekly some of these are noted as tak-\\ning place on certain days, when the facts are the\\ntransfer had been made several months before and\\nbeen so noted at the time. These things are of\\nmore frequent occurrence in the summer season,\\nwhich is the dull time, but something must be done\\nto make the people abroad believe that the busi-\\nness is booming in Florida the whole year around*\\nThis has its effect in inducing people to come here\\nand who ever comes, it makes business for some\\nperson the liveryman, the hotel and boarding\\nhouse keeper, real estate men and the railroads.\\nThis again makes items for the newspapers and\\ntthus it goes on adinfinitum again when a certain\\nfruit or vegetable has been grown of rather an un-\\nusual size, flavor or quality, advertisements in the\\nform of local matter appears in all the papers far\\nand near and many times repeated in even the\\nsame paper the attention of the whole State and\\nthe United States, so far as they can be reached,\\nis called to this particular thing when the article in\\nitself nearly always proves to be but very common\\nin the end.\\nJust now the Bidwell peach is the fruit that is", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0138.jp2"}, "139": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 135\\ngoing to revolutionize the fruit business in Florida.\\nIt is said they ripen about the first of June some\\ntwo weeks earlier than any other, and are said to\\nbe of superior flavor and quality a few of this\\nvariety were sent to New York market this season\\nfor the first time, and were sold at the rate of 27\\ndollars per bushel, (a good price for peaches) sure\\nenough It is not said how many peaches were\\nSent to the New York market, or is it necessary,\\nbut the probabilities are that there were but few,\\nthe language least implies that, when closely scan-\\nned, we notice they were sold at the rate of twenty-\\nseven dollars per bushel. Now even this, although\\nthey are making such a blow about it, is not much\\nbetter than raising strawberries, and selling them\\nat home here for a dollar and a quarter a box, or\\nsending them to the Eastern marKets at the rate of\\nforty or fifty dollars a bushel. These things have\\nbeen done tune and again. The only wonder to\\nto me is that the peaches did not bring a larger\\nprice in New York, lor there are a good many\\npeople interested in the sale of Florida lands and\\ntown lots who live in that big city, and yet I have\\nthe first man or woman to see who got rich or made\\nmoney in this State by raising and selling straw-\\nberries and peaches. Another good quality of this\\nBidwell peach is that it bears fruit the third year\\nfrom planting. I have not been able to learn if\\nthis means from the pit or bud. About the whole\\nthing is, some person has a big lot of peach trees", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0139.jp2"}, "140": {"fulltext": "136 FLORIDA AS IT IS,\\nfor sale this kind only grows on Florida soil, and\\nsome person else has a big lot of that kind of soil\\nfor sale they thus, as it were, splice teams and\\nboom this particular peach for a particular purpose^\\nknowing that there are a great many people in the\\nNorth who have money to inve.^t and this looks as\\nif there was big money it, they go to Florida, in-\\nvest in land, buy the tree. plant their orchard^r\\nand await results. The tree raiser and the land\\nman have m?de their points and unless ou sell\\nyour peach orchard while the boom is up, you will\\nlikely be the tnd man, and in an}- case some per--\\nson will be the end man so this business goes on f\\nif not one thing it is another. It may be beans,\\ntomatoes, peaches, cocoanuts. pine apples, oranges,\\nbananas, cucumbers, melons or indeed almost any-\\nthing to entice people to part with their money,\\nN. B. I have just learned from a reliable nurs-\\neryman, that the Bidwell peach is a seedling cross ot\\nthe Peento and honey peach, and is a better peach\\nthan either of the other two, and it ought, to be\\nworth anything.\\nHEALTH.\\nFrom general reports and published accounts in\\nNewspapers, particularly by those interested in\\nFlorida, the State is a paradise and a sure restorer\\nof health to invalids of wc may say the entire out-\\nside of the world, and all who are sick or have anv\\nkird of ailment, all ihey have to do, is to get into", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0140.jp2"}, "141": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 137\\nthe general climate of Florida it is a panacea for\\nall the ills that human flesh is heir to, and when\\n3 ou get under its influence straightway, you be-\\ncome hale and hearty, and will add to your days\\nmany 3 ^ears\u00c2\u00ab The facts in the case, however do\\nuot warrant the assertions. A large proportion of\\nthe natives (wdiite) are lean and do not look healthy\\nand the women particularly are, to say the least of\\nit, delicate and a large percentage of the people\\nwho Lave came to Florida, have some ailment and\\nare here for their health. The result is 3 ou see\\nbut comparatively few^ stout and healthy looking\\npeople about all the healthy looking people 3 ou\\ndo see here are those who came from other States\\nwith plenty of money in their pockets, either to see\\nsights, speculate or both, and very few of these re-\\nmain the entire season. They come in the fall of\\nthe year and return in the spring, thus enjoying\\nthe pleasant winter here, and the summers at some\\ncool watering place or summer resort in the North,\\nNow with regard to the sanitary condition of things\\nhere, according to my judgement and observation\\nabout the only persons who receive benefit in health\\nby coming to Florida, are those who are afflicted\\nwith pulmonary or asthmatic diseases persons\\nhaving incipient or consumption in the first stao-es,\\nand before the disease has taken a firm hold, may\\nbe benefited b^ spending a winter here, and thus\\navoid the extreme cold winter of the North, but for\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2any other kind of disease, almost any other place", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0141.jp2"}, "142": {"fulltext": "138 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nIS about as good as Florida. Nine-tenths of the\\npeople who come here for their health, for all the\\nbenefit they receive might just as well remain at\\nhome and thus save their time and money\\nDISEASES IN FLORIDA,\\nThere are no special or prevalent fatal diseases\\nhere, there is, however, a kind of low type of fever\\nthat prevails to a considerable extent all over the\\nState, that in almost any other place or State would\\nbe named or called malarial lever, (but they have\\nno malaria m Florida People here take cold\\njust about as readily and as easily as in most other\\nplaces, and they sometimes get pretty sick and\\nhave to send for a doctor. This in almost any\\nother place or State would be called pneumonia\\n(but they do not have any pneumonia here either.)\\nMany of the inhabitants here frequently get what\\nthey call hot and cold spells and sometimes they\\nshake a little too,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 for these spells they use qui-\\nnine. This disease anywhere else would be called\\nchills and fevers, but they do not have any ague in\\nFlorida nobody ever heard of a case in the whole\\nState, and while the weather is very hot, nearly\\nevery person will tell you there never has been a\\nsun stroke known to occur in the State, noth with-\\nstanding there has been numerous deaths from\\nwhat is called nervous prostration, the symptons of\\nwhich are identical with those of sun stroke. There\\nare frequent cases of small pox and sometimes it\\nassumes the form of an epidemic, and is just as", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0142.jp2"}, "143": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 139\\nfatal as elsewhere. Measels, whooping cough and\\nall the diseases that children and even grown\\npeople are subject to, are here, and I cannot see\\nthat there is much, if any difference in this respect\\nfrom other States and places. Yellow fever has\\nbeen in the State a number of times, and so has\\ncholera. It is barely possible that many of the\\ndiseases here do not assume so malignant a form as\\nthey do in some other places, but after all is said\\nabout the diseases here that can be said, people do\\ndie here and of about the same diseases that they\\ndie of in other places, but to say that Florida has\\nabout the same diseases that other parts of the\\ncountry has, detracts very much from her reputation\\nas a health resort. The facts are that Florida is a\\ngood winter resort and w^hen that is said it is near-\\nly all that can be truthfully said about the State.\\nYou will find out, it you do not already know it,\\nthat everything here is magnified several or more\\ntimes. The transient visitor generally has these\\nmagnifying glasses fixed on his eyes before coming\\nhere and hardly ever stays long enough in the\\nState to get them off. He therefore sees only one\\nside of the picture and that always the bright side\\nparticularly if he has plenty of money, but let him\\nsettle down among the people and become one of\\nthem (as it were,) the glass and glamour soon\\nwears off and the realities begin to appear, and the\\nlonger he remains the more he finds out, and when\\nthe magnifying glasses are entirely removed, then.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0143.jp2"}, "144": {"fulltext": "140 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nand not until then can he see Florida as it is.\\nThe wonder to me is that a book similar to this\\none has not been written long since. The only\\nreason I can give is about like this That parties\\nbecome interested in speculation and as many of\\nthem have been to a certain extent taken in (so to\\nspeak) and on the principal that misery loves\\ncompany and perhaps with a view that somethin\u00c2\u00a3[-\\nwill turn up by which they can better their con-\\ndition in the end. This is the only reason that\\nseems to be plausible that Florida as it is or\\nsomething that would give the people of the whole\\ncountry the true light on this subject has not been\\nwritten.\\nSAND OR FLORIDA ITCH.\\nThis is something seldomly heard of outside of\\nthe State and the people or inhabitants say very\\nlittle about it. You know itch is a kind of disease\\nor disorder that is not very popular anyhow, and\\npersons who are afflicted with it, will not say much\\nabout it. This disease is not at all fatal or does it\\nseem to be contagious, but it is very disagreeable\\nto have. What produces this itch I do not know\\nit may be the sand (and I think it is), which is as\\nfine as emery that gets into the pores of the skin,\\nor it may be the climate, heat and sand combined\\nproduces it, one thing is certain, very few people\\nescape it, especially those w^ho remain during the\\nsummer. You hear nothing of it in the winter\\nseason.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0144.jp2"}, "145": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 141\\nThere is also something in either the soil (sand)\\nor climate that causes any little scratch or hurt that\\nyou may get, and very often without, to become\\nsore and very much inflamed, and unless proper\\nremedies are applied at once, cause a good deal of\\npain and suff ering. What this is I have not been\\nable to find out from any person if the doctors\\nknow they will not tell, and now when you come\\nto put these things all together and begin to ana-\\nlyze, it does seem rather strange that, from some\\ncause or causes, will and does cause eruptions and\\nbreaking out and causes sores and boils all over\\nthe surface of the body. That these causes should\\nor would cure and make healthy the internal or-\\ngans when diseased, this is a question that I will\\nleave for the reader to figure out. This, however\\ninconsistent it may appear, is claimed for this Flor-\\nida climate or something else. This is not a whit\\nmore inconsistent than scores of other things that\\nare claimed for this ^Land of Sunshine and Flow-\\ners, but as before stated, Florida has a climate\\npeculiarly her own, hence these seeming incon-\\nsistencies you will understand these things much\\nbetter after a residence of a year or two in the\\naforesaid climate, and particularly so, should you\\nhave the Florida itch and attempt to sleep with the\\nthermometer at ninety, at 9 o clock at night and no\\nbreeze blowing and surrounded by a cloud of mos-\\nquitos, each one presenting his bill and singing at\\nyour ears, blood, blood.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0145.jp2"}, "146": {"fulltext": "142 FLORIDA A S IT IS.\\nRAILROADS.\\nThe principal of which is the Florida Railway\\nand Navigation Company. Their system of roads\\nextend nearly all over the State their track is\\nstandard guage. I believe all the other roads in\\nthe State are narrow guage except the T. O. A.,\\nwhich is an extension of the F. R. N., but own-\\ned by a different company. The Jacksonville,\\nTampa and Key West, and South F lorida Rail-\\nway companies have their roads completed and cars\\nrunning nearly the entire length of the State North\\nand South. The tracks on these roads are all\\nnarrow guage. The Florida Southern also has a\\nroad in running order from Jacksonville to Cedar\\nKeys. There are quite a number of short roads\\nand many now building, most of wiiich are narrow\\nguage I presume however, that inside of a year\\nor two at least, all the principal jailroads in the\\nState will be changed to standard guage. It is an\\neasy matter to build a railroad in Florida no\\nrock to blow and remove, no big cuts or big fills,\\nno tunnels to bore and very few bridges to build\\nall that is to be done is to get tw^o or three dozen\\nor more Italians (alw^ays to be had) and have them\\nshovel up a road of sand, level off the top, put\\ndown the ties, put on the rails and rolling stock,\\nand then charge five cents a mile for passengers\\naud from two to five cents per hundred pounds per\\nmile for freight. This does not look like specu-\\nlation, does it? It does look a good deal like ex-\\ntortion though, don t it Where two railroads come", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0146.jp2"}, "147": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 143\\nInto competition, rates are more reasonable, but\\nstill much higher than in the Norths\\nWHAT WE EAT, AND WHERE WE GET IT,\\nThe inhabitants of Florida are a good deal like\\nother people concerning their diet. They are just\\nas fond of good eatables as any person else, but\\nthe best thin^js cannot always be had, they there-\\nfore eat what ever they have and get it wherever\\nthey can. They generally haVe plenty of Florida\\nbeef, and some Florida pork they usually haVe\\nplenty of sweet potatoes (hot always) and some\\nIrish potatoes (in season) they have snap beans,\\ntoW peSiS, cucumbers, tomatoes, water and mush\\nmelons, turnips, some cabbage, and a few other\\nvegetables they also have oranges and guavas\\nplenty when they dont freeze a few lemons, banan-\\nas, pine apples, some strawberries, and few other\\nfruits and berries in certain localities. These thing-s\\nare produced at home.\\nWheat, flour, corn meal, corn grits, ham, bacon,\\napples, and nearly all the substantials of life they\\neat, but all these things niust come from abroad.\\nThey also eat dried frUits, jams, jellies, canned\\nfruits and me^ts. These are all imported. Good\\nbutter cannot be had here the natives butter is lit-\\ntle, if any better than grease, and by the time\\nNorthern butter gets down here, it is not much bet-\\nter. The native beef during the greater part of the\\nyear is very poor, and to ship Northern beef here\\neither on the hoof or in quarters, is kind of sorry", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0147.jp2"}, "148": {"fulltext": "144 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nmeat too.\\nNow as to Florida betf. To have it, all that is to\\nbe done is to l^ill a cow, no matter in ^vhat con-\\ndition, whether fat or poor, when cut up it is Flor-\\nida beef. I have seen plenty of cows (cattle) kill-\\ned here and ate that in the North would have been\\ncalled very poor stock cattle. The cattle that are\\nkilled for beef are not all of this class, but in the\\nwinter and spring very many are quite poor in the\\nsummer and fall they are in better condition, and I\\nhave seen them so fat that there was some signs of\\ntallow on the kidneys. The native pork is much\\nbetter than the beef, and yet I have seen hogs\\nkilled here for pork that there was not enough ot\\nlard in them tn fry them these however are the\\nexceptions. There are some fine t^at little hogs here\\nand they make rather nice eating, (if you don t like\\nthe fat little hog you may read it, the little fat hog.\\nAs to the vegetables grown here, very few of\\nthem are first-class. They nearty all have a tough-\\nness about them, the cabbage particularly so. The\\ntomatoes, cucumbers, turnips, radishes, c., have\\nnone of that crispness about them that first-class\\nvegetables have even the watermelons have a\\nsoggy appearance and taste. Oranges are good,\\nfirst-class than which I suppose none better in the\\nknown world. Bananas, what few are raised here\\nare a fair quality so are the pine apples. Sweet\\npotatoes are only fair, more like yams in th^^", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0148.jp2"}, "149": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 145\\nNorth. Irish potatoes, as a general crop, are not\\na success either in quantity or qualit} Nearly ail\\nthe lard and butter used in the State, is shipped\\nhere Irom the North, and you can form some kind\\nof an idea of the condition it is in when it reaches\\nour market and remains sometimes for weeks in a\\ntemperature wdth the thermom.eter up in the nineties\\nAs to light bread, ycu seldom see it a kind of bread\\ncalled light, (that is it is light in weight) is made\\nand sold by the bakers hot bread in the shape\\not biscuits three times a day or as often as you eat,\\nFlorida beef, corn grits, condensed milk and butter-\\nin e wdth either sweet or Irish potatoes and coffee or\\ntea is the usual meal sometimes the meat is omit-\\nted at breakfast when fish (mullet) takes the place\\nthereof. Sometimes this bill of fare is varied for\\nsupper or dinner for that matter, and you will make\\na right good meal on bologna sausage, cold bis-\\ncuits or crackers, using for drink pure c I al-\\nmost wrote cold lake w^ater, and sometimes you will\\nget something that is real palatable in the shape of\\na boned catfish, stuffed opossum or roast of venison\\nthe fact of this whole business is, the native Flori-\\ndian and for that matter all who are in the State,\\neat whatever they have that is eatable and gets it\\nwherever they can. They get it honestly if possible\\nto do so, but they all get a living somehow^ As a\\ngeneral thing all the butters, jellies, jams and\\nilainties are missing here there is one production\\nihat there is a good deal of noise about here.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0149.jp2"}, "150": {"fulltext": "H6 FLORID A AS IT IS.\\nTHE CASAVA PLANT,\\nA root from which tapioca is made, I think\\nperhaps this is like many other things here, for I\\nhave made diligent search and inquiry to find out\\nwhere and how it grows, and have thus far en^\\ntirely failed to see any of it, or any person that has\\nseen it, yet it may be growing somewhere in the\\nState and some day may be profitable, who knows f\\nFERTILITY OF THE SOIL.\\nSpeaking generally, the soil of Florida is of a\\npoor kind of quality. There is not one acre in\\ntwenty, and I doubt if there is one in a hUhdred\\nthat will pay to cultivate in anything at all without\\nfertilizer, except the reclaimed marsh lands. Every-\\nthing you plant, (sweet potatoes excepted) must be\\nfertilized, and it does not hurt the sweet potatoes to\\nfertilize them a litde if you would get a good crop,\\nand unless you do fertilize you will get no crop,\\nand with all the care, cultivation aiid cost, the\\nbest thing you can do your crop when raised will\\nsell for very little, if any more than it cost to raise\\njt, in any case it will not anymore than pay for\\nyour labor and attention, besides the cost of raising\\nas before stated. There is nothing made here in\\neither agricultural or horticultural pursuits, and\\nnearly all of that kind ot work that is done in the\\nState is done in small patches and lots, if nursed,\\nfed and fertilized all it will bear or take up, then it\\nmay be only a patch fifteen or twenty feet square\\nthat has received the very best attention and has", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0150.jp2"}, "151": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 14 7\\nproduced a big crop for the size of the place, now\\nan estimate is made on what can be grown on an\\nacre, but nothing is said about the care, attention,\\nc., thus leaving people at a distance under the\\nimpression that by ordinary cultivation such crops\\ncan be raised almost anywhere in the State, when\\nthe facts are that by ordinary cultivation nothing\\nat all can be raised why the land is so poor in\\nmany places that even weeds will not grow.\\nFERTILIZER.\\nNearly everything here is utilized for fertilizer,\\nand any and everything in the shape of manures\\nand droppings of man, beast and fowls are utilized.\\nA very good way to fertilize a small plot of\\nground, is to fence it, then have some person\\nthat has a small heard of cattle or a bunch of hogs,\\npen them in this lot, (this is called cowpenning\\nland.) If you can keep the stock on long enough\\nthey will fertilize it so that vegetables and even a\\nlittle corn will grow on it. Men or parties who\\nhave a large bunch of cattle proceed in this way to\\nprepare their lands for orange groves, and has\\nproved to be a success in more cases than one. If\\nyou have to hire your cowpenning, it will cost you\\nabout one dollar per month per head, then the cat-\\ntle are penned every night.\\nAnother way is to gather all the cow chips (drop-\\npings) or buy them they sell for about fifty cents\\na barrel pulverize or have them pulverized, and\\napply on the surface of the ground- Horse manure", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0151.jp2"}, "152": {"fulltext": "148 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nis much used for early vegetables bones are gath-\\nered up, broken, ground or burned, and then ap-\\nplied as a top dressing the contents of outhouses^\\nsinks, slops, refused meats, fish offalls, anything\\nthat has, or seems to have any fertilizing proper-\\nties in them, are all thrown on the compost heap\\nor pile and afterwards used as fertilizer. After\\nconsuming all the domestic fertilizer that can be\\nhad, then if the parties have any m.oney they buy\\ncommercial fertilizer Man}^ haul muck from the\\nswamps or muckbeds when not too far off, this,\\nhowever is of doubtful utility, while it doubtless im-\\nproves the quality of the soil, it generally costs\\nmore than it comes to. Fertilizing is the key note\\nto the raising of all the fruits and vegetables of\\nFlorida, and without it nothing of any account can\\nbe raised. It must be applied several times a year\\nand that abundantly and without stint. All the\\nyarns and stories to the contrarv notwithstand-\\ning.\\nCHURCHES,\\nThere are church organizations in nearly all the\\ntowns and many of them have several church or-\\nganizations. The colored people also have churches\\nin nearly, if not all the places that the whites\\nhave. The negros and whites never worship to-\\ngether in the same church. The Methodists seem\\nto predominate the Presbtyerians and Baptists\\nseem to be about alike in numercial strength there\\nare some Episcopalians and a good many Catho-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0152.jp2"}, "153": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 149\\nlies. The negroes are divided between the Metho-\\ndist and Baptists, It rather seems to be fashionable\\nto belong to a church, and in a great many in-\\nstances that I know of church members prostitute\\nthe church or use their membership for quite an-\\nother purpose than it was intended- .A few of the\\nworst scalawags that the writer knows of are\\nchurch members who partook of the Holy Sacra-\\nment of the Lord s Supper on Sunday morning,\\ntook parties in the afternoon of the same day to\\nshow and try to sell them land, and who, on the\\nfollowing week did arrange a villainous scheme to\\nbeat a party out of a large sum of money and he\\nsucceeded in the scheme to a very considerable ex-\\ntent. Another case, that of a local preacher on a\\ncertain Sabbath morning took a party to see a lot\\narranged, then went straight to church and into\\nthe pulpit and preached a sermon. Many other\\nsuch tricks of a similar character are of almost\\ndaily occurrence, and it is not much thought of,\\nonly accounted rather smart. These things are al-\\nways done in such a way that there is not much\\nchance for the party that gets beaten, the laws are\\nsuch that a man can do almost anything he has a\\nmind to in Florida if he has a little money he\\nneed have no particular fear of getting Into trouble,\\nor if he does get into trouble, his money will get\\nhim out.\\nOne day in riding in the cars on the South Flor-\\nida Railroad, in conversation with a gentleman", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0153.jp2"}, "154": {"fulltext": "i^o FLOklDA AS IT IS\\nwho liad lived in the State for a considerable length\\nof time, and who Was then living there and fof\\nall I know is living in the State yet; In the course\\nof our conversation he reniarked that there was\\nmore solid lying done In Florida to the square foot\\nof land than in any other country or State that he\\nknows of. I did not know then whether to believe\\nhim or not, but since livhig here for sotlie time and\\ndoing business with the people, 1 am satisfied that\\nhe spoke the trudi, and might have made it strong-\\ner yet, and still been within bounds, and yet tht^\\nlying is dotie in such a way that at the time you\\ncannot tell or detect it. It is done by magnifying\\neverything and drawing on the imagination td\\ncomplete the picture, and by taking sttiall plots\\nand magnifying them into aCres, as for example\\na certain man raised so many quail of strawberries\\non a square rod of ground, it having the best of\\ncultivation, attention and fertili^^ation, such as\\ncould not have been given to even an acre of\\nground, much less five or ten acres th^ yield oii\\nthe small plot was immense of course, it beiiig all\\ngot up for an advertisement. Well, this small plot\\nwill be mairnified in a verv short space ot time td\\nperhaps twenty acres, and the yield perhaps in-\\ncreased a little, and possibly directly you will be\\ntold that the man raised this crop the first year,\\nafter clearing wild land and that he gave it no\\nspecial attention either. You do not know and\\nhave no means of knowing whether it is true of", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0154.jp2"}, "155": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 151\\nnot, and just as li ^ely as not the very fellow who\\nhas told you all this stufl is an actual active\\nchurch member, or in other words a wolf in sheep s\\nclothing. I don t wish the reader to understand\\nthat I am finding fault with the church for I revere\\nand love it I am only trying to show you a cer-\\ntain class of men who are using the church to ac-\\ncomplish their nefarious ends, and do not under-\\nstand me to say or mean that all the man or mem-\\nbers of churches in Florida are of this class, very\\nfar from it, you will find just as honorable and\\nsquare men here to deal with as you will find an}^-\\nwhere, both in and out of church, but being fore-\\nwarned ou^ht to be forearmed do not invest too\\nquickly and do not bestow your confidence without\\nsome previous knowledge.\\nAnother way of exaggerating is about like this,\\na man has a piece or tract of land for sale, he may\\nwant to sell ever so badly, he will probably tell\\nyou here is a tract of land for which he has refused\\nso much money now this may be so. In this way\\nhe and some person else may have or has an un-\\nderstanding that he shall help to sell the land and\\nget so much when the sale is completed. In your\\ntravels you will probably almost certainly run\\nacross or meet the man who made the offer for the\\nland. It having been previously arranged, but he\\nhe has now bought, but if he had not he would\\nstill give that amount for it this all looks right\\nand square, and if you do not watch mighty closelv", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0155.jp2"}, "156": {"fulltext": "152 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nand sharply, you will be caught right there by this\\nprocess of lying.\\nThere are various wa}- s of telling things so that\\nthey resemble the truth, and having some truth\\nmixed into the story, and the speaker being a\\nchurch member or a member of some order that\\nyou know something about and seeming to be all\\nstraight who will brother you, and nearly every\\nperson he meets, that a g^reat wonder will be, if\\nyou are not deceived, A man may be a real estate\\nman in Florida and be a christian, but let me say\\nright here, it takes a good deal of grace and close\\nwatching to go straight in that business and there\\nis generally more or less room to suspect a man s\\nChristianity. When you find him engaged in the\\nland business in a new country at least it will do\\nno harm to watch him. Notwithstanding all that\\nhas been said and written, there are men in the\\nland business in Florida, some of whom belong ta\\nthe church and other societies^ and others who do\\nnot, who will tell you about as nearly the truth as\\nthey know or understand it, and whose judgement\\ncan be taken everytime and money made by it,\\nthen there are others and plenty of them that 3 ou\\ncannot believe one word they say, and who will\\nfleece you every time they get a chance, some of\\nwhich I could name, but I reckon I will let you do\\nas I did, find out for yourself Land agents in all\\nnewly developing countries are a necessity, but\\nland sharks are of no use to any person but an in-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0156.jp2"}, "157": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 153\\njury to the business and the community in which\\nthey operate.\\nPROFANITY.\\nA large majority of the men, both white and\\nblack use cuss words, when and where they\\nseem to be unnecessary and out of place, at least\\nin a Community that claims to be moral. Some of\\nthe native women and som.e that are not natives,\\ncan sw^ear right smart too, notwithstanding all this,\\nthere are Sunday Schools in nearly all the churches\\nwith a full corps of officers. You also find a band\\nof hope in nearly all places where there is a church\\nand generally a Womian s Christian Temperance\\nUnion. These are all located in the towns and\\ncities. You know, or at least I do, that the rural\\ndistricts, are now, to a certain extent uninhabited,\\nand I guess always will be. Wherever you see a\\nhalf dozen houses and sometimes not more than\\none or two, the place is called a town, city, park,\\n^sola or something that means a great deal more\\nthan it is.\\nPROHIBITION.\\nThere is quite a strong prohibition element in\\nFlorida among both whites and blacks. The law\\non the license business is such that the party ap-\\nplying for license to sell strong drinks and make\\npeople drunk, must have as signers to his petition\\nmajority of all the legal voters in the district where\\nhe proposes to sell, and any and every town, city,\\ndistrict or county has the right to vote once a j ear.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0157.jp2"}, "158": {"fulltext": "154 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nwhether license shall be granted in said place or\\nnot. Should license be granted in any case the\\nsaid license will cost the parties in no case, less\\nthan five hundred dollars and may cost that many\\nthousand. As I understand it, these licenses con-\\nsist of three parts. First, the State license; sec-\\nond the district or county license, then the city or\\ntown license, the State and county license com-\\nbined is three hundred dollars in all cases. The\\ncity or town license may be only tw^o hundred dol-\\nlars, no less by the statute, but the city or town au-\\nthorities may by law, make the license as much\\nhigher as they choose and in a number of cases they\\nmake it so high that it almost amounts to total pro-\\nhibition. The fine for selling strong drinks contra-\\nry to law is heavy, and the law is enforced about\\nas well as any other law in the State and my ob-\\nservation is that all laws, particularly such as have\\na fine connected with them, are rigidly enforced,\\nand in many cases summarily, I account for this\\nin this way That all the laws, or nearly so, that\\nhave a fine in money attached, the informant gets\\nhalf the fine this being the case, it is a source of\\nmoney making, and as there are a good many\\npeople in Florida who are too lazy to work, they\\nw^atch the misdoings of others and make it profit-\\nable.\\nKITCHEN HELP, WASHING, C.\\nFlorida is a hard place for women to live in,\\nunless their circumstances are such that they are", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0158.jp2"}, "159": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 155\\nfiot obliged to work, The labor of cooking, wash-\\ning and doing general house work, is much more\\nlaborious and fatigueing than in the North. The\\nexreme natural heat in connection with lires neces-\\nsary to do much of the household work, makes the\\nlabor almost unendurable and the very great dif-\\nticully of getting efficient help in the house, and\\nenormous prices you must pay for it, puts it beyond\\nthe reach of people in ordinary, or even moderate\\ncircumstances, and should you be able to obtain\\nhelp at all, they (the help) must superintend or\\nboss the kitchen and on the least provocation, and\\nsometimes without iany at all, they will leave you.\\nOrdinarv kitchen work, sUCh as cooking, washing\\ndishes, etc., will cost from four to ten dollars per\\nweek, then you must furnish a separate room and\\nboard the party, and with all the watching you\\ncan do, they will take aWay (steal) fully half as\\nmuch as their wages amount to, and about half the\\nlime, they are absent, running the street. You\\nmust i- emember that the house help will in no case\\ndo the washing and ironing this has to be done\\noutside and will Cost you otte dollar per do^en\\npie^C e R of wearin g clothes, towels, etc; iot washing\\nbed clothes they charge more. It must also be re-\\nmembered that the negroes have a kind of secret\\nsociety regularly organized, including both the\\nmen and v. omen, and they meet regularly and fix\\ndieir own prices for doing housework, cooking,\\nVvashing, etc., and they stick right there and to the", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0159.jp2"}, "160": {"fulltext": "1^6 FLORIDA AS I T IS.\\nprices fixed, so you must either do your own work,\\nnot have it done at all or pay the prices, and\\nshould you have help and turn them off ior any\\ncause, you will not be able to get an}^ other until\\nyou agree to take back the one that you turned off.\\nOccasionally you can get white help, but ver}^ sel-\\ndomly, and when it can be had the character of\\nthe parties is generally such that you do not care\\nto have them about you, so here again you find\\nthat unless you have plenty of mone} your women\\nfolks must bear all the burden, which certainly has\\nno tendency to improve either their health or tem-\\nper as the writer ver}^ well knows. Should you\\nhire negroes to clean house or do any other ordinaiy\\nwork by the day, they board themselves, come\\nwhen they get ready and quit when they please,\\nand unless you have the price fixed beforehand,\\nthey will charge you three times what they should,\\nand if you do not pay them on the spot, they\\nV\\\\ill sue you and make you pay more cost than\\ntheir wages amounted to. Remember this is no\\nfancy sketch, but the actual iacts as they occur\\ndail}^ so you see you must not only take the cli-\\nmate of Florida as you find it, but also the house\\nhelp as you can get it or have no houses true you\\ncan board, and not be bothered with house help\\nand your washing in any case will not cost so\\nmuch, but 3 ou will find that a boarding house\\nlife in Florida soon becomes monotonous. This,\\nhowever is Florida as it is, and what are you", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0160.jp2"}, "161": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 1^57\\ngoing to do about it.\\nThere is this can be done, either conform to the\\nhabits and customs or get out of the State in the\\nshortest space of time. Another thing can be said\\nabout the washing of clothes, it takes twice as much\\nwashing as it does in other places, particularly in\\nthe dry season, tne nature of the soil (sand) is such\\nthat it soils clothes quickly, and garments that can\\nbe worn a whole week in the North, must here be\\nchanged two or three times a week, and unless the\\nbath is used every day, a change of under gar-\\nments is necessary every 24 hours to be clean and\\ncomfortable. You will soon see this item of wash-\\ning and ironing is no small thmg in housekeepmg\\nin Florida, and it requires perhaps more clothing\\nhere than it does where the seasons are not so warm\\nfor the reason that the frequent washings and rough\\nhandling wears them out more than the actual wear\\nI will close this article by advising all families who\\nintend cominor here to remain lor some time to\\nbring the help needed around the house, with them\\nand be independent of the natives and negroes.\\nYour outside work you can get done at much more\\nreasonable prices.\\nSOMETHING ABOUT THE COST OF CLEAN\\nING, AND PREPARING LAND FOR\\nORANGE GROVES, AND TRUCK\\nFARMS IN FLORIDA.\\nSuppose you purchase first quality high land us-\\nually covered with a thick growth of yellow pine\\ntrees these must be removed, and a contract is", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0161.jp2"}, "162": {"fulltext": "15^ f^ORlDA AS IT IS.\\nmade to clear the land and prepare it for the pTow\\nthis will cost from 25 to 50 dollars per acre depend-\\niiis: oil whether the stumps are all io be taken out,\\nand also the number of trees on an acre, atid still\\nmore on the aimount of grubbing. ^Should there be\\nmuch saw palmetto (not usually the case on such\\nland) on the land, the timber is worth something\\nprovided it is near a saw mill, then arrangements\\ncan be rrlade to sell the timber on the stump or for\\na certain per cent after it is sawed. The best plart\\nis to sell the stumpage, count the saw frees and get\\nthe money before the trees are cut, for should yoU\\nagree oil a per cent, it is advisable to remain with\\nthe saw mill party. Ifi any case the cleaning of the\\nland will cost about the same, especially if the\\nstumps must be removed which is dilficult ^after the\\ntrees afe off The stumps are removed as follows\\nThe sand is removed from around the roots to the\\ndepth of 12 or 15 inches, the roots are then chop^\\nped off and the tree in tailing often draws out the\\ntap r0ot, otherwise it is ctit off about a foot below\\nthe surface of the groufid, the saiid filled jrf; the\\nroots covered y- atid as pirie roots or stumps hevet\\nsprout they are out of the way for all time to come.\\nYou now see that it is easier to remove the stumps\\nwhile the tree stands, as it helps to pull its own\\nstump, otherwise it must be dug out or cut so low\\nas to be out of the way of the plow. The plowing\\nwill cost from 3 to 5 dollars per acre, fencing from\\n-ts: ^o to $2.00 per rod depending on the kind", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0162.jp2"}, "163": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 159\\nof fence. The land after being grubbed and plow-\\ned should remain without planting for at least one\\nseason, otherwise it will not produce it being wild\\nand sour, unless you stir (plow) it and use fertil-\\nizer. You must fertilize nearly all the time to grow\\nanything. To plant an orange grove, here again\\nthe cost is governed by the kind of trees planted.\\nGood thrifty budded trees three or four years old,\\nwill cost you about one dollar each you can, how-\\never, get trees as low down in price as twenty-five\\ncents a piece that do sometimes make bearing trees\\nin the future. Fifty orange trees to the acre is\\nabout the right amount to plant, although some\\nplant as many as one hundred trees to the acre.\\nAn orange tree should have about as much space\\nof ground to grow on as an apple tree in the\\nNorth.\\nClearing second-class pine land usually costs\\nmore than first-class, for the reason that there is\\nalways more palmetto on it, although not nearly\\nso much timber. The grubbing out of the palmetto\\nroot is quite a job. The tops are not large, being\\nonly a bunch of leaves, but the stems of these leaves\\nare from a foot to four feet long, and some of them\\nare more than an inch through the shape or form\\nof the stem is about half round, having two sharp\\nedges, and the edges are full of teeth the entire\\nlength, something like saw teeth, and are about\\none-eighth of an inch long and sharp pointed and\\nabout as close together as a number twelve saw", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0163.jp2"}, "164": {"fulltext": "i6o FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nteeth the points all turn toward the ground of butt\\nof the stem and are hard and solid as a green briar\\nand cut equally as badly when you come into con-\\ntact with them. The roots of the saw palmetto\\ndo not lie deeply in the ground, that is the main of\\nprincipal root; they, however, have small lateral\\nroots that penetrate the ground to a considerable\\ndepth. The length and thickness of the main root\\nare simply enormous; the fact is, it is hard to find\\nthe farther end of them and if it were not that thev\\nare not entirely underground, you could not find\\nthem at all, they extend for rods and rods, over-\\nlapping and intertwining with, and over each other\\nthus completely covering the ground, in many\\nplaces. They are of a kind of fibrous compositiori\\nand are laminated, or grow in layers and between\\neach layer is a kind of natural cloth that can be\\nseparated into sheets after the matiner of isinglass,\\nand after being separated, it has the appearance\\nof having been woven in a loom; the warp and\\nwoof, or chain and filling are just as plaiftly showil\\nas in a piece of burlap bagging. The .vritef has\\nseen pieces of this stuff or natural cloth over a foot\\nsquare the leaf sow^e-vvhat resembles the palm leaf\\nfan, so common in the North, but is solid only one-\\nthird of its length.\\nWhen you come to grubbing out this kind of\\nstuff and making the land or sand tillable, it will\\ncost you from thirty to eighty dollars per acre, es-\\npecially should it be intermixed, which is very", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0164.jp2"}, "165": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. i6i\\noften the case with hog or scrub palmetto. The\\ntops of this kind look like the saw palmetto, but it\\nis much smaller in the top and teeth, the roots grow\\nstraight down like a beet and are from three to\\nsix inches in diameter, and from one to three feet\\nlong they are much harder to grub out than the\\nother kind.\\nFENCING. PLOUGHING, C., SAME AS\\nBEFORE STATED.\\nHammocK land is much harder to clear and pre-\\npare for a crop or a grove, and will cost more than\\ndouble as much as any other kind of land to clear\\nand prepare for the plow. After being once read}\\nto plant, the expense for fertilizer is not by one-\\nhalf as much as the pine lands the cost of fencings\\nploughing, planting, c., is about the same in ail\\ncases^\\nThe work of cleaning up land here is very labor-\\nious, and but few white men can stand it, or are\\nable to perform that kind of labor, especially in the\\nsummer season, and the negroes work so slowly\\nthat it almost makes even a \\\\ap.y white man tired\\nto look at them working. You see by this descrip-\\ntion ithat the cost of building a new orange grove is\\nquite an item^ and particularly so, should it be a\\nlarge one. After it Is started, about the same at-\\ntention must be given it as a field of corn in the\\nN:rth, and that continually for from seven to ten\\nyears before you begin to get returns worth speak-\\ning of. In addition you must spend for fertili^^- r.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0165.jp2"}, "166": {"fulltext": "i62 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\non each tree, from twenty-five cents to a dollar per\\nyear, depending on the quality of soil it is planted\\non. True, in the meantime vegetables and garden\\ntruck can be raised at the same time after the first\\nyear, provided the right kind of fertilizer is used.\\nIn another part of this book you have learned some-\\nthing about the cost of raising vegetables in this\\nsunny climate, and let me say that what is said\\nabout raising vegetable and all the other things\\nwritten in this book is true. Interested persons,\\nnewspapers, circulars and other stories to the con-\\ntrary, notwithstanding, and proper investigation\\nand unbiased examination will amply prove the\\ntruth of the assertion. I will now give you an ex-\\ntract from a Florida newspaper, headed\\nDOES ORANGE CULTURE PAY?\\nThis is a question which many growers have been ask-\\ning themselves. During the current season of depression\\nin the business, a gentleman in Manatee county, whose\\nname for the present we withhold, has kept books on this\\nbranch of Florida farming, and sends us the result^ which\\nin his opinion, does not militate in favor of the grove. His\\naccount is kept with a five acre grove on good land, under\\nmost favorable circumstances with best attention. Here is\\nthe balance sheet after thirteen years of work\\nORANGE GROVE, DR.\\nTo first cost near a railroad and growing town\\n5 acres at $50 per acre, f 250 00\\nTo cost of clearing land, grubbing, felling tim-\\nber, removing stumps, plowing and clear-\\ning, 250 00\\nTo fencing, hog proof, 150 00\\n300 trees and setting same, 100 00\\ncultivating trees ten years, man and horse", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0166.jp2"}, "167": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 163\\nhalf time, ploUghiDg, hoeing, hauling fer-\\ntilizer and applying, repairing fence^ trim-\\nming, etc., $150 per pear, 1500 00\\nTo horse in hauling, ploughing, etc one half\\ntime^ 900 00\\nro cost of fertilizer, average 10 cents to tl*ee^\\n300 pounds a year, 10 years 30.000 pounds\\nsay $20 per ton-, 300 00\\nITo repairing fence estimate, 26 00\\ninterest on capital average of $1500,00 for\\nten years, 900 00\\nTo use of land ten }\u00e2\u0082\u00acars fof Vegetable culture\\nand other purposes, worth $100 per acre\\nper }ear, being for five aci*es for ten years, oOOO 00\\nTo additional iab^or, doable after ten years and\\ndouble amount of fertiliser up to thirteenth\\nyear, man and horse three years $1000,00,\\nfertilise. $100, 1100 00\\nTotal cost and outlay at end of 13th year $10175 00\\nORANGE GROVE, CR,\\nl5y yield 8th year, estimate to average to tree\\ntotal 30,000 at $5 00, 150 00\\nBy yield 9th yeat double-, 300 00\\niOth 600 00\\n11th 1200 00\\n12th 2400 00\\n13th 4800 m\\npossible yield of vegetables for three years-,\\naverage h^lf iro|) amon^ the trees, $50 per\\n^aere, 750 00\\nTotal incofi^le^ $10200 00\\nSo that at the end of the thirteenth year under the most\\nfavorable circumstances, a man has barely got his money\\nback. Under unfavorable circumstances, trees are so set\\nback by the cold, drought, disease and insect life that at the\\n^nd of ten years are not bearing, or at the end of the fifteentli\\nyear they do not bear, and time and money are thrown away.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0167.jp2"}, "168": {"fulltext": "164 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nI see raany instances of this kind The readers can study\\nthe above balance sheet and draw their own conclusions.\\nPOPULATION.\\nThis is one of the things that there is no certain-\\nty about. You go into any small place in the State,\\nask how many inhabitants are in the place and near-\\nly every one asked gives a different amount. Each\\ntown or city wants to be as big if not bigger than\\nthe other town, and my opinion is that were you to\\ngo to each town and city in the State and take the\\nbiggest figures that are given of each place, say\\nnothing of the rural districts, as few people live\\nthere and add them together, you probably would\\nhave six or eight million inhabitants in the State,\\nbut when we come to solid facts, the census of\\n1880 gives as the population of the State (269,493)\\ntwo hundred and sixty-nine thousand four hundred\\nand ninety-three. The population has no doubt\\nincreased some in the last live or six years, but not\\nto any great extent, so you perceive that there is\\nnot such a tremendous amount of people in Florida\\nas many interested parties would have you believe.\\nTOURIST OR TRAVELLERS\\nUsually start at Jacksonville, goes up the St.\\nJohns River to Sanford, then by the South Florida\\nRailroad to Tampa, then to Charlotte Harbor or\\nCedar Ke3 s by way of the Gulf of Mexico and\\nthen by the F. R. N. C. Railroads to Gaines-\\nville, to Ocala, Silver Springs, Leesburg, Eustis,\\nTavares, Baldwin and Calahan, then returns to\\nJacksonville. Sometimes they take time to run up", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0168.jp2"}, "169": {"fulltext": "FLO RIDA AS IT IS. 165\\nto St. Augustine, then they, in their judgement or\\nestimation, have seen about all of Florida, and form\\ntheir conclusions accordingly, when in fact they\\nhave seen and know but little about it. Your trip\\nup the river gives you the idea that Florida is little\\nelse than marsh, water and low lands. At a few\\nplaces you get glimpses of the country, but most of\\nit is vast stretches of sw^amp land, cypress swamps,\\ncabbage palmetto, live oak, magnolia, pine trees\\nand black murky water, for the St. Johns River is\\nby no means a clear water stream, though I recon\\nno person ever saw its waters muddy then at San-\\nford, you board the train and until you arrive at\\nWinter Park and Orlando you pass through a\\nsandy country that to Northern eyes, does not seem\\nto be good for much, and I am not sure but the\\nideas then formed, are very nearly correct then\\nfrom Orlando until you arrive at Kissimmee, the\\nmost of the land is flat pine woods and unless in\\na dry time, most of it is under water, notwithstand-\\ning all this, some of the very best lands in the\\nState, are right here in the neighborhood of Kis-\\nsimmee City, but you run right on to Bartow, and\\nhere you will find a superabundance of sand that\\nwill not impress you very favorably, and away you\\ngo to Tampa or to Charlotte Harbor it is still\\nsand. You ask the price of land here and the fig-\\nures will be such as to mal^e you open your eyes in\\namazement, and you will surely think the parties\\nare jesting, but on further inquiry you will find it", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0169.jp2"}, "170": {"fulltext": "i66 FLORIDA As iT IS.\\nis reality, and if you wish to own any real estate*\\ncomposed of sand in that neighborhood, you will\\nhave to come down with the cash to the amount of\\nthe price asked, of some other man will oWn it\\nwhile you are thinking about the trade you cannot\\nsee (or any person else for that matter) what in the\\nworld makes this land sO valuable yoii soon get-\\ndisgusted with the place and leave for Cedar Keys.\\nThis place you have heard and read abouc atid the\\nchances are that when you get there, yau will be\\nso much disapf)ointed that yoli will iiot even ask\\nthe price of real estate at all, but will leave by the\\nfirst traiti for Gainesville. Here you vviil probably\\nbe disappointed, too, but it will be the other way,\\nthe place being so much better tlian expected I\\ndo not mean the land, for that is still sand, but the\\nbuildings and the enterprise and business of the\\ntown* It is more like a Northern tov/n than any\\none 1 have seen m the State. The town is well\\nlaid off, the streets are wide and good board and\\nbrick pavements are laid all over the business part\\nof the town, as well as on many of the sti eete wi^ere\\nthe private residences are, and many of the build-^\\nings are of brick and well built; you will also find\\nthat property here is held at very high figures, so\\nthat a man of ordinary means must look elsewhere..\\nFrom here you will go to Waldo. Here is said to\\nbe the largest orange tree in the State, which is-\\nsaid to have yielded at a single crop as many as\\nthirty thcusand oranges. About this time you will", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0170.jp2"}, "171": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 167\\nbe about ready to return to Jacksonville, or it may\\nbe you will visit Silver Springs, Ocala and some\\nother places, but in any event you will soon return\\nto the starting point. After a review of the trip,\\nyou will possiblv begin to think that there is either\\nnot much in this Florida business or that you have\\nmade a mistake in the route taken. You did make\\na mistake in the route, and as for there not being\\nmuch in it, you may be more than half right in\\nthat also.\\nOn your first arrival at Jacksonville you should\\nhave gone direct to Gainesville by rail, then either\\nbought or hired a horse and buggy there, got some\\nman (and there are plenty of them to be had by\\nsimply bearing their expenses) that was well ac-\\nquainted with the country, and then drove abou^\\nthe county, gradually working Southward by way\\nof Orange Lake, Citra, Micanopy, Ocala, Wier\\nLake, Leesburg, Eustis, Maitland, Tavares,\\nApopka, Ocoee, Gotha, Lake Butler, and so on as\\nlong as your inclination and time would allow and\\nyour money in your purse held out, in the mean-\\ntime talking to everybody and anybody that will\\ntalk to you, ask all the questions you can think of\\nand ask the same questions of different persons,\\nand do not pass the negroes by, they very often\\ncan, and will give you information that is obtain-\\nable in no other way. A sojourn in the State of\\ntwo or three months in this way will give you more\\nminute and correct information concernincr the ins", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0171.jp2"}, "172": {"fulltext": "i68 l^LORlDA AS IT IS,\\nand outs, advantages and disadvantages of it than\\nyou could obtain in ariy other way in double or\\neven quadruple the time, in fact there is no other\\nway to find out all about Florida and the people of\\nthe State, but to go there and mingle with them^\\nand as to safety ot a persons life and property, you\\nare just as safe in almost any part of Florida, (if\\nyou conduct yourself properly) as you would be\\nanywhere else in the United States, and a great\\ndeal safer than many places I know of that boast\\nof their high state of morality and civilization.\\nACCLIMATATION.\\nPersons may come to Florida in the late fall\\nseason and remain until early spring and escape\\nany and all bad effects from change of climate, or\\nsometimes they can take a tour of a month or two\\nat almost any season or time of the year, and not\\nfeel any change so far as their bodil} condition i?*\\nconcerned, but to come and remain here for a year\\nor more, 3^our system Will, and must undergo s\\nclimatic change, and this change usually SnoWS it-^\\nself by affecting the botvels and sometimes very\\nseriously, or by a spell of a kind of low type of\\nfever or by sores and boils, particularly on the\\nankles and legs and by the sand or Florida itch,\\nwhich It will be almost miraculous should you es-=\\ncape the latter. Should you remain in the State\\na whole year at one time, this acclimatation, while it\\nsddomproves fatal, is very annoying, A little", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0172.jp2"}, "173": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 169\\npimple with a yellow spot or head will rise, say on\\nyour ankle or somewhere between the ankle and\\nthe knee nt is a small bit of a sore not worth mind-\\ning at first, but in a day or two it inflames and en-\\nlarges so that in a very short space of time it is an\\nopen sore that you could not cover with a silver\\ndollar, and if the proper remedies are not applied,\\nit will e?ftend all around the leg, and perhaps you\\nwill not get this sore healed until another one\\nstarts on the other le^ or on your arm^ and fre-\\nquently these sores are on both legs and arms at\\nthe sam.e time. It is very seldom that any sores of\\nthis kind breaK out on the b^dy, but the body is\\nthe place for the sand itch* Should you have a\\nspell of sickness soon after arriving here, you w^ill\\nprobably escape the sores, but not one in ten escapes\\nthe itch. You cannot imagine how anno3 ing it is\\nto have to rub or scratch, and the more 3 ^ou scratch\\nthe more itchy the parts become you become al-\\nmost wild, and I recon that if ever you felt like\\nsaying cuss tvords^ you will feel like it about this\\ntime. Well, let me tell you, that if you come to\\nFlorida to live and you stay here, you will in all\\nhikiftan probabiuly go through this ordeal. It is\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2an axioiti and self-evident that in changing from\\none climate to another, where the living is differ-\\n-ent, what you eat is different, your habits must\\nchange with the country\u00e2\u0080\u0094 almost everything is\\nchanged, and consequently your system must\\n:hange to conform to the climate this, then is b.-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0173.jp2"}, "174": {"fulltext": "I70 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ncoming acclimated, and it is a law of nature that\\nmust, and will be obeyed, you, however, by proper\\ncare in eating, do not overindulge in anything, ex-\\npose yourself as little as possible-to the direct rays\\nof the sun, remain indoors in the heat of the day,\\nand by observing natures laws carefully and close-\\nly, you will thus become acclimated without any\\nserious trouble to yourself or any person else,\\nWHO SHOULD GO TO OR VISIT FLORIDA.\\nAll persons who have an abundance of money,\\nand who make a business of spending their sum-\\nmers at Northern watering places, such as Sara-\\ntoga, White Mountains, Deer Park, Ocean Grove,\\nand other such places in order to spend their money\\navoid the extreme heat of summer and thus enjo}\\nlife by going to Florida and spending the winter\\nseason. There you will avoid the extreme cold\\nand freezing winters of the North, and can bask\\nin the sunshine of Florida to your hearts content,\\nand have all the out and indoor enjoyment you\\nwant, provided you have plenty of money.\\nFlorida in the true sense of the word, is a winter\\nresort and that is about all it is. You now perceive\\nthat the pleasure seekers should all come here in\\nthe winter season.\\nHUNTING AND FISHING.\\nThe parties who delight in hunting and fishing,\\nand who care nothing for time or much how they\\nlive, should come here and hav^e a good time gen-\\nerally, as game and particularly fish, in many parts", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0174.jp2"}, "175": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA As IT IS. 171\\nare plenty and with a little manoeuverin^^ and exer-\\ntion, game and fish enough, with pelts and alli-\\ngator hides, call be caught and sold to keep soul\\nand body together. I know of no place that would\\nsuit people of the above class any better than in\\nFlorida.\\nSPECULATORS.\\nThe parties who niake a business ot speculating\\nn a business Way ifi lanlls in towns i^nd lots, can\\nfind no better iieid to ply their Vocation in, provid*\\ned they have money to pay as they go, they will\\nmake money rapidly, provided their judgement is\\ngood and propei l} exefCised*\\nSick and feeble persons who are afflicted with\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0asthmalic and pulmonary troubles are often bene-\\nfited and sometimes entirely cured by spending\\ntheir winters in Florida, provided the}^ come here\\nbefore the disease becomes too deeply seated. The\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0trouble with this class of people is that they tfy aM\\nhe home remedies that thev can get hold of before\\ncoming here, and by this time it is very often toe\\nlate, and the climate of Florida or any other di-\\noiate will not do tliem ?ny good. If you Come at\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2al k ^^on^ie whefe iht disease is in its first stages,\\notherwise you ha^ better stay at Kome. Every\\nperson that has the time and money to spend should\\ntake a trip to Florida and then they will know\\nsomething about it and can judge for themselves\\nabout what kind of a place it is and what kind of a\\n*climate it has.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0175.jp2"}, "176": {"fulltext": "172 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nTIME TO COME.\\nThis depends a good deal on what you are going\\nto Florida for. If on a tour or visit, one time is as\\ngood as another I would say come whenever you\\nplease. If, however, to remain in Florida a year\\nor more, come in the fall, either in October or\\nNovember for the reason that the acclimating pro-\\ncess (which all who come here from a distance and\\nremain here must expect to go through) will be\\nlikely to affect you much less severely than at any\\nother time let me here say, if you think of becom-\\ning a citizen of Florida, whether you have a family\\nor not by all manner of means go and see it and\\nremain until satisfied that it is a better place than\\nwhere you now are, and then move there and not\\nuntil then. Should you find or thmk Florida not\\nthe place, then remain at the present location, or\\nseek a home elsewhere.\\nWHO SHOULD NOT COME TO FLORIDA\\nExcept to see it. Persons who are well situated\\nin the North, or who are in moderate circumstances\\nhaving a comfortable home, and doing well enough\\nhad better let well enough alone. The mechanic\\nwho can make a living in the North, cannot better\\nhis condition here for the reason that wages are no\\nbetter than where he is. The clerk has no busi-\\nness here at all except in isolated cases for the\\nreason that hundreds of men in delicate health\\ncome to Florida for their health, who not having a", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0176.jp2"}, "177": {"fulltext": "F LORIDA AS IT IS. 173\\nsuperabundance oi lucre attempt to help out same\\nby clerKing or any light work they can find. Many\\nof them will work or clerk for their boarding and\\neven less, as whatever they do make or get, is\\nthat much ahead. Many of them are first-class\\nclerks, so you see there is no use of clerks, and they\\nshould not come, if to better their conditions be the\\nobject.\\nSCHOOL TEACHERS,\\nSchool teachers get better wages in almost any\\nother State than Florida, yet there are s^me good\\nschools here and the people brag considerably\\nabout their educational institutions.\\nDAY LABORERS.\\nDay laborers need not be idle here unless they\\nwant to wages, however, are no better for gener-\\nal work than they are in the North. About the\\nonly advantage a day laborer has, he need not\\nlose much time b}^ reason of snows and bad weath-\\ner, and if he can stand the heat, he might do about\\nas well here as elsewhere, but no better.\\nSICKLY PERSONS.\\nEspecially if much reduced by reason of sickness\\nexcept as before stated, should not come here, for\\nthe change will be more likely to do harm than\\ngood, particularly if the person has not an abund-\\nance of money, for they will find that the cost of\\ncomfortable living is high, and as the worry on ac-\\ncount of the expense of living and enormous bills\\nthat the doctors will charge, will, in all probability", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0177.jp2"}, "178": {"fulltext": "m FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\naggravate the disease and make it worse instead of\\nbetter, and here an idea occurs to me that if your\\nfamily physician, who knows all about your system\\nand has had a chance to note all the symptoms and\\nfacts connected therewith, cannot do you any good.\\nIt does seem to me to be the heighth of folly to\\nsuppose for a moment that a strange doctor who\\nknows nothing at all about you or jour case, should\\nbe able to do you much, if any good, so in m}^\\njudgement 3^ou had better remiain at home and save\\nyour time and money.\\nTHE LAZY MAN.\\nThe lazy man will find his business entirely over-\\ndone all through the State, and will find no open-\\nings to pursue his calling. There are most too\\nmany lazy people here now, both male and female\\nMERCHANDISING.\\nThe handling of dry goods, groceries, boots and\\nshoes and indeed all kinds of merchandising ig\\noverdone in all parts of the State that I have been\\nin or can hear of. The general complaint is, that\\nthere are more stores than the place affords, conse-\\nquently the merchant need not come here expect-\\ning to make a big fortune at the business, and if\\nhe does come in the faice of all this, he will in the\\nend, in nine cases out of ten reap disappointment\\nand loss.\\nSTOCK RAISING.\\nIn some parts of the State, particularly in the\\nextreme Southern counties, there are large cattle", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0178.jp2"}, "179": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 175\\nranches, and certain parties make a business of\\nraising cattle. There are parties who own from\\na few hundred head to many thousands, I\\nsuppose this is so, because a number of people say\\nit is so. These cattle have no special care, but run\\nat large the whole year around at certain times in\\nthe year, these cattle are, what is called rounded\\nup, coralled and branded. Each owner has a\\nbrand peculiarly his own. This brand is recorded\\nin the archives of the State and all cows (cattle)\\nhaving this brand, belongs to the party owning\\nsaid brand. No two brands dare, or can be alike.\\nThe native ca Ule or cows of Florida are all small,\\nthe best of them being not much better than a good\\nyearling calf at the North,\\nIn the winter season the cattle become poor dur-\\ning the late summer and fall they are in much bet-\\nter condition. The best of these cattle are selected\\nout, gathered up and driven Northward in the State\\nuntil the owner finds a market for them. They\\nusually have from thirty to fifty in a bunch, and sell\\nthem to butchers, who cuts them out, (as they call\\nbutchering here). These cows sell for, from five\\nto ten dollars a head, depending more on age than\\nquality. You observe that this sandy country and\\nwarm climate does not produce either large or fat\\ncattle, nor do they bring big prices, and yet they\\nbrin\u00c2\u00a3^ all they are worth, because they are not\\nworth more than they bring. Often the beef in the\\nmarkets here is something like this Take a poor", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0179.jp2"}, "180": {"fulltext": "l^6 FLORIDA As IT IS.,\\nsteer or cow from among the poorest stock cattle:\\nyou can find in the North, kill and cut up, and\\nyou have something a good deal like the Florida\\nbeef, especially that which is killed here during\\nthe winter and early spring. As befors stated the\\nCattle are in much better condition in summer and\\nfall, consequently the beef is better, but Florida\\nbeef at its bestj would be considered sorry stuff in\\nthe North, and so it is in Florida.-\\nThe Florida pork is better than the beef, partic--\\ntilarly so when the hogs are penned v/hen they\\nare left run at large, the meat is a kind of a red-\\ndish yellow color* This is caused by by the hogs\\neating what is called paint foot, which grows wild\\nin this country. This paint root grows something\\nlike the artichoke of the North the roots are small\\nand seem to be mtieh hunted, after by the wild\\nhogs, which devour them greedily with the above\\nresult to the meat. It is said the meat is perfectly\\nhealthy it may be, I ivaJit but little of it in mine.-\\nThe iiMive hog when full growiJ and iti ordinary\\ncase, will average in weight about fifty pounds. If\\nis a very large one indeed, and very lat, that will\\nweigh one hundted pounds. There are a number\\nof hogs running wild in the wild lands of Florida.\\nThese are common property, btrt are generally so\\ngaimt and wild that they are about as hard to shoot\\nas deer, or any other wild game, and alter 3^ou\\nhave them, they are not of much account.\\nAn extract from the Times Union, a daily paper", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0180.jp2"}, "181": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 1 7 7\\npublished at Jacksonville, Florida, in their issue of\\nSept. 4th, containing the following on stock rais-\\ning:\\nStock raising id I^lorida is much discussed in the news-\\npapers and in private circles, but upon few subjects so much\\ndiscussed is there manifest so great degree ot ignorance of\\nthe merits of the question.\\nThe climate condition of the country, the varieties of vege*\\ntation, the drouths that some se isons preyail, and rains at\\notiiers, covering the entire surface with w-iter f^r miles in ex-\\nlent; the Hies that goad the cattle to frenzy at times, aud rob\\nthem of their life bloodv; the msed of proper food at some\\nseasons, and not least the fact that the Southern cattle fever is\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0endemic in ail portions of the State, and particularly in the\\nSouth, a disease that all cattle in this State at some period of\\ntheii* lives must undergo, and which in one-half the cases ter-\\nminate fatally with imported cattle aud thus preventing breed-\\ning up from imported blood, are seldom or never taken into\\nHccourit by those who have acquir d their experience in stock\\nraising in other States, and especially in the great plains of\\nthe wps^ There, each blade th it springs from the soil, is as\\nnutritious as the blue grass of Kentucky, or the white clover\\nof the Northern pastures, and when the rains have ceased and\\nthe frosts have come, its nutriment is not dissipated, but parch\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2ed and dried^ still give food to the flocks and nerds, but in\\nFlorida not more than tliree-fitths of what grows in the water-\\nsoaked ground, contains any nutriment, and if we are to give\\ncredit to the actions of the men who have the care of Florida\\ncattle, the dried vegetables are only fit to light the ilames that\\nstrip the whole regions of their summer growths.\\nOn the plaines and in the pastures of the Northern States\\ncattle can find dry beds on whi-ch to repose and ruminate,\\nbut in -Florida there occur seasons when the cattle would need\\nto t ravel miletj to find a dry spot on which to lie, and then\\n1iei (5Qr3 are often compelled to make their bed on a fallen log\\nor upon a pile of bashes and grass, where they may secure\\nsuch sleep as tkey can in the midst of swarms of mogquitoes\\nand flies.\\nThese lands may answer for cattle pastute during the dry\\nseason; for there does come times wben it may require as many\\nmiles to find water for drinking, as in the v/et seasons to secure\\nthe dry place for the stock to Up upon. Kvery stackman nra!=t\\nadmit that dry land on which the cattle may lie. as well a\u00c2\u00ab\\neasy accees to water lor drinking purp( ses, are absolute nu.-c^s-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0181.jp2"}, "182": {"fulltext": "178 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nsities for the health of stock. If our position on this point be\\ncorrect and the character of the country, such as those who\\nhave ridden over many miles of it describe it, then it follows\\nthat this is not a stock region of great value. It might be\\nused advantageously in connection with dry lands to which\\nthe cattle might retreat for resting places; and it may be\\ndrained of its covering of water. (It a place can be found to\\ndrain it into.) Ttie noxious vegetation destroyed and the\\nmore nutritious grasses, like Bermuda para and smutt ^^rasses\\nintroduced, and thus become as famous for its grazing qualities\\nas for its genial climate, but in its present condition, it is yery\\ndifferent irom the dry plains, mountain sides and valleys of\\nthe great west, and men should not allow themselves to be\\ndeceived by appearances during such dry seasons as have been\\nduring the past two or three years, or by the flattering ac-\\ncounts of land agents, whose objects are to secure a commis-\\nsion lor selling.\\nCattle raising in Florida may, and should be prominently\\nadjunctive to a more general farming, but from the natural\\nconditions of Florida, it will scarcely reach the position of a\\nleading industry, far less will it ever become the leading\\nstaple product.\\nHORSES.\\nAs before stated are small and will not average in\\nweight much over 600 pounds, but are quite hardy\\nand can stand more work than the general run of\\nhorse ftesh, gentle and docile and do not seem to\\nbe vicious or to have bad habits although tricks\\nwill be learned if not properly handled.\\nFrom what has been written it will be seen that\\nall the domestic animals of Florida are small, some\\nindeed quite small, and little effort is made to im-\\nprove the domestic stock the little effort that has\\nbeen made resulted in failure. A few good bulls\\nhave been brought into the State and turned wdth\\nthe herds, and that was the last heard of the im-\\nported bulls. The forage and climate does not", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0182.jp2"}, "183": {"fulltext": "FLORID A AS IT IS. 179\\nseem to agree with other than the native cattle nor\\ndo I have an idea that the bovines and equines of\\nFlorida can be much improved until Florida be-\\ncomes an agricultural Country where all the cereals\\nand tame gf asses can be grown, and this accord-\\ning to the present nature and climate of the State\\nwill never be\u00c2\u00bb\\nAnd now let Us as^ why it is that Florida is such\\na great place. If it is as so often represented, why\\nis it that the horses, catde, hogs, and many of the\\nwild animals are so small and insignificant? and\\nwhy is it that even with all the fertilizing that can\\nbe done, there is no extra or even large vegetables\\nof any kind grown in the State? but on the con-\\ntrary, the vegetables and nearly everything that\\ngrow^s out ot the ground are of only ordinary or\\ninferior size as compared with the same vegetables\\nand other things in the countries or places in which\\nthe same vegetables and things grow and mature.\\nThis subject of size and maturity of vegetables, etc,\\nis a subject that should not be overlooked by per-\\nsons or parties emigrating from one place to an-\\nother. There certainly is something in it and an-\\nother thing you will see by observing closely, that\\nin all the blowing and booming that interested\\nparties give to Florida, there is very little said\\nabout size and quality, it is all quantity. The\\nreason of this is that size and quality (oranges and\\na few other things excepted,) will not bear investi-\\ngation, therefore they are left in the background.\\nThe quantity misleads, and you take for granted", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0183.jp2"}, "184": {"fulltext": "i8o FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nwhen the quantit} is sufficient, it is understood that\\nsize and quality must, or at least ought to corres-\\npond take for example Mr. John S has\\nten thousand head of fat cattle this is quan-\\ntity you at once conclude that these cattle are\\nlarge and in first-class condition this is size and\\nquality. Now this conclusion is legitimate and\\nnatural, and one that almost an}^ man would arrive\\nat under ordinary conditions, but as before stated\\nin this book, Florida has a climate and also many\\nother conditions peculiarly her own, and these must\\nall be well understood to arrive at true conclusions.\\nI have described the size of cattle in Florida as\\nwell as what the people there call fat beef; now\\nyou see that size and quality has a different mean-\\ning than that conveyed in the notice that Mr. John\\nS had ten thousand head of cattle. This\\nsame comparison or explanation will carry out in\\nnearly all cases where quantity is spoken of, and\\nyou will in a very large majority of the cases find\\nsize and quality ver}- conspicuous on account of,\\nor by reason of ther absence in their description.\\nAnother thing the people in the North are led to\\nbelieve and that is that in Florida the people al-\\nways have an abundance of fresh vegetables, such\\nas radishes, lettuce, spinach, beans, peas, tomatoes,\\ncucumbers, squashes, red beets, melons, turnips,\\nand indeed all kinds of garden sass, the whole\\nyear around that all that is to be done is to go in-\\nto the garden-patch and get whatever you want", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0184.jp2"}, "185": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. i8i\\nand whenever you need it, and also bring right\\nalong a basket of strawberries, a pine apple or a\\nbunch of bananas, figs or pomegranates, oranges\\nor some other tropical fruit. Such, however, is\\nnot the case by any manner or of means, all garden\\ntruck, vegetables and fruit have their seasons and\\nwhile this season is perhaps a little longer and\\ncomes much earlier than in the North, the rotation\\nis very similar to the same products in the North.\\nAll vegetables and seeds that are usually planted\\nin the North in April and May, in this countr}^ to\\nmake a crop, must be planted in January and Feb-\\nruary if planted here much later the hot sun and\\ndry weather prevents their maturing. It is true,\\nhowever, that if you plant in the month of Novem-\\nber and get no frost in December and January,\\n(nearly always frosts in both these months all over\\nFlorida,) 3^ou will sometimes get a few vegetables\\nas a kind of second crop. I have ate watermelons\\nin November taken right from the vine this, how-\\never is the exception, and not the rule. After July,\\nand I may say after June, the vegetable crop in\\nFlorida is over until the following March or April.\\nDo not understand that we do not have an}^ veg-\\netable and tubers in Florida during all these months\\nfrom July to March, for we do have them, but ver}\\nmuch the larger part of them are shipped into the\\nState from other places, but the strong probabilitv\\ns that, unless you have plenty of money at com-\\nmand, you will not indulge much in eating them.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0185.jp2"}, "186": {"fulltext": "182 FLORIDA AS IT ig.\\nWhen Irish potatoes are a dollar a peck, as they\\nhow are, July 2d, 1886, it is not likely that people\\nin ordinary circumstances wil indulge very extrav-\\nagantly or extensively in them. Apples, peaches,\\npears, plums, cherries, grapes,- currants, rasp-^\\nberries, blackberries, gooseberries, and all such\\nfruits and berfies are seldom seen anywhere in\\nFloridia, except in the large towns and then the\\nprice is such as to be only within the reach of com-\\nparatively few of the inhabitants The above\\nnamed fruits and berries, however can be had al-\\nmost any place in the State in the form of canned\\ngoods at tolerably reasonable prices. Considering\\nyou are a long way or distance from y/here they\\ngrowo The facts are that Florida is not now, and\\nin my judgement never will be self-supporting.\\nif it were not that Northern capital is largely in-*\\nvested in speculative enterprises, there would be\\nvery little, if any motiey afloat.- Speculation you\\nknow is no producer (Its plain name is gamb-\\nling), and the money made by speculation does\\nnot by any means, enhance the prodneing qusfMes\\nof the country, but rather retards the progress of\\nany country or town take for example a town any-^\\nwhere that is just newly laid out and is just fairly\\nstarted. CapitalisTs come along and buy a num-\\nber of lots in what should be the business part of\\nthe town it may be under a verbal promise that he\\nwill build and improve so and so, thus he is en-\\nabled to get the lots at a low figure, but as soon 3.^", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0186.jp2"}, "187": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 183\\nhe has the deeds for the lots, he now says, gentlt-\\nmen these lots are mine, and if any person wants\\nthem, they can have them at about so much he\\nwill put his figures at double or treble what he paid\\nfor them. If parties do not want them at these\\ntigures, the lots are put into the hands of an agent\\nand off the owner goes, regular dog in the manger\\nstyle, he will neither improve or allow any person\\nelse to do so unless he doubles his money. Now\\nhis buying these lots does not enhance the pro-\\nducing qualities of these lots one iota, but his buy-\\ning them on speculation has undoubtedly retarded\\nthe progress of the town sometimes to that degree\\nthat persons w^ho would buy and build, go else-\\nw4iere and invest their money where speculation\\ndoes not run quite so high. Many cases of this\\nkind have come under the writers observation down\\nhere in this -sunny climate, but what causes this\\nspeculation? The plain answer is this Booming,\\nlying and misrepresentation, for there is nothing\\nsubstantial to back up the State, no production\\nthat will, or ever can be made to pay in any shape\\nor form whatever as a general crop, and there is\\nnothmg to export from the State that v^ill bring a\\nrevenue. There is not much over a quarter ol a\\nmillion of inhabitants in the State, and the State in\\nitself cannot begin to support what are now here\\nand if you take out of it all the speculating capital\\nand the produce and stuff that is shipped in from\\nthe North and elsewhere, nine-tenths of all her in-", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0187.jp2"}, "188": {"fulltext": "1% FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nhabitants woi)ld be obliged to go somelvhere dsef\\nfor it would be impossible for them to obtain a liv-\\ning in her borders* I ain well satisfied frotn per-\\nsonal observance that there is in value ship|)ed into\\nthe State at least teti dollars to every one that is\\nshipped out of it of its own production* This, no\\ndoubt will seem strange to some of my readers who\\nhave read of the wonderful productions of this\\nwonderful State of Florida, bu! no matter how\\nstrange and startling it m^y appear^ Wheil you\\ncome to investigate this matter closely yoti will\\nfind the facts as sefe forth in t;his book^ t3 be about\\nthe true state of the case^ I will only say lit\\nCONCLUSION\\nThat ctll persons who have a desire to come to\\nFlorida may come, the road is open and it does\\ntiot cost much to get hete, but look Out after you\\ndo get here^ but let me advise all who do come to\\nsee well to k thai you are not misled,- Get all the\\nInfofffiation you. can ivom evety source atia from\\npersonal inspection And ^nves^ig^tio^, ihe^ make\\n1ip yo^lf min4s either to come of stay Ivh^re f6\\\\i\\nare. Slsou ld you come and succeed well^- if you\\ndo not succeed ^ell, jou iviD have to feiame some-\\nbody other than the wtiter^ for if, after having\\ncarefully read this little book 3 Oti are still in the\\ndark, then nothing but sad experience will enlight-\\nen you.\\nAnd now the writers task is finished how well\\nit is done is for the reader to judge, and for the\\nvisitor, tourist and emigrant to Flori^ja to know,-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0188.jp2"}, "189": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 185\\nEspecially the latter*. The book is not w ritten in\\nhigh flowh lailgUdge of filled with rounded perior-\\natioHvS, the aim has been to write so that any, and\\nall who read this booK will-, of can understand it.\\nSome parts seem to be tautological this the writer\\ndeemed necessary to the proper and full understand-\\ning of these pfirticular parts\u00c2\u00bb Again the writer is\\nwholly responsible for th e entire work, except parts\\nof tw^o ietVeis quoied of Copied ^^nd the balance\\nsheet on orange groVe. The writer has wriiten\\nentirely from persoVial knowledge, observation au d\\nhis own judgement^ beihg right on the ground\\nWhile writing, and the objecl of the book is the\\ngreatest good to the g^ entest nufAbcr, and if what\\n^s said herein ^v ritten is heeded as it shouMbe^ then\\n\\\\he object will be accomplishted.\\nMoreover the wri tef is well ^aware of the fact\\nthat land agents, land sha^ks speculators and\\nparties who ate iftterested in the sale x Florida\\n^ands (santi), but who in few insl-ailces \\\\lv^ or\\nmake their hom^s there (th C whole yeaf M*o^nd),\\nbut who do make their money tkere-^ w?Il ies y the\\nfacts se^. fo^th m ^h m book, a/kd will n 3 dowbt say\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2all %\\\\:dn%tr of^;kiAgs about Ihc writer, and will cry\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2out, tTr^ali:ist:he Goddess Diana of the Epheseans\\nbecause their shrinks ^and craft m endangered.\\nReader make ^he ap^plicat^o n yourself, B-iit be it\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2known, the writer owes Uo m^an in Florida\\n^anything and he has no favors to ask, or is he\\niiucli afraid oi any person fa^:e to face-. He h^;s", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0189.jp2"}, "190": {"fulltext": "i86 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nbeen, and lived in a good many of these United\\nStates. He has always tried to live as closely to\\nthe golden rule as possible. He has lived long\\nenough in Florida to know that what is written in\\nthis book is about as near the facts as they can be\\nput on paper, and he further knows that a resi-\\ndence of a year or two in the State, will demon-\\nstrate the truth too late however, for this book to\\ndo the demonstrator or experimenter any good,\\nonly he will then know if he had given proper at-\\ntention to what was written in the book, he would\\nhave saved time, money and perhaps health such\\nis Florida as it is. The Author.\\nAPPENDIX.\\nDogs, cats, hogs, and nearly all domestic and wild ani-\\nmals are polluted with mites. These mites look just like\\nsmall fleas. They are black in color, very active ^jump\\nlike fleas, are ver) hard to catch they get on the human\\nbody whenever opportunity offers, and sometimes when it\\ndoes not offer, and when they do get on you, you will think\\nfrom their bite and other movements that they are fleas\u00e2\u0080\u0094\\nand they are fleas, and of the worst kind at that, but they\\nare mites in Florida. These miles or fleas (not chicken\\nlice) that get on domestic fowls, are of a different species,\\nthey have the appearance of those above described only much\\nsmaller. This kind, it is said will not stay on the human\\nbody (I doubt this, however.) They become so numer-\\nous on the fowls at certain times, that unless destroyed by\\nproper remedies, they literally destroy the skin and the fowls\\nwill die. It is said the same remedies that destroy chicken\\nlice will also destroy these chicken fleas.\\nAs before noted, the buzzards are numerous here, and\\nthey are all polluted with mites. This is no doubt\\ntrue, from the fact that if you be to a slaughter pen where\\nbuzzards gather very thickly, they being after the beef of-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0190.jp2"}, "191": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 1B7\\nlallj c soon after they have been there, and in a short\\ntime you will ii id yourself polluted wich mites, and these\\nmites ar^i identical \\\\virh chicken lice. Allj or nearly all the\\nwi d beasts-, and especially the plame birds, herrons, cranes,\\nand such as are so niuch sought after^ killed and dressed\\nfor ladies headgear, are literally polluted with these abom-\\nioable mites and f!eas and I sometimes tbink if the ladies\\nkne vv what kind of messes they wore on their headgear,\\nthese piumes would not be quite so highly prized, but\\nhuman nature is pretty nearly the same all over, and oce-\\niia f the WvjrM d )as not know, or do they c ire mueh what\\nthe othef half eafs of wears-, only so thej get the money for\\nIt.\\nAs to the cattle (cows) I do not know, of could 1 by any\\nmeans fiod out whether or no they were or are infested\\nwith flea\u00c2\u00ab?5 but they are infested with ticks, a kind of a large\\nlouse, have se^n some of these ticks when they had\\nsurkpd themselves full of blood that were as large as a small\\nhi Tkory n\\\\3tj th?. usual si^e of this kind of tick is about the\\nsize of a lars^e sheep louse. There is also another specie?;\\nof tick called a seed tick^, this one is very minute and arc\\nplenty They are a wee mite larger than the red bug, but\\nthey do not seem to be as poisonous as the red bug-, but arc\\nnearly as annoying when they get on you. They are blar-k\\nand can be seen with the naked eye, cv-en before they have\\nfilled theraselve4 when they are full they drop off and wait\\nfor the next victim, whether it be man or beast, they do not\\nappear to have any particular choice on whom -or what\\nthey prey.\\nAs to human body, lice or gray backs I kn-oW n-otmng\\nabout them, neVer having seen one in bU my life, but 1\\nrat^_er sr.pposis they ar^ in Florida also, for nearly all the\\nlittle pestB t know af or have ever heard of, \u00c2\u00ab,re here, and\\nit is not very likely that the graybacks are missing. As\\nto ants, they are here of all sizes, irom the tiny little red\\nfellows to the big winged one that is an inch and a quarter\\nlong, and of all the known species or sorts that are in the\\ntlnited States. There is a red ant that is about one qu^irter\\nof an inch long that gets into the houses same as the little\\ni;-cd ones. These \u00c2\u00bbre very dfstructive and pugnaci vus, nvd", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0191.jp2"}, "192": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS,\\nwhen they get on your person as they frequently do, they bit\u00c2\u00ab\\nor pinch furiously.\\nAbout stinfijing insects. These are not more numerous than\\nin some other parts. I now speak of these insects that have\\nfttiogs in the business end. We have a few bumble bees,\\nhornets, yellow jackets, wasps and a few other stingingr insects\\nThere is also a good many scorpions; this is something ap-\\nparently between a ^maJl sized lizzard and a lurge spider and\\nhas a stins: in its tail and is very poisonous and dangerous.\\nAbout flies: House or common flies are about as tht^y are\\nelsewhere; where much filth is they are plenty, otherwise not\\nso numerous, there are however, very many more ol the large\\ngrayish or blue flies here than I ever saw anywhere else; there\\nare several species of large flies known as clags, that are amon^^\\ncattle and horses of a species that I never saw only here; there\\nare several species of what are called mosquito and fly wasps\\nthat seem to destroy the flies to some considerable extent:\\nsometimes if you are near a herd or bunch of cattle, you\\nwiil hear a noise something like bees swarming and you will\\nsee thousands of these wasps all over ard among the cattle:\\nThe cattle do not seem to mind them at all, and on close\\nwatching you will see these wasps catching flies. As soon as\\na wasp catches a fly, he makes a bee line f-r somewhere; where\\nit goes, or what it does with the fly I do not know. What\\nare called in the North snake sarvers or snake feeders, are\\ncalled mosquito wasps. These mosquito wasps are numerous\\nand so are the mosquitoes, and ri^ht here I would say that\\neither the mosquito wasps do not understand their business,\\nor that there are not enough ot them to do the business, for\\nthere is a very large superabundance of mosquitos left over\\nand above what are destroyed by the wasps, if thcT destroy\\nthem at all. Worms of all kinds except angle worms, are very\\nnumerous. It is almost impossible to keep anything in the\\nshape of dried Iruits or berries, these little crawling pests get\\ninto them and destroy them. Yeast or yeast cakes may be\\ngood when you get or buy them, but in a few days are full of\\nworms; flour and corn meal in a very short time is literally\\ncrawling with worms; spices and even black pepper and to-\\nVjacco becomes wormy the latter two mav seem uncreditable,\\nI did not believe it until I saw it myself. It is impossible to\\nkeep fresh meats of any kind over twelve hours, and I have\\nseen it swarming with maggots in less than six hours from the\\ntime it was killed; without iee and plenty of ice at that, and\\nthe best refrigerators will not keep fresh meets sweet and good", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0192.jp2"}, "193": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nwithout turning green much over forty-eight hours, although\\nmaDy butchers and others do keep and sell it. After the ex-\\npiration of the above mentioned time, how good or healthy it\\nis, I will leave \u00c2\u00a3or you to judge. The fact is, if the people\\nwho visit Florida knew exactly in what condition many of\\nthe things they are eating had been, they would turn fiom\\nthem in disgust. A whole chapter might be written on how\\nbutcherp, and particularly hotel and boarding house keepers\\nprepare their meats for sale and table, but I will dismiss the\\nsubject by simply saying that if it were not f)r charcoal, soda,\\nsmoke and spices, much meat that now goes into tue human\\nstomach would go into the buzzards craw.\\nAn item on faiming in Orange county, Florida. A few days\\nago the writer in conversation with a Florida farmer he\\nsaid he owned a sixteen acre farm within two miles of a lively\\ntown ol twelve hutdred inhabit ants, that eight acres were\\ncleared and under the best of cultivation; it had all been cow-\\npenned and well tramped, that he had quite a number of\\norange trees on it, some of which were in bearing; that part of\\nit was in corn; that it was the best corn he had ever seen in\\nFlorida, (he lived in the State all his life) and he believed it\\nwould make nearly twenty bushels of corn to the acre; that\\nhis buildings were pretty fair log dwelling house and stables\\nthat besides this he had about seventy head of cattle (he said\\nCOWS; Jrom one to twenty years of age, ten or twelve head of\\nhogs and a good many chickens; and that he wanted to sell\\nthe whole outfit; that he must have money, and would take\\nthirteen hundred dollars for the whole business, real estate and\\nall, and make a good and sufficient warrantee deed, and give\\npossession at once. Now the wiiter knows all about this par-\\nticular man and bis place, and further that the man did not\\nmisrepresent anything, and the property seems to be cheap,\\nand is cheap as a speculation, and I know that by a little\\nbooming in this case, a clear thousand dollars could be made\\ninside of six months, yet with all this, T would not take the\\nprice asked and what could be made beside and be compelled\\nto live on this place for two years. Now if you will read the\\nabove over again carefully, you can perhaps read between the\\nlines a good deal more than what there is written on the lines,\\nand perhaps get something that will engage your thinking\\npowers for sometime, and in the end you will perhaps wonder\\nwhat about the end man.\\nYou no doubt frequently hear and read about the prairies ot\\nFlorida; you who live in the North-West know what prairies\\nHre in that country, and form your conclusions at once that;\\nthe Florida prairies aie about the sime. Again, when you", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0193.jp2"}, "194": {"fulltext": "igo FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\ncome to see them, you will find out your mistake as in many\\nother things. What they call prairies here, are well defintd\\ntatural markings generally around cypress swamps, where\\nneither trees or bushes grow, and it is covered with watei\\nabout half the year. It unly differs from Mareh lands in, that\\nit is sandy bottom and nothing will grow on this kind oi\\nland but the poorest kind of grass and not very much ol that.\\nThese so called prairies are from a few yards to several hun-^\\ndred yards wide, or in other words, they extend back from\\nthe cypress swamp until the land becomes high enough that\\nthe pine trees will grow. There is another kind of land that\\nis sometimes called prairie, that is, when as is sometimes the\\ncase, a lake becomes dry from the bottcm falling out or in\\nsome other way. See account of Lake Leyy or Paines Prairie,\\nThis comes much nearer being a prairie, than anything they\\nhave in Florida, but the fart is there is no land in the State\\nthat I, or you either, for that matter would Call prairie land\\nby any means.\\nWhen you come to Florida, before you eat or sleep ascertaic\\nwhat it is going to cost you for a meal or a bed, otherwise\\nyou will probably think you have been oyercharged. Again,\\nif you have a trunk or anything to carry (haul), better make a\\nbargain before *.he work is done, otherwise you will probablj\\npay seventv-iive cents where twenty-five cents should have\\npaid the bill. So, in having any work done of any kind, me-\\nchanical or otherwise, have it well understood what you are\\nto pay, either by the day or Job, and if the amount is of any\\nconsidtJdble size, have the contract in writing and well speci-\\nified, otherwise you will, in all probability have to pay in the\\nend from one-half to double as much more as was agreed upon\\nfor example the writer contracted (verbally) with a party to\\ndo a certain job of mechanical work, spceifiying by drawings\\nhow the work was to be done fo? a specified suM of money\\nto be paid when the work was finished; all well the wor was\\ndone, and not very well done either, the party refused to\\nabide by his contract (there was no witness) and charged by\\nthe day, so that instead of the bill being one hundred and ten\\ndollars, it was run up to within a few dollers of two hundred\\nand there was no other way than to pay or haye a law suit,\\nwhich in Florida, abote all other places, should, and must be\\navoided. Now, had the above verbal contract been in writing\\nand well specified, the writer would have saved about seventy-\\nfive dollars, There was a small amount of extra work that\\nshould have been paid lor, and it was mighty well paid for\\ntoo.\\nMany more instances and examples could be given, particu-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0194.jp2"}, "195": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 19I\\nlarly in setting out groves, clearing up lands, etc., Where the\\nabsf lute necessity of written contracts c^me in and without\\nthem you will certainly get the worst ol the bargain, and with\\nthem the chances are about even to hold your own, and tight\\nmatch too.\\nAnd now 8h{ uld you ever visit Fh^rida, and I hope you will\\nand give heed to the advice given, in a very short time it will\\nsave you many times the price of this little book in ihis one\\nItem alone.\\nUNDERWRITING OR FIRE INSURANCE\\nIn Florida presents a rather singular and perplexing feature,\\nIf the S^ate is so prosperous, so healthy and such an excellent\\nplace to do business in. why is it that nearly al! the old reli-\\nable and substantial fire insurance companies, both in Europe\\nand America, rt^luse to do business in the State? Many of\\nthese companies did start to do business in the State, but after\\na trial ot a year or two, on account of the enormous losses and\\nunprofitableness of the business, c \u00c2\u00bbncelled their policies and\\nwithdrew from the State, and to-day there is no strong, reli-\\nable fire insurance company outside ol the State or inside eith-\\ner, that I know of (and I have made dilligent inquiry) that\\ncaies to, or will establish an agency in her borders, and those\\nthat are now doing business in the State, are withdrawing\\nas fast as their licenses expire.\\nRates of insurance against loss by fire iu the State are en-\\normously high, amounting in many cases to as much as ten per\\ncent per annum of the amount insured, and even v/ith their\\nrates, nine-tenths of the companies that have done business in\\nthe State in the laiit three years, haye done it at a loss, in many\\ncases thousands of dollars annually. These facts are taken\\nIrom the State Treasurers report, who is also the insurance\\ncommissioner by virtue of his oflSce of Treasurer.\\nNow this state ot things indicates and shows very clearly\\nthat underwriting in the State of Florida is at present in no\\nflourishing condition. Referance being hnd to the above\\nnamed reports, will establish this fact beyond doubt or cavil.\\nI think I CO uld give good reasons lor this state of aff airs, but\\nwill let the readers draw their own inference and conclusions,\\nA TURPENTINE ORCHARD.\\nConsists of a pine forest of from ten to one hun-\\ndred or more acres of heavily timbered yellow, ot*\\nterpentine pine land. The trees are kerfed or", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0195.jp2"}, "196": {"fulltext": "92 FLORIDA As IT Is\\nchopped in from four to six inches deep, about iXvO\\nfeet from the ground the kerf is cut in the form of\\na bowl, so that it will Contain from two *:o four\\nquarts of liquid. The keJrf is cut about one-third\\nround the tree, the bark and white wood is then\\nhewn or chopped off above the kerf from four to\\nsix leet, and little gutters cut lengthwise on this sur^\\nface all leading into the bowl shaped kerf. The\\ncrude turpentine eoon begins to flaw or ooze out\\nof the surface and runs into the kerf from whkh it is\\nremoved into buckets and barrels and t^ken to the\\nstill where it undergoes the process of distillation c-\\nRESULTANT, SPIRITS OF TURPENTINE\\nAND ROSIN.\\nWhen the trees are first tapped or prep^lred a\\nNearly pure liquid turpentine runs out# and in a few\\ndays it begins to harden and forms a kind of S\\ncrust on the otit sui face and in the kerf. This\\neru5t if left for several days becomes qtiite thick\\na;nd tongh this removed with scrapers and taken\\nto the still same as liquid and und^rgoe-^^- the same\\nprocess* Afcov^t once a month the trees are goli^\\nover with an adze or ax and a little wo? d taken\\noff the turpentine surface.- The next season the\\nopposite side of tree is treated in the same way\\nwith as good fesults thus yon see a turpentine\\norchard is good for two years though some par--\\nties cut the trees so as to make three turpendne\\nfaces, then it takes three years to exhaust the tim-\\n1)er.- The timber after being exhausted is used", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0196.jp2"}, "197": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS. 193\\nfor lutnber^ it being^ just as good as if the turpen-\\ntine had not been drawn off except the lew feet of\\n*each tree that had been hew nor hacked to obtain\\nthe turperitirte arid rosin.\\nThe process of distilling turpentine is similar to\\ndistilling other substances^ but is attended with a\\n2:ood deal of dat^.gef on account of its inflamable\\nfiature-. Iv. iherefoie requires a good deal of skill\\nand cafe lo fun a turpentine still with -safety and\\nprofit. Thefe are but few turpentine stills in\\nFlorida, ti.ot because Ihere is not plenty of the\\nHght kind of pine, but I think the reason is, there\\n^is too much work for the money made by the pro-\\ncess-.\\nA review^ ot the Diston Land and Drainage Com^\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0pany s doings, w^ritteil about the beginning of Sep*\\ntember, A. D., 1886, immediately after a rainy\\nseason of about ten weeks duration\\nSometime about the beginning of 1882 this com^-\\npany Comm^enced operations on the banks of Lake\\nTohopekaliga, vvhere the town of Kissim_mee now\\nstands, they built two sm.all steam boats, the Okee-\\nchobee and the Rosalie, and several dredge boats*\\ndug a canal four mJles long at the Scuth. end of\\nL-aki^ Tohopek^liga This canal seemed to lower\\n^:he W i^ker in said lake se\\\\ ^eral feet and a good deal\\nof marsh land seemed to be in a fair way to be-\\ncome fit for cultivation-. The company were en-\\ncouraged by this seeming success and proceeded\\nto cut a canal between East and West Tohopeka-\\nliga Lakes. When this canal was completed the\\neffect was to lower the w^ater in East Tohopekaliga\\n5ome three or four feet, and th^e marshes thus", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0197.jp2"}, "198": {"fulltext": "T94 FLORIDA AS I T IS.\\ndrained have not been submerged since. The com-\\npany then worked further South, opening up v\\\\ ater\\nways so that at this date there is steam boat navi-\\ngation and water communication through to the\\nGulf of Mexico. In the meantime the so-called\\nreclaimed lands were largely advertised through-\\nout the United States and Europe, and the strong-\\nest kind of inducements held out for the people to\\ncome and invest their money and settle upon these\\nlands. Many persons did come, bought and set-\\ntled and began making improvements some of them\\non a large scale, the land appearing all right, it\\nbeing composed almost entirely of decayed vegeta-\\nble matter, the accumulation of hundreds of years.\\nAs soon as the marshes became dry enough, they\\nwere cultivated, vegetables were planted and grew\\nmiraculously, the seasons continuing dry for sever-\\nal years, and everything works to advantage of the\\nCompany and to those who bought. Cabbage to-\\nmatoes, beans, Irish potatoes, cucumbers, melons\\nc., grew and produced immense crops. Pine\\napples, bananas, lemons, and even orange trees\\nwere planted and are doing well, when in January\\n1886 a cold snap came and froze the crops. The\\nparties planted their crops again and grew rapidly\\nand were harvested before the rainy season set in,\\nthe corn, sugar cane and later crops were in prime\\ncondition, when on the 19, of June 1886 it began\\nto rain. In a short time the lakes filled up and the\\nso-called reclaimed lands with their crops were cov-\\nered w^ith w^ater. For some reason the canals fail-\\ned to carry the water oft and on Sept. 3, 1886, the\\nwaters in all the lakes and marshes south of the\\nTohopkaligas rose higher than before the Drainage\\nCompany commenced operations. The water in\\nEast Tohopkaliga did not rise within about three", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0198.jp2"}, "199": {"fulltext": "PLORIDA AS IT IS. 195\\neet of where it was before being drained. West\\nToliopkaliga was aavertised as being lowered six\\nfeet, but to-day its waters are about a foot of being\\nas high as it was before the Company began work,\\nleaving thousands of acres of corn and sUgaf cane\\nsubmerged making a total losg as it has now been\\nunder water over two months and it rains almost\\nevery day. The waters in the south part 01 the\\nState ate said to be higher than for years, whether\\nfroiil cutting canals and partially draitiing the up=-\\nper lakes or from rain, who Can tell.\\nMany of the cattle ranges in Manatee, Polk and\\nBrevard Counties are so much under water and the\\npasture so drowned out that the cattle are being\\ntaken to high ground to saVe them.\\nYou observe two Calamities have befallen Florida\\nthis year. First, a freeze out, then a drowned out\\nA few moie such visitations will dampen the ardor\\nof the most sanguine operators. It is said that the\\nCompany intend to get machinery to enlarge the\\ncanals and nlake another effoft to drain the lakes^\\nwith what success is left to a future writer.\\nIt is admitted that the climate of Florida is un-\\ndergoing a change, that the summers are becoming\\nwarmer and wetter that the winters are colder and\\nsevere frosts more frequent this being the case\\nthere must be and is a cause for it. May it not be\\nthat the clearing up of the land^ the destruction of\\nthe timbef and forests and drawing the lakes may\\nhave something to do with this state of things, who\\nknows?\\nWe, how^ever do know that God created this\\nworld and all things therein, that he looked upon\\nthe finished work and pronounced it all very good.\\nBut man, God s own creature, is ambitious and\\nmust needs attempt to improve on his works. Will", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0199.jp2"}, "200": {"fulltext": "196 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nor is he able. Nature has certain inexorable laws\\nwith penalties attached, and the violation of these\\nlaws is sure to bring the penalties. Now God had\\na wise purpose in all his creations and no doubt\\nFlorida with her pine forests, her dense Hammocks\\nsand, lakes and climate, was designed for a special\\npurpose in nature. And now if man by his de-\\nvices and plans, attempts to change that purpose\\nwill he succeed without suffering the penalty, who\\nknows?\\nUSURIOUS EXTORTION.\\nHOW IT EFFECTS CROPS. THE OPINION OF A FARM-\\nER AT GAINESVILLE.\\nMadison County, Florida, Aue^ust 21; 1886.\\nAgricultural Editor Weeklx Times: I wjfh you\\nwould write up our t^ection in the Times Union, in relation to\\nthe usurious extortion practiced on our farmers, laborers and\\npoor people generally. For instance one ol our tarmers will\\ngo to a merchant to run him, that is to help him through;\\nhe, the farmer, will have to make a mortgage on his crop,\\nstock, etc to perhaps twice the amount he wants: say one\\nhundred dollars; from this the money lender takes twenty-five\\ndollars for interest, probably for six months, say from March\\nto October, when the mortgage is due; then sells the farmer\\nforty or fifty dollars worth of goods and charges him the bal-\\nance of the amount, twenty-five dollars, so the farmer gets\\nfifty dollars worth of supplies for six months, and pays one\\nhundred dollars lor them, and if a balance is carried over, he\\npays interest at the rate of two per cent per month. One\\nhonest usurer, an employee of the F. R. and N., chargis ten\\nper cent per month.\\nThis whole section, the Black Belt, is eaten up with usury,\\nand the area of Old Field and Broom sedge is rapidly widen-\\ning in extent.\\nSome years ago Savannah merchants made advances to\\nlarmers, but I have been told that the merchants from inter-\\nested motives broke these up. When the farmers received aid\\nfrom Savannah we shipped in 1870 about 3,000 bales of cotton", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0200.jp2"}, "201": {"fulltext": "FLORID A AS IT IS. 197\\nfrom Greenville; last year, 1885, we shipped only about 400\\nbales, a falliog off ol 2,600 bales. Ancilla can show about the\\nsame recDi-d.\\nWrite this up if you please, and can we not get relief? I\\nam largely interested in land and il the poor people are eaten\\nup with usury and extortion, ol course my land and ail the\\nproperty of middle Florida will be valueless. We need re-\\nlief badly, and the whole thing of extortion in middle Florida\\nought to be ventilated. Very truly,\\nM. W. Linton.\\nINTEREST OR USURY ON MONEY\\nLOANED.\\nAll promissory notes, due bills and bank accounts,\\ndraw interest at the rate of eight per cent annum\\nunless otherwise specified, but any rate, of inter-\\nest is legal in Florida, when specified in the\\nwriting, note, or contract. Banks charges from\\none two three per cent per months on loans, it\\ndepends some on the kind of security and length\\nof time.\\nMortgages on real estate are usually drawn to\\ndraw two per cent per month and sometimes more\\nthan that. The party who gives the mortgages\\nmust pay all expenses 01 writing, acknowledging\\nrecording and releasing, or satisfying the mort-\\ngage and very often has to pay a commission to\\nsomebod}^ for negotiating the loan. This makes\\nthe business of borrowing money very expensive.\\nI know a case where it cost a party something over\\ntwenty dollars to get the use of two hundred dol-\\nlars for less than forty days.\\nSo long as a man has money of his own in his\\npocket, he is all right and can do about as he\\npleases, but let him get m debt and have to borrow,", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0201.jp2"}, "202": {"fulltext": "198 FLORIDA AS IT IS.\\nhe will then find out the value ot money, if not\\nbetore.\\nThe above was taken from the Weekly Times\\nof a recent date and while the wa-iter applied the\\ncase to middle Florida, it applies equally well to\\nthe whole State, and foreshadows what the final\\nresult must inevitably be.\\nTHE ORIGIN OF STATE JNAMES.\\nNew York named by the Dake of York, under cover ot\\ntitle given him by the Eaglish Crown in 1064.\\nNew Jersey sa-called in honor of Sir George Carte? et, who\\nwas Governor of the Island ot Jersey in the British Channel.\\nPennsylvania from William Penn, the founder ol the new\\ncolony, meaning Penns woods.\\nDelaware in honor of Thomas Wesc Lord de la Ware, who\\nvisited the bay and died there in 1010.\\nMaryland after Henrietta Maria the Q leen of Charles I of\\nEngland.\\nVirginia so-called in honor of Qaetu Elizabeth, the virgin\\nQueen, in whose region 8ir Walter llilergh, made the first\\nattemj^t to colonize that region.\\nNorth and South Carolina were originally in one tract,\\ncalled Carolina, after Charles IX, of France, in 1001, subse-\\nquently in 1005 the name was altered.\\nGeorgia so-called in honor of George II, of England, who\\nestablished a colony in that region.\\nFlorida Ponce de Leon, who discovered that portion of\\nNorth America in 1519, named it Florida in commemoration\\nof the day he landed there, which was Pasquade Plores of the\\nSpaniards a feast of flowers, otherwise known as Easter Sun-\\nday.\\nAlabama\u00e2\u0080\u0094 formerly a portion of Mississippi Territory, ad-\\nmitted into the Union as a State in 1819. The name is of\\nIndian origin, signifying, here we rest.\\nMississippi formerly a portion of the Province of Louisi-", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0202.jp2"}, "203": {"fulltext": "FLORIDA AS IT IS 1 99\\nana, so named in 1800 from the great river on the Western line\\nThe term is of Indian origin, meaning the long river.\\nLouisiana from Louis XIV of France, who from some time\\nprior to 1763, owned the territory.\\nArkansas\u00e2\u0080\u0094 from Kansas, the Indian name of Smoky Water\\nwith the French prefix arc. bow.\\nTennesee Indian name for the river of the big river^ i.e.\\nthe Mississippi, which is the Western boundry.\\nKentucky\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Indian for at the head of the river Ohio, trom\\nthe Indian meaning beautiful, previously applied to the river\\nwliicli traverses a great part of its borders.\\nMichigan previously applied to the lake, the Indian name\\nof a fish Wicr so-called from the fancied resemblance of the\\nlake t a fish trap.\\nIndiana so-called in 1802 Irom America Indians.\\nIllinois irom the Indian illini men and the French suf-\\nfix ois together signifying tribes of men.\\nWisconsin Indian name for wild rushing channel.\\nMissouri\u00e2\u0080\u0094 named in 1830 from the great branch of the Mis-\\nsissippi, which Hows through it.\\nIowa Indian named, meaning the drowsy ones.\\nMinnesota\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Indian tor cloudy weather.\\nCalifornia the name given by Cortes, the difccoverer of that\\nregion. He probably obtained it from an old Spanish romance\\nin which an imaginary island of that name is described as\\nabounding in gold.\\nOregon \u00e2\u0080\u0094according to same from the Oregon river of the\\nWest. Others say it is derived from the Spanish Oreganoo\\nwild Marjournm, which grows on the Pacific coast.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0203.jp2"}, "204": {"fulltext": "ERRATTA.\\nPAGE.\\nLINE.\\nREAD.\\nFOR.\\n12\\n17\\nabout\\nalmost\\n13\\n22\\nfoot\\nfeet\\n12\\n34\\nstroke\\nstrike\\n12\\n27, 28\\nbellow\\nhollow\\n17\\n3\\nthrough and and\\nthough and are.\\n19\\n6\\nlumber\\ntimber\\n65\\n8\\nitem\\nstem\\n68\\n3\\nstickey\\nstick\\n14\\nhouse\\nhorse\\n16\\nflower\\nflour\\n26\\nare\\nore\\n71\\n24\\nclean\\nclear\\n83\\n26\\nhead\\nneck\\n95\\n7\\nhumbuggeriea\\nhumbug!., ers\\n9G\\n14\\ntaxes\\ntakes\\n108\\n15\\nintended\\nattended\\n107\\n25\\nsav\\ndo\\n131\\n25\\nif.so\\n.50\\n131\\n28\\n130und\\nbushel\\n121\\n32,33\\nomit\\nleet\\n139\\nS7\\ngloss\\nglass\\n151\\n9\\nmen\\nman\\n156\\n25\\nhelp\\nhouses\\n177\\n29\\nvec(etation\\nvegetables\\n177\\n42\\nstockman\\nstack man\\n196\\n13\\nGreenville\\nGainesville\\nNOTE.\\nSince writing page 142, nearly all the railroads in Florida\\nhave been changed to standard guage.", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0204.jp2"}, "205": {"fulltext": "IIOIIDA A;\\nIT TELLS ALL ABOUT THE INDUS.\\nTRIES OF THE STATE, ITS CLI-\\nMATE AND RESOURCES.\\nJ^rttteii in Common Sense Language withoiit\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0paint or varnish^\\nBY\\n1 JS W. B SMOBMAKBR.\\n1887,\\nNEWVILIili, PA., TIMES STEAM PRINT.", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0205.jp2"}, "206": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0206.jp2"}, "207": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0207.jp2"}, "208": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0208.jp2"}, "209": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0209.jp2"}, "210": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0210.jp2"}, "211": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0211.jp2"}, "212": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0212.jp2"}, "213": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0213.jp2"}, "214": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0214.jp2"}, "215": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0215.jp2"}, "216": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0216.jp2"}, "217": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0217.jp2"}, "218": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0218.jp2"}, "219": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0219.jp2"}, "220": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0220.jp2"}, "221": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0221.jp2"}, "222": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0222.jp2"}, "223": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0223.jp2"}, "224": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0224.jp2"}, "225": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0225.jp2"}, "226": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0226.jp2"}, "227": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0227.jp2"}, "228": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3395", "width": "2086", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0228.jp2"}, "229": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3390", "width": "2122", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0229.jp2"}, "230": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3542", "width": "2339", "jp2-path": "floridaasitisitt00shoe_0230.jp2"}}