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SUNLAND, 



MANATEE RIVER, GULF COAST OF SOUTH 
FLORIDA: 

/TS CLIMATE, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS. 



The Land of the Orange and Guava, 
The P.ne-Api-le, Date and Cassava. 



E3r S^a^IvIITTEIj C T:T^I3:.A.^v!r. 





PART OF THE GULF X'OAST OF FLORIDA. 



FLORIDA: 

PAST AND PRESENT, 



TOGETHER WITH NOTES FROM 



SUNLAND. 

ON THE 

Manatee River, Gulf Coast 

OF 

SOUTH FLORIDA: 
CLIMATE, SOIL, AA^D PRODUCTIONS. 



The Land of the Orange and Ouava, 
The Pine-Apple, Date, and Cassava. 



ILLUSTRATED. / v- ' cOPv^'CHj-^.^f^ 




I, OFC 2.2 iS33 



JACKSONVILLF., FLA. : 

ASHMEfln BRDTHERS, 
18S3. 



Kntered according to Act of Congress, in the year X8S3, 

By SAMUEL C. UPHAM, 

,. ..e Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. . . 



F3n 



/ ^7i 



<PF 



^Po 



Marion Foster, ^ 

Samuel Zenas, and I UPHAM, 

Charles Henry J 

THRFK l.IVINC LINKS IN THE CHAIN THAT BINDS MR TO LIFE, THIS 

BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY 

THEIR FATHER, 

THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE. 

Two or three letters written by myself to 
friends at the North having found their way into 
print, I have been literally flooded with letters 
during the past six months, from all sections of 
the Union and British Provinces, asking for in- 
formation in relation to the Manatee region of 
Florida. Hundreds have been replied to, and 
many remain unanswered for want of time. This 
little book has been written with the belief that it 
will answer the requirements of my numerous cor- 
respondents, and also prove a welcome guest to 
others who desire reliable information concerning 
this portion of the Gulf coast of South Florida. 
With these brief remarks I cast my little waif 
npon the tide of public opinion, with the hope 
that favorable breezes will waft it into the hands 
of tliose who will be benefited by its perusal. 

SuNNYsiDF. Cottage, 
Braidentczvn, Florida, April i, i8Si. 
vi 



PREFACE 

To THE Enlarged Edition. 

When I published the little brochure — '' Notes 
from Sunland"— two years ago, the Gulf Coast 
of South Florida was, comparatively speaking, a 
terra ificogniia. The favor with which that work 
has been received— having passed through three 
editions — and at -the request of numerous corres- 
pondents in the United States, Canada, and Con- 
tmental Europe, I have concluded to enlarge the 
work and make it more general in its scope — 
the former work being confined exclusively to the 
Manatee region. In reply to the question from 
different sections of the Union : '' Are you as well 
pleased with the Manatee region as when you wrote 
' Notes from Sunland ' ?" I reply, emphatically, 
' ' Yes ! " The longer I live here the more thoroughly 
I am convinced that it is the Sanitarium of the 
world. In addition to twenty-five pages of letter- 

vii 



viii Preface to the Enlarged Edition. 

press, I have added an additional illustration and 
a map of the Gulf coast of South Florida. I have 
placed the publication of the book in the hands 
of those well-known and reliable publishers, the 
Ashmead Brothers, of Jacksonville, Fla., who 
will supply the book to the trade and also furnish 
it to the public. With many thanks for the pa- 
tronage bestowed upon my former book, I trust 
the present will be found equally acceptable 

Samuel C. Upham. 
Braidentown, Fla., August, i88j. 



CHAPTER I. 

Indians and Alligators-Dade's Massacre-Ponce de 
Leon AND the •' Fountain of Youth "-De Soto and 
"El Dorado "-Florida Exchanged for Cuba-Pen- 
SAcoLA Captured by General Jackson-Florida 
Purchased bvthe United States-Secedes from the 
Union — Reconstructed. 

Thirty years ago the word Florida was synony- 
mous with mosquitoes, alligators, snakes, and In- 
dians. As a part of this Union, it was at that 
time considered financially a worthless sand-spit, 
which had cost our Government fifty million dol- 
lars and many lives in the almost fruitless effort 
to rescue it from the hands of the wily Creeks 
and Seminoles, who occupied the middle and 
southern portions of the State. From the date of 
Dade's massacre by Osceola's band near Brooks- 
ville, in December, 1835, which sent a thrill of 
horror throughout the length and breadth of our 
land, to the surrender of Billy Bowlegs in 1858 a 
period of nearly twenty-five years, war was waged 
by our Government under the leadership of Gen- 
erals Worth, Scott, Harney, Taylor, and their sub- 
ordinates, with the result above stated. 

In order to fully understand and appreciate the 

9 



10 Florida^ Past and Present. 

present condition of Florida, some little knowl- 
edge of her history is indispensable ; for without 
such knowledge, thesparseness of the present popu- 
lation of the State is inexplicable, when taken in 
connection with its genial climate, its natural fer- 
tility, and the immense scope of its possible agri- 
cultural production. '' If Florida possesses so great 
a variety and power of vegetable growth, and such 
a desirable climate, why is it not more densely 
populated?" is a question answered only by a 
glance at her past history. 

The honor due to the first discovery of the land 
which now constitutes the southern extremity of 
the United States is generally awarded to that 
famous and eccentric old Spanish adventurer, Juan 
Ponce de Leon. Nevertheless, the validity of his 
claim to that honor is liable to some dispute. 
Several authorities of very good credit maintain 
that Sebastian Cabot, in the year 1497, traced the 
whole line of the American coast as far southward 
as 36° 9' north latitude ; and Peter Martyr avers 
that he sailed to the west of the meridian of Cuba. 
From this account it does not appear that Cabot 
proceeded further southward than the mouth of 
the Chesapeake Bay, the latitude of which corres- 
ponds nearly with that of the Straits of Gibraltar, 
and the longitude with that of the eastern ex- 
tremity of Cuba. It can scarcely be doubted that 
Ponce de Leon was the first European who landed 



Florida, Past and Present. n 

on any part of that ground which is now occupied 
by the Southern States of our Republic. The 
purpose for which he visited this country has ex- 
posed his memory to no little ridicule ; but his 
childish delusion is entitled to more indulgence 
and respect than the sordid and hypocritical mo- 
tives which induced so many of his countrymen to 
become explorers and crusaders in America. Juan 
Ponce, for the purpose of discovering the location 
of the ''Fountain of Youth," set sail from Porto 
Rico, on the 3d day of March, 1512. After a 
short voyage he came to a country covered with 
flowers and verdure, and as the day of his discovery 
happened to be Palm Sunday, called by the 
Spaniards Pasqua Florida, he bestowed the name 
of Florida on the country in commemoration of 
this circumstance. Thus the first European dis- 
covery of Florida took place on the. second day of 
April, 15 1 2. 

The next visit to Florida by Europeans was 
made in the year 1520, by Lucas Vasquez de Ayl- 
lon, who kidnapped one hundred and thirty In- 
dians and sailed for San Domingo, where he sold 
them as slaves. In the year 1524, Giovanni da 
Verazzano, a Florentine sea-captain in the ser- 
vice of the French Government, coasted from 
Florida as high as Cape Breton. 

On the 17th day of June, 1527, Pamphilo de 
Narvaez left Spain with five ships and six hundred 



12 Florida, Past and Present. 

men, being authorized by the Spanish Govern- 
ment to explore and take possession of '' all the 
lands between Rio de las Palmas and Cape Flor- 
ida," The fleet was much damaged by a hurri- 
cane, and was obliged to remain at Cuba for 
more than six months to be refitted. In February, 
1528, Pamphilo again embarked; and after a 
short and prosperous voyage, landed his army at 
the bay of Santa Cruz, Florida. Having formally 
taken possession of the country, and proved that he 
was in earnest by pillaging some of the villages, 
Pamphilo began to interrogate the natives respect- 
ing the precise locality of that immense deposit of 
gold which he expected to find in Florida. In 
their answers to these inquiries, the Indians, wish- 
ing to hasten the departure of their unwelcome 
guests, directed the gold-hunters to a distant re- 
gion called Apalacha, assuring them that the 
shining metal could there be obtained in the 
greatest abundance. After a wearisome march, 
the Spaniards reached the designated place on 
the 26th day of June. The ungrateful behavior 
of the Spaniards soon provoked the hostility of 
the natives, and before they had an opportunity 
to make any mineralogical researches Pamphilo 
was compelled to retreat. While endeavoring to 
make his escape to the seashore, he was closely 
pursued by the natives, who killed two hundred of 
his men — about one-third of the whole number. 



Florida^ Past and Present. 13 

The whole country being aroused, Pamphilo 
found it impossible to return to his ships, which 
were probably destroyed by the Indians. The 
Spaniards, therefore, took the shortest route to 
the coast, and came to the bay now known as St. 
Marks. The Apalachian Indians being satisfied 
with driving the intruders from their territory, 
abandoned the pursuit when that object was 
gained. They arrived at St. Marks in a starving 
condition, their only food being horse-flesh. All 
their ingenuity was now employed to effect some 
means of escape from the country. They erected 
a forge on the beach, and, with great toil and diffi- 
culty, converted their swords, lance-heads, stirrups, 
and bridle-bits into nails, saws, and hatchets. 
Having thus provided themselves with the proper 
instruments, they felled trees, shaped the timber, 
and finally constructed several very inelegant spe- 
cimens of marine architecture. In the meanwhile 
all their horses were consumed for food; and 
when they embarked in their rude batteaux, their 
thin, ghastly. Tanner-like appearance might have 
reminded a spectator of that shadowy boat-load 
of ''magnanimous heroes" so graphically de- 
scribed by Virgil in the Sixth Book of his celebra- 
ted Epic. All the boats were subsequently 
wrecked near the mouth of the Mississippi, and 
all on board perished, except Cabeca de Vaca, 
the treasurer of the expedition, and four common 



14 Florida, Fast and Frcscnt. 

soldiers. The survivors, after enduring many toils' 
and sufferings, finally reached Spain in August, 

1537. 

In the latter part of May, 1539, Hernando de 
Soto landed his troops on the eastern shore of 
Hillsborough Bay, above the mouth of the Little 
Manatee River, and commenced his toilsome over- 
land march, which ended in his death and burial 
in the Mississippi River, on the 5th day of June, 
1542, three years and one month afterward. In 
1562 it is probable that a temporary settlement 
was formed near the mouth of the St. Johns River 
by Ribault, a Frenchman. 

In 1564, under the protection of Admiral 
Coligny, a settlement of Huguenots was formed 
under the leadership of Lardonierre, on the south 
bank of the St. Johns, about six leagues from its 
mouth. This settlement was called Caroline, and 
was completely destroyed by the Spaniards under 
Menendez in 1565, who massacred all that escaped 
death in the fight, ''not as Frenchmen, but as 
heretics. ' ' This murderous act was fully avenged 
by a Frenchman — De Gourges — who, in 1659, led 
an expedition especially against Fort Caroline, 
and massacred the Spanish garrison, " not as 
Spaniards, but as cut-throats and murderers. ' ' In 
1565 the same Menendez founded a Spanish col- 
ony at St. Augustine, thus establishing the first 
European town on the continent of America. 



Florida, Past and Present. 15 

In 1584, as the result of various expeditions, 
the area of Spanish occupation and conquest had 
become so extended that the authority of Spain 
was acknowledged by the natives, not only 
throughout Florida, but as far west as the Missis- 
sippi and as far north as the mountains of Geor- 
gia. 

In 1 5 86, St. Augustine was attacked and plun 
dered by a party of English adventurers under Sii 
Francis Drake. In 161 1, it was pillaged by the 
Indians, and in 1665 was sacked by another party 
of English pirates, led by the freebooter, Davis. 

In 1689, Pensacola was settled by the Spanish. 

In 1702, St. Augustine was unsuccessfully at- 
tacked by Governor Moore, of the English colony 
of South Carolina. In 1725, Colonel Palmer, of 
Georgia, also failed in an effort to capture the 
city, and in 1740, General Oglethorpe, of Geor- 
gia, was signally repulsed in a similar undertaking. 

In 1763, the whole territory of Florida was 
ceded by Spain to Great Britain in exchange for 
Cuba ; but the entire population of the territory 
at that time did not exceed six hundred. 

In 1767, Dr. Trumbull, an English colonist, 
located at New Smyrna, ''imported fifteen hun- 
dred Corsicans and Minorcans, having deluded 
them by unstinted promises of land and employ- 
ment at high wages, and then subjected them to a 
system of oppression, similar and scarce less 



1 6 Florida, Past arid Present, 

severe than slavery, till after a lapse of some tenf 
years they escaped in a body from his servitude 
and betook themselves to St. Augustine, where 
they settled down, and ultimately became a prom- 
inent and valuable element of the population of 
that section.^* 

In 1781, the Spanish captured Pensacola, and 
the English again lost possession of Florida. In 
1 784, the territory was once more formally ceded 
to Spain. In 1812, Fernandina capitulated to the 
troops of the United States, but was, during the 
following year, re-delivered to the Spanish Gov* 
ernment. 

In 1 81 4, the English forces, under the command 
oi Colonel Nichols, entered and manned the forts^ 
of l*ensacola, although the whole territory was 
nominally under the control of Spain ; and in 
181 8, General Jackson attacked and captured 
Pensacola in behalf of the United States. 

In 1 819, Florida was purchased by the United 
States, and was formally ceded by Spain. In 
1822, a territorial government was established ; 
in 1845, Florida was admitted into the Union, 
and in January, 1861, she seceded. 

In the language of the talented and lamented 
J. S. Adams : " What a picture does this brief ab- 
stract of the leading features in the history of 
Florida present ! Discovered by Ponce de Leon 
in 1512J permanently settled in 1565; ceded to 



J^/orida, Fast and Present. 17 

Great Britain in 1763, with a population of only 
six hundred, after a colonial existence of two 
hundred years ; re-ceded to Spain in 1 784 ; sold 
and ceded to the United States in 1819 ; receiv- 
ing a territorial government in 1822 ; admitted to 
the Union in 1845; seceding in 1861 ; and re- 
constructed [in 1868 ; sacked and pillaged re- 
peatedly by Europeans; shifting its nationality 
from time to time, and losing almost its entire 
population by each change ; harassed and plun- 
dered by repeated Indian wars from 181 6 to 1858, 
and just as prosperity began to dawn, plunged un- 
necessarily into the useless slaughter of a hopeless 
rebellion, she has suffered every evil, political 
and social, that does not involve absolute extinc- 
tion. Is it, then, a matter of surprise that 
Florida is so sparsely populated? " 



< ( 



CHAPTER II. 

-Geographical Position and Boundaries of Florida 
—Area and Population— Indians in Florida- 
Climate, S'OiL,AND Productions-The Rainy Sea- 
son-Florida as a Health Resort-Classification 
OF Lands-School System and Churches-Swamp 
Lands Sold to Disston— Religion in Florida. 

Florida lies bet^yeen the degrees of twenty- 
five and thirty-one north latitude, and eighty to 
eighty-eight west longitude from Greenwich. The 
northern boundary being nearly three hundred 
and fifty miles from east to west, and its leno-th 
from north to south, nearly four hundred mifes. 
It IS m the same latitude as Central Arabia, 
Northern Hindostan, the Desert of Sahara, the 
northern portion of Burmah, the southern part of 
China and Northern Mexico. The average width 
of the peninsula is about eighty miles, and every 
part IS tanned by either the Trade or Gulf winds 
rendering the air delightfully pleasant in mid- 
summer. The most marked geographical feature 
•of the State is the enormous extent of coastUne— 
the Atlantic and Gulf exceeding eleven hundred 
miles, with numerous large bays, offering great 
facilities for commercial intercourse. The north- 

i8 



Florida J Past and Present. 19 

ern part of the State is hilly and rolling. Mid- 
way of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, an elevated 
ridge extends through Middle and South Florida 
to Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, grad- 
ually sloping to the Atlantic Ocean on the east 
and to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico on 
the west. The elevated lands are mostly pine, 
interspersed with black-jack, post, and water-oak. 
At the base and along the water courses, are rich 
hammock lands bordered with flat and rolling- 
prairie, with the everlasting scrub palmetto every- 
where. The southern portion of the State is at 
this time a vast cattle range, embracing thousands 
of acres on which a surveyor's chain has never 

fallen. 

In i860, the population of Florida was 140,000; 
in 1S80, it was 267,000, and at this time, it is 
probably in round numbers 300,000. When the 
vast area of the State, sixty thousand square miles, 
comprising nearly thirty-eight million acres of 
land, is taken into consideration, it will be seen 
that we are not badly crowded. The sale by Gov- 
ernor Bloxham of four million acres of ''swamp 
land" to the Disston and Anglo-German syndi- 
cates is a mere bagatelle. 

The county in which I reside — Manatee — is 
nearly as large as the combined States of Con- 
necticut and Rhode Island. It is truly a county 
of ''magnificent distances," the county seat, 



.20 Floriday Fust and Present. 

Pine Level, being forty mile^ south of the villages 
of Braidentown and Manatee, on its northern 
border. "No pent-up Utica contracts our 
powers." We do things on a large scale. We 
raise the most luscious oranges, the largest water- 
melons, and the most appetizing pineapples and 
bananas on the face of the earth ; and I do not 
think I elongate the truth when I say, that in 
point of size our alligators, mosquitoes, and 
grasshoppers will compare favorably with those 
of any other country. Our frogs are also as 
sprightly as Mark Twain's "jumping frog of the 
Calaveras." Our cucumbers, tomatoes, snap- 
beans, squashes, and cabbages reach the cities of 
the North and West three months in advance of 
any other State of the Union. 

If there is one thing above all others of which 
we feel justly proud, it is our superb climate. The 
''glorious climate of California," and the sunny 
clime and golden skies of Italy bear no compari- 
son with it. It is indescribable, and must be seen 
and felt in order to be fully appreciated. A Bap- 
tist clergyman — Hard-shell — who visited Braiden- 
tawn last winter, was so fascinated and infatuated 
with the climate and surroundings _that he said he 
verily believed that he was then nearer Paradise 
than he ever expected to be again while in the 
ilesh. 

A timid person occasionally asks, "Are there 



Florida, Past and Present. 21 

Indians still in Florida ? " A remnant of the once 
warlike Creeks and Seminoles— scarcely two hun- 
dred souls, including males, squaws, and papooses- 
still have an abiding place on the Caloosahatchee, 
the Kissimmee, and in the Big Cypress Swamp, south 
of Lake Okeechobee. They are peaceably dis- 
posed, and only mingle with the whites when they 
visit the country stores to dispose of their peltry 
and game and replenish their ammunition. 
Chipco and the elder Tigertail, two of their former 
chiefs, have been called to the '^ happjr hunting- 
grounds" during the past two years. The for- 
mer was a centenarian, having attained the green 
old age of one hundred and ten years. He par- 
ticipated in the Dade massacre, near Brooksville, 
in 1835. The latter died by the visitation of 
God, having been killed by lightning while cross- 
ing the Kissimmee in his canoe. The Indians 
have several negro slaves in their secluded camps, 
who have never been informed that the Emanci- 
pation Proclamation of the martyred Lincoln 
loosened their shackles and made them free men. 
The questions are frequently asked: "AVhat 
crops can you raise in Florida? What can be 
grown on your soil?" The agricultural, horti- 
cultural, and pomological products of Florida are 
more varied than those of any other State of the 
Union. The northern, northeastern, and north- 
western parts of the State, as well as Middle Flor- 



2 2 ^i'orida, Fast and Frese7it, 

ida, are admirably adapted to the cultivation of 
oats, barley, corn, Irish potatoes, cotton, and 
tobacco. At the Atlanta Exposition, two years 
ago, Florida was awarded the first premium for 
sea island cotton, rice, and sugar. The peach, 
plum, Le Conte pear, several varieties of the apple 
and grape, and all the small fruits are indigenous 
to the soil and climate of those portions of the 
State. South Florida, composed of the counties 
of Hernando, Sumter, Orange, Volusia, Brevard, 
Polk, Hillsborough, Manatee, Monroe, and Dade' 
is the land of the orange and all semi-tropical 
fruits. The guava, pineapple, banana, cocoanut, 
date, sugar-apple, sapodilla, mango, alligator- 
pear, and other tropical fruits thrive admirably 
m the lower counties, south of the twenty-eighth 
degree of latitude. South Florida is also the nat- 
ural home of the sugar-cane. There it ratoons 
from SIX to eight years and tassels. The cultiva- 
tion of early vegetables for the northern and 
western markets is also a large and remunerative 
industry, which has been recently inaugurated on 
the hammocks bordering the Manatee Bay, on the 
Indian River, and on the numerous keys or 
islands along the Gulf coast, between Sarasota and 
Cai)e Sable. The cassava has also proved to be a 
remunerative crop in South Florida when prop- 
erly cultivated. The introduction of jute and 
Sisal hemp, in the near future, will also add ma- 



Florida, Fast and F resent. 23 

terially to the wealth of the southern counties of 
the State. The flat prairie and swamp lands, now 
considered ahiiost worthless for agricultural pur- 
poses, will then blossom as the rose. 

Dwelling in an almost perpetual summer, one 
would naturally suppose that the climate would 
prove enervating to the human system. Such is 
not the fact. In midsummer the weather is of a 
very pleasant temperature, the nights being uni- 
formly cool, and sultry days, so common in the 
North, of very rare occurrence. So agreeable are 
the summers, there is little choice between them 
and the winters, and many of the oldest settlers 
prefer the former. Florida, in common with other 
States of the Union, is sometimes afflicted with 
drouths, and there is sometimes a superabundance 
of rain ; but, as a general rule, the seasons are regu- 
lar and well adapted to all the valuable staples of 
the country. Frequent showers occur during the 
spring and early summer, and about the first of 
July the rainy season fairly sets in and continues 
until the first of October. Although rain falls on 
nearly every day during this season, it seldom 
ever rains all day. These rains foil in heavy 
showers, generally accompanied by thunder and 
lii^htning, but are seldom of more than two hours' 
duration. They generally occur early in the after- 
noon, leaving for the balance of the day a cloud- 
less sky and a delightfully cool atmosphere. Para- 



24 Florida, Fast and F resent. 

doxical as it may seem, our winters are warmer 
and our summers cooler than those of the North- 
ern and Western States. The mercury in the 
thermometer rarely reaches 96° Fahrenheit in mid- 
summer, and at Braidentown, Manatee County, 
only on two occasions during the past four years 
has it fallen as low as 2,^°. 

ThegeneralhealthfulnessofFloridaisproverbial. 
That its climate is more salubrious than that of 
any other State of the Union is clearly established 
by the medical statistics of the army, as well as by 
the last census returns. The report of the Surgeon 
General of the United States Army, demonstrates 
the fact that diseases which result from malaria 
are of a much milder type in Florida than in any 
other part of the United States. Among the- 
troops serving in Florida, the number of deaths to> 
the number of cases of remittent fever has been 
much less than in any other portion of the Union. 
In the Middle Division of the United States, the 
proportion is one death to thirty-six cases of re- 
mittent fever; in the Northern Division, one to 
fifty-two ; in the Southern Division, one to fifty- 
four ; in Texas, one in seventy-eight ; in Califor- 
nia, one in one hundred and twenty-two ; in New 
Mexico, one in one hundred and forty-eight; 
while in Florida, it is but one in two hundred and 
eighty-seven. As a health resort for invalids suffer- 
ing from pulmonary complaints, Florida stands. 



Florida, Past and Present, 25 

pre-eminent. Her invigorating, balsamic breezes, 
with healing on their wings, soon banish the hectic 
flush from the cheek of the invalid, and health and 
strength return once more to cheer and gladden 
the hearts of despairing friends. 

A description of Florida lands published by Dr. 
Byrne in i860 applies with equal truthfulness at 
the present time. In every State and Territory 
in the Union there is a large proportion of barren 
and poor lands, but the ratio of these lands differ 
greatly in the different States. Florida has a due 
proportion of poor lands, but compared with 
other States, the ratio of her barren and worthless 
lands is very small. With the exception of the 
Everglades and her irreclaimable swamp lands, 
there'' is scarcely an acre in the whole State of 
Florida that is entirely worthless, or which cannot 
be made, under her tropical climate, tributary to 
some agricultural production. Lands which in a 
more northern climate would be utterly worthless, 
will in Florida, owing to her tropical character, 
yield valuable productions. For example, the 
poorest pine lands of Florida will produce with- 
out fertilizing a luxuriant crop of Sisal hemp, 
which yields more profit to the acre than the rich- 
est land when cultivated in sugar, cotton, and to- 
bacco. So it is with jute and numerous other valu- 
able tropical products that are adapted to the 
lands that in more northern climates would yield 



26 ^^orida, Fast a7id Fresent. 

nothing to agriculture. Besides this, there are in 
Florida no mountain wastes, and most of the land 
not under cultivation is covered with valuable 
timber. 

The classification of lands in common use being 
based on their elevation and the character of their 
vegetable growth, does not indicate very fully the 
character of the soil. There are the hammock, 
pme, and swamp lands. Then there is the high or 
light hammock, and the low or heavy hammock. 
Of pine lands, there are the first, second, and 
third rate. The characteristic of hammock land 
as distinguished from pine is in the fact of its 
being covered with a growth of underbrush and 
vines, while the pine lands are open. Whenever, 
then, the land is not so low as to be called swamp^ 
and produces an undergrowth of shrubbery, it is 
called hammock. 

The school lands of Florida— five hundred and 
seventy thousand acres— are subject to entry at 
from one dollar and twenty-five cents to seven 
dollars per acre, according to quality and loca- 
tion. The swamp lands— eight and a half million 
acres— belonging to the State on the ist of May, 
1SS2, are graded in price according to the num- 
ber of acres, varying from one dollar per acre 
for a tract of forty acres down to seventy-five 
to seventy cents per acre for tracts of six hun- 
dred and forty acres and over. The Disston 




SCENE IN A SOUTH FLORIDA HAMMOCK -Pa.<7e2«. 



Florida, Past and F resent. 29.' 

Syndicate paid twenty-five cents per acre for four 
million acres of swamp land, in bodies of ten 
thousand acres each. The commutation price of 
United States lands is one dollar and twenty-five 
cents per acre. Unimproved lands in the hands 
of private parties are selling at from five to fifteen 
dollars per acre ; improved land at from twenty 
to fifty dollars per acre, the value depending 
on location, latitude, improvements, etc. There 
are also large tracts of land in Florida known as 
"■ Spanish grants," which are chiefly owned by 
non-residents, and which can be purchased at rea- 
sonable prices. 

Governor Bloxham recently stated that the pres- 
ent financial condition of Florida is a fit subject 
for congratulation. There is at all times money 
in the Treasury to pay accrued liabilities, while the 
amount of the bonded debt is only one and a 
quarter millions, and the assessed value of the 
property of the State is thirty-seven millions. 
The condition of our public schools is decidedly 
progressive. There are at this time over twelve 
hundred schools in the State, and last year a fund 
of ^i39>ooo was raised to support them. 

Places of worship may be found in all our set- 
tlements; not gorgeous edifices, with [steeples 
and spires pointing heavenward, but unpreten- 
tious and comfortable structures, in which all de- 
nominations of Christians assemble to worship 



JO Florida, Past and Present. 

God according to the dictates of their own con- 
sciences. The Methodists are the most numer- 
ous. Next in point of numbers, the Baptists of 

.different grades of shell, from hard to soft, may 
be enumerated. Then come the Presbyterians, 
Episcopalians, Campbellites, and Catholics, with, 
a slight sprinkling of other denominations by way 
of variety. The religious status of the population 
of Florida, like the climate, is rather above the 
average of other sections of the Union. There is 

,an indescribable element in the climate of Florida 
which is conducive of religious fervor. Several 
immigrants from the North and West, whose piety 
never cropped out until their arrival in Florida, 
have been suddenly seized with a call to preach. 
In some parts of South Florida, local preachers are 
nearly as numerous as laymen, and it is often 
highly amusing to hear them expound the Scrip- 

.tures, and see them wrestle with theology. 

The Fountain of Youth, sought for in vain by 
Ponce de Leon three hundred and seventy years 

. ago, is in Florida. Time has not dried up the 
source of its health-giving, its life-giving, waters. 
They flow as of yore, and every one who thirsteth 
can partake of them freely. Invalids and pleasure- 
seekers find it in our glorious climate, in our in- 
vigorating breezes, which blow as soft and balmy 

. as those from Ceylon's isle ; in our beautiful 
.flowers and almost perpetual verdure, and in the 



Florida, Past and F resent. 31 

total absence of the chilling winds and frosts of 
the North and West, which render life almost un- 
endurable. De Soto and his followers sought our 
shores in quest of El Dorado. That also is in 
Florida. You see it in our productive soil, in our 
vast orange groves, in our bananas, pineapples, 
rr.avas, and pomegranates, which no other State 
of the Union can produce. Who then shall say 
that both the '' Fountain of Youth " and ''El 
Dorado^^ are not within the boundaries of Flor- 
ida? Our climate is a perpetual summer; the 
husbandman tickles the soil with the plow and 
hoe, and it laughs with an abundant harvest ; the 
stately magnolias and graceful palms lock hands 
in our hammocks and wave their evergreen foliage 
as a token of welcome to immigrants, and wild 
flowers gladden the eye and perfume the air with 
their fragrance. 



CHAPTER III. 

Manatee Bay — Its Tropical Scenery — Egmont Key — 
Snead's Island — Date, Palm and Olive Tri:es— 
Climate — Insects — Braidentown and its Surround- 
ings — Manatee, the Oldest Town on the Bay — Its 
Early History — Braiden Castle — Fair Oaks — • 
Orange Groves — Willemsenburg and Fogartyville. 

The Manatee River, or, more properly speak- 
ing, bay, is one of the most picturesque sheets of 
water in Florida. It is fourteen miles in length, 
with an average width of one and a half miles. 
One of its tributaries — the Manatee River proper 
— extends still further eastward, some twenty 
miles; and another northward, half that distance. 
Its course is nearly due west to Egmont Key, 
where it mingles its waters with those of Tampa 
Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. It lies between the 
twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth parallels of' 
north latitude, and in longitude 5^° west from 
Washington. A person passing up the bay on the 
mail steamer for the first time, will be charmed 
with the tropical and semi-tropical scenery that 
meets his view on either side of the bay, from its 
mouth to Braidentown, the present terminus of 
steamboat navigation. Egmont Key, with its 

32 



Notes from Sun land. 33 

forest of cabbage palmettos nodding their ever- 
green plumes in the morning sun ; the stately date- 
palms and olive trees on Snead's Island, on the 
:;orth side of the bay, and the pretty villas sur- 
rounded by young orange and banana groves on 
the south side, between Palmasola city and Man- 
atee, form a landscape of rare tropical beauty, 
unexceled in the land of flowers, and unrivaled 
by the fairest scenes in Italia's famed land. 

Until quite recently, this part of Florida, the 
great sanitarium of the world, has, comparatively 
speaking, been a sealed book to the invalids and 
pleasure-seekers of the North and West, who spend 
their winters in Jacksonville, St. Augustine and 
the towns on the St. Johns, Halifax and Indian 
Rivers, and console themselves with the idea that 
they have seen all parts of Florida worth visiting. 
The principal drawback which the Gulf coast has 
had to contend with, and which partially exists at 
this time, is lack of speedy transportation and 
comfortable hotel accommodations. These are 
being remedied, and, when the Manatee region 
shall have become as thickly populated as the St. 
Johns, our facilities for transportation, etc., will 
equal those of the Atlantic coast. 

The railroad now being built by Eastern capi- 
talists, between Palatka on the St. Johns and 
Tampa at the head of the bay of that name on 
the Gulf coast, will be completed within two years. 



34 Notes from Si in land. 

Then the iron horse, with bowels of fire, muscles 
of steel and breath of steam, with a shriek and a 
snort, will rush over the metallic track and anni- 
hilate time and space so rapidly, that the Atlantic 
and Gulf coasts will be within a few hours of each 
other. A narrow-gauge railroad from Tampa to 
the Manatee, and thence to Sarasota Bay, will 
soon follow, giving us direct and rapid communi- 
cation with the principal cities of the North and 
West. The round-about route over King David's 
Transit Railroad to Cedar Key, and thence by 
steamboat to the Manatee, will then be abandoned, 
and henceforth remembered only as a necessity of 
by-gone days. The recent completion of the 
Louisville, Nashville and Great Southern Rail- 
road, with a terminus at Pensacola, will soon give 
us direct and speedy communication with the 
cities of Louisville, Nashville, Cincinnati, Lidian- 
apolis, Chicago and St. Louis, and open up the 
best and most available markets for the fruits and 
vegetables of the Gulf coast. General Alexander, 
Vice-President of this company, recently expressed 
his willingness to assist in the establishment of a 
line of steamers between Pensacola and Manatee, 
touching at other points along the coast. 

Our climate is far superior to that of any other 
part of Florida; and, I do not think I hazard 
much in saying, to that of any part of the habita- 
ble globe. Having, during a somewhat eventful 



Notes from Sun land. 35 

life of sixty-two years, visited Europe, Asia, Af- 
rica, South and Central America, Mexico and 
California, I say, and *' I say it boldly," that in 
my varied travels, nowhere have I found so health- 
ful and desirable a climate as " Sunland," on the 
]\Ianatee Bay. We are exempt from ice and the 
chilling blasts that sweep along the St. Johns and 
Halifax, and also from tornadoes and hurricanes, 
so destructive on the Atlantic coast. 

Lisects are neither numerous nor troublesome. 
I have been worse annoyed by mosquitoes in the 
City of Philadelphia than in this part of Florida. 
The ubiquitous flea is, I admit, rather jDrevalent 
here, but one soon becomes reconciled to his 
habits, and honors his drafts whenever he presents 
his bill. Snakes are not as numerous here as in 
Pennsylvania. There are, however, rattlesnakes 
and moccasins in Florida. The former I have 
never seen, and the latter but seldom. Those 
that came under my observation, appeared to be 
worse frightened than I was, and made a hasty 
exit. Alligators are not numerous in this section, 
and are comparatively harmless. Like a once 
noted statesman, they desire to be let alone. If 
closely cornered, they will fight ; but they prefer 
to run, if a chance is offered for escape. 

Braidentown, the embryo town of the Manatee, 
is situated on the south side of the bay, about 
eight miles above its entrance into Tampa Bay. 



36 Notes from Simla nd. 

Located on a bluff some fifteen feet above tide- 
water, it commands a fine view of the surrounding 
country and of the entire bay. Being constantly 
fanned by the breezes from the gulf ''with heal- 
ing on their wings," it is in point of healthfulness 
all that the most fastidious pleasure-seeker or in- 
valid could wish for. From Jack's Creek, its 
eastern boundary, to its western terminus, Ware's 
Creek, it contains a frontage on the bay of three- 
fourths of a mile, dotted with picturesque villas, 
surrounded by tropical fruits and flowers. Al- 
though yet in a chrysalis state, being scarcely two 
years old, it contains two boarding-houses, two 
stores, a meat-shop, post-office and a warehouse, 
with a wharf connecting it with the shore — the 
only one on the bay east of Palmasola city. Pas- 
sengers for Manatee and other places on the bay 
are conveyed on shore in sail or row-boats. Ma- 
jor W. I. Turner, the projector of Braidentown, 
a Virginian by birth, has been a resident of Florida 
for forty-five years. Although on the shady side 
of life, he is still hale and hearty. May he live to 
see his bantling, now in her leading-strings, the 
county-seat of Manatee County. Stranger events 
have happened. This is an age of progress ; the 
world moves, and Florida, after her Rip Van 
Winkle sleep of three hundred years, is moving 
with it. 

Sportsmen visiting this place can be accommo- 



Notes from Sunland. 37 

dated with sail -boats for fishing, or mule and ox 
teams for a hunting trip to the Miakka, the sports- 
man's paradise. Captain Charles Miller and Billy 
Stowell, alias '^Buffalo Bill," both "old salts" 
and reliable men, can be engaged with their re- 
spective crafts, the Sancho Panza and Onkeehi, at 
reasonable rates. Ox and mule teams can be had 
of John N. Harris and Dr. S. J. Tyler. 

The reader will pardon a slight digression, and 
allow me to state, that if any person who knows 
how to run a hotel, will start one in Braidentown, 
he will most assuredly put money in his purse, and 
at the same time satisfy a great public want. A 
hotel containing one hundred rooms, properly 
conducted, would be filled with guests six months 
of the year. We have fish, oysters, clams and 
game in abundance, on which boarders could fare 
sumptuously every day. Shall we have a hotel ? 

One and a half miles east of Braidentown, on 
the low, sandy beach of the bay, is the irregularly 
constructed village of Manatee. A stranger visit- 
ing Manatee will invariably ask himself why a 
town was ever built here? The following will 
solve the problem. Adjacent to the village, in a 
southerly direction, are rich hammock lands, 
which, in consequence of their malarial surround- 
ings, could not be domiciled by their owners. 
The pine land on the bay shore offering a more 
healthful location for building, the early settlers 



38 Notes from Sunland, 

availed themselves of it and erected their log and 
palmetto cabins first, and afterward more pre- 
tentious and architectural structures. The Indian 
war breaking out soon after the first settlers had 
located at Manatee, their cabins formed the nu- 
cleus of a settlement as a protection against the 
savages. Thus Manatee became a village, and for 
many years was the only settlement on the Mana- 
tee Bay. The hospitality of her citizens is pro- 
verbial. The stranger within their gates who asks 
for bread is never requested to masticate a stone. 
Unfortunately, the citizens of Manatee are not as 
progressive as hospitable. A plank wharf or foot- 
way, connecting the steamboat warehouse with the 
shore, is badly needed, and should be constructed 
at once. There is a great deal of vitality lying 
dormant in the old town, which, if thoroughly 
aroused and properly applied, would place an en- 
tirely different aspect on the face of affairs. The 
village contains a Methodist church, five stores, 
three boarding-houses, a drug store, an academy, a 
meat-shop and a post-office. Dr. George Casper, 
an enterprising Manateean, wishing to extend his 
usefulness, and being impressed with the belief 
that it would be a good thing to mix literature 
with physic, has issued the prospectus of a weekly 
newspaper, to be called the Manatee County News. 
It will be the pioneer paper of the county, and its 
editor will have plenty of elbow-room — Manatee 



Notes from Sunland. 39 

County being as large as the States of Connecticut 
and Rhode Island. 

One mile east of Manatee, on a point of land 
formed by the junction of Braiden Creek with the 
bay, stands a historic structure, known as Braiden 
Castle. It is composed of a concrete of lime and 
oyster-shells, two stories high, surmounted by a 
cupola or observatory, constructed of wood, from 
Avhich a charming view of the surrounding country 
can be had. South-east, Braiden Creek, winding 
like a silver thread among innumerable evergreen 
islands, presents a view worthy of a poet's dream. 
Westward, as far as the eye can scan, can be traced 
the blue waters of the bay glinting in the sun or 
dancing in the moonbeams on their way to the 
gulf. Northward, across the bay, the eye meets 
hammock, pine land and prairie stretching far 
away toward Tampa Bay. This old relic, scarred 
by Indian bullets, stands a sad memento of better 
days. Who shall write its history? 

At Fair Oaks, about one and a half miles south 
of the castle, on a portion of the old Braiden plan- 
tation, is the largest and most thrifty young orange 
grove on the gulf coast of South Florida, It com- 
prises nearly four thousand trees ; belongs to the 
Hon. Charles H. Foster, ex-State Treasurer, and is 
a living, growing, bearing monument to Yankee 
pluck, enterprise and industry. Mr. Foster is now 
■erecting at Fair Oaks the handsomest private resi- 



40 Notes from Siinland. 

dence in South Florida. The most direct route 
to Fair Oaks is by the way of Manatee, and the 
scenery en route is unsurpassed in the land of the 
myrtle and ivy. Leaving Rocky Ford, you pass 
Glen Falls, whose pellucid waters sparkle and 
dance over rock and through chasm, on their 
course to the Manatee. Graceful palms, with 
their evergreen foliage ; stately live oaks, draped 
with pendant moss, swaying to and fro in the 
breeze; girdled oaks, gayly festooned from base 
to apex with ivy, yellow jessamine and Virginia- 
creeper, gladden the eye on either side of the road, 
and orange-blossoms perfume the air with their 
delightful fragrance, rendering the scene enchant- 
ing as fairy land. 

In the village of Manatee and adjacent ham- 
mock may be seen the orange groves of Mrs. Gates, 
Revs. Edmund Lee, A. A. Robinson and E. Gla- 
zier, Messrs. Pelote, Curry, Harllee, Mitchell, 
Vanderipe, Lloyd, Clark, Warner, McNeill, Cas- 
per, Gates, Wyatt, Adams, Broberg, Reed and 
Wilson. Mrs. Gates, Parson Lee and Major 
Adams also have banana groves in bearing. The 
latter gentleman is engaged in erecting a large 
concrete mansion, with carriage-house and ser- 
vants' quarters of the same material. Situated in 
an eligible position on the bank of the bay, sur- 
rounded by tropical fruits, flowers and vines, whose 
evergreen foliage constantly waving in the breeze^ 
renders the location highly picturesque. 



A'^ofcs from Siniland. 4 ^ 

Some four or five miles south of Manatee, en 
route to Sarasota Bay, are thrifty }'0ung orange 
groves, belonging to the Messrs. Helm, father and 
sons, Dryman, Marshall, Younglove, Dunham, 
Saunders, Azlin, Howell, Thompson, Williams 
and Whitted ; and on Black-jack Ridge, near 
Braidentown, may be seen the thrifty grove of 
Judge E. M. Graham. The groves of the Messrs. 
Helm are pronounced by every one who have seen 
them to be the most promising of their age in the 
State. They are only four years old, but will put 
to the blush many groves twice their age. They 
are monuments of clean and j^ersistent culture. 

On the west side of Ware's Creek, skirting the 
bay, is Willemsenburg, consisting of three houses 
and the frame of a mammoth hotel. This grim 
skeleton, gray with age, has a history. Erected 
originally by Dr. Hunter, at one time a noted 
physician of New York, and Charles W. Skinner, 
a Boston capitalist, on Sanibel, or *' Sanitarium " 
Island, near Punta Rassa, it was soon blown or 
washed down. A portion of the wreck, with ad- 
ditional lumber from Cedar Key, was soon after- 
ward erected at Sarasota Bay, where another part- 
ner, Dr. Dunham, of St. Louis, joined in the 
enterprise. A misunderstanding between the trio 
resulted in the withdrawal of the two medical men 
before the structure was completed. Mr. Skinner 
subsequently razed the building to the ground, 



42 Notes fro?n Simland. 

rafted it through Pahiiasola Bay into the Manatee^ 
and erected it on its present site, where it has stood 
in an unfinished condition during the past five 
years. The decease of Mr. Skinner soon after its 
erection, caused its progress to stop as suddenly 
as did **my grandfather's clock" at the death of 
its owner. 

Westward, separated by an imaginary line, is 
Fogartyville, a community composed principally 
of boat-builders and seafaring men, with their 
families. It contains a store, boat-builder's shedy 
half a dozen dwelling-houses, a floating dry-dock 
with two sections in working order, and two addi- 
tional sections nearly completed. The Messrs. 
Fogarty and Captain Bhart are the owners of the 
dry-dock. 

In this cozy little settlement, close down by the 
waters of the bay, lives Madam Julia Atzeroth, 
and in the garden attached to her house was cul- 
tivated with her own hands the first coffee grown 
in the United States. Madam Atzeroth, or Madam 
*^ Joe," as she is called by her friends, is a char- 
acter, and deserves an extended notice. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Madam Atzeroth— Birth, Parentac-.k and Marriage 
—Arrival in New York— Visit to Philadelphia, 
Easton and New Orleans— Arrival in Florida- 
Locates ON Terraceia Island— Vicissitudes of Pio- 
neer Life— A Friend in Need, a Friend Indeed— 
Arrival of her Sister and Family— Trip to Nf.w- 
nansville— Corn-dodgers and Sawdust— Death of 
Mrs. Nichols— Removal to Fort Brooke, Tampa- 
Col. W. W. Belknap and Family— Return to Ter- 
raceia— Homestead Papers Illegally Executed— 
Return again to Tampa— Gale of 1846— Remove to 
Palmetto— Indian War— Scenes during the War of 
the Rebellion— Sell out at Palmetto and Settle 
in Fogartyville— First Coffee Grown in the 
United States— Its History. 

Madam Julia Atzeroth, whose maiden name 
was Hunt, was born in the City of Bradford, near 
the River Rhine, in Bavaria, on the 25th day of 
December, 1807. Of a family of four children- 
two males and two females — she is the only survi- 
vor. The death of her mother occurring when 
she was eleven -years of age, she was adopted by 
an uncle on the maternal side, with whom she 
resided until she attained her majority. At the 
age of twenty-four years she married Joseph At- 

43 



44 Iv^o'cs frofn Su/i 'arid. 

'zeroth, also a native of Bavaria. The young 
couple soon after the birth of their first child, a 
daughter, left the Fatherland and immigrated to 
America. They arrived in New York in the 
month of August, 1841, where they remained only 
a few months. In consequence of the failing 
health of Madam Atzeroth, they visited Philadel- 
phia and Easton, Pa. ; but deriving no benefit from 
change of location at the North, her physician ad- 
vised her to go South. They accordingly went to 
New Orleans, where they remained about one year. 
Madam Atzeroth' s health not improving, her at- 
tending physician, a German, proposed a trip to 
Florida. Laying in a supply of provisions and 
medicines, and accompanied by the physician, 
they engaged passage on board the schooner Essex, 
a tender for the United States troops stationed at 
Fort Brooke, Tampa, where they arrived in the 
spring of 1843. 

Soon after landing at Tampa, Mr. Atzeroth com- 
menced prospecting for a desirable place to locate. 
After looking about for two or three weeks, he 
concluded to homestead one hundred and sixty 
acres of land on Terraceia Island, and on the 12th 
day of April, 1843, accompanied by his wife, little 
daughter, the German physician and his dog 
Bonaparte, landed on the east side of the island 
about midway of Terraceia Bay. The hammock 
was so dense that the men were compelled to use 



Notes from Sunland. 45 

their axes to clear a space on which to pitch their 
tent. The underbrush and vines were so thick> 
and the progress made by the men so slow, that 
Madam Joe seized an axe and assisted them. This 
was her first attempt at chopping and grubbing m 
Florida. Since that time she has become an ex- 
pert at the business. When the tent was erected 
and dinner prepared, it was eaten with a keen 
relish. From that time forward Madam Joe felt 
new life and strength. Her torpid liver began to 
perform its normal functions, and she forthwith 
discharged the physician and destroyed his medi- 
cines. The doctor went to Key West, where he 
died soon afterward. 

Having become weary of tent-life. Madam Joe 
proposed to her husband the erection of a palmet- 
to hut. Mr. Joe, as the madam always called her 
husband, drove the stakes for the frame and gath- 
ered the palmetto fans or branches. The madam 
mounted the roof and thatched it ; but her work 
was performed so badly that the first shower of 
rain deluged the interior, and its inmates sought 
refuge under the table. The hut was subsequently 
re-thatched, and three of its corners made fast to 
trees, which prevented the wind from blowing it 
down. Soon after the completion of the hut, their 
provisions ran short, and Mr. Joe started in a 
canoe for Tampa to replenish them. On his re- 
turn, adverse winds blew his frail craft around 



46 Notes fro77i Sunland, 

Shaw's Point into Palmasola Bay, and becoming 
bewildered, he landed at Sarasota instead of Ter- 
raceia. After being buffeted about by the wind 
and waves for more than a week, he finally reached 
home. During his absence, Madam Joe and her 
child had no companion save the dog Bonaparte. 
The panthers, wild hogs and owls made the nights 
hideous with their screams, growls and hootings. 
One night a raid was made by an owl on the 
chickens roosting on the trees overhanging the 
hut. Madam Joe seized an old musket of the 
Methodist persuasion, which usually went off at 
half-cock, with the intention of frightening away 
the '' wild varmints," but it was unloaded. Never 
having loaded a musket, she was in a quandary 
whether to put in first the powder or the shot. 
Luckily, she put in the powder before the shot, 
and stepping to the door of the hut, discharged the 
musket into the tops of the trees. She put in too 
much powder, and like another gun we read about, 

it 

"Bore wide the mark and kicked its owner over," 

The owl escaped that time in consequence of be- 
ing at the wrong end of the musket. It was sub- 
sequently killed by Mr^ Joe, and peace reigned 
once more among the chickens. Madam Joe sub- 
sequently became an expert with both the shot-gun 
and rifle, and if reports are reliable, her unerring 
aim has caused more than one red-skin to make a 



Notes from Sunland, 47 

hasty exit to the ' ' happy hunting-grounds. ' ' She 
can also ride a horse astride or otherwise— seldom 
otherwise — like a Camanche. 

Becoming disgusted with their frail palmetto 
hut, Madam and Mr. Joe felled the trees and com- 
menced the erection of a log-pen house, consisting 
of two rooms, with a wide passage running between 
them. As there were no saw-mills in the country, 
boards could not be had at any price. The roof 
of the house Avas covered with split cedar planks, 
and the interstices between the logs filled with 
moss and clay. A chimney was improvised of 
sticks plastered with mud. Subsequently, glazed 
sash for the windows were imported from New 
Orleans. Meanwhile the axe had not been idle. 
The stately live oaks and graceful palms around 
the house had been felled and burned, the land 
grubbed, and a good-sized vegetable garden was 
in successful cultivation. Fort Brooke, some thirty 
miles distant, offering a good market for their 
surplus produce, they hired a man with a boat to 
transport and sell their vegetables. Although 
bountiful crops rewarded their labor, they were 
not entirely happy. Madam Joe was anxious that 
her only sister, residing in New York, should 
emigrate with her family to Florida. But how 
was the matter to be accomplished without money? 
Where there is a will, there is always a way to 
accomplish things which at first sight seem to be 



48 Notes from Sunland. 

impossibilities. The matter was laid before Col. 
W. G. Belknap, the commander of Fort Brooke, 
who cheerfully advanced the required funds, and 
Mr. Joe left immediately in a schooner for New 
York, *ijia Key West. The voyage was long and 
tedious, but it was accomplished, and in due 
course of time, Mr. Joe returned safely with his 
brother-in-law, wife and child. 

Another trouble now presented itself. The 
Armed Occupation Act having expired previous to 
locating their land on Terraceia, they were com- 
pelled to go to the United States Land Office, at 
Newnansville, one hundred and sixty miles distant, 
to file the requisite papers. The country being 
wild and sparsely settled, Mr. Joe and Mr. Nichols, 
his brother-in-law, were compelled to pack their 
provisions on their backs, which rendered their 
journey wearisome and slow. On the third day 
they reached a cabin, where they remained over 
night. While at breakfast on the following morn- 
ing, most of their provisions were stolen by some 
thieving negroes. The theft not being discovered 
until they stopped at mid-day to lunch, they were 
in a sad plight. They pushed on as fast as possi- 
ble, and late in the evening came to a cabin in- 
habited by very poor people. A scanty supper 
was set before them, which tliey ate and retired for 
the night. The breakfast-table on the following 
morning was bountifully supplied with hog, hominy 



Noies frojii Sunland. 4 ; 

and corn-dodgers. Mr. Nichols having never be- 
fore seen a corn-dodger, took a large mouthful of 
one, and then walking deliberately to the door, 
spat it out. On resuming his seat at the table, 
he requested Mr. Joe, in German, not to eat those 
saw-dust cakes. Mr. Joe, knowing the difference 
between saw-dust and corn-meal, continued to put 
away the dodgers, to the great disgust of his bro- 
ther-in-law, who finished his breakfast on hog and 
hominy. They finally reached Newnansville, 
transacted their business and returned safely home, 
after an absence of about two weeks. 

Soon after the return of her husband from New- 
nansville, Mrs. Nichols gave birth to a child. It 
lived only two hours, and in less than one week 
from its birth its mother followed the little an2rel 

o 

to 

" The undiscovered country, from whose bourne 
No traveler returns." 

The surviving chdd, a little girl two years old, was 
adopted by Madam Joe, who reared and educated 
her. She is at this time the wife of Mr. William 
O'Neil, who resides at Palmetto, on the north side 
of the Manatee Bay. 

The money borrowed from Colonel Belknap still 
remained unpaid, which was a source of great trou- 
ble to Madam Joe. She had the inclination, but 
not the means to cancel the debt. The colonel 
proposed to send for his family at the North, and 



50 Notes from Sunlaiid, 

install Madam Joe as housekeeper. The proposi- 
tion was cheerfully acquiesced hi ; and early in the 
year 1845, -^ladam Joe, accompanied by her hus- 
band, daughter and niece, went to Tampa and re- 
sided in the house of Colonel Belknap, at Fort 
Brooke. The Terraceia homestead was left in 
charge of Mr. Nichols and a hired man. The 
colonel's family at that time consisted of his wife, 
two daughters and a son. That son, General W. 
W. Belknap, at present a resident of Keokuk, 
Iowa, made an honorable and enviable record 
during the war of the Rebellion, and was afterward 
Secretary of War during a part of President Grant's 
administration. 

During the eight months Madam Joe resided 
with the family of Colonel Belknap, she frequently 
saw the wily chief, Billy Bowlegs, and other noted 
Seminoles, for whom, to use her own words, she^ 
''cooked many a meal." Close confinement 
caused a recurrence of her old disease — liver com- 
plaint — and she reluctantly left the hospitable 
house of Colonel Belknap for her homestead on 
Terraceia, where by constant out-door exercise,, 
she soon regained her usual health. Even at the 
present day. Madam Joe's universal panacea is 
' ' the grubbing-hoe and elbow-grease. ' ' She prac- 
tices what she preaches, and unlike the medical 
profession, takes her own medicine. Soon after 
the return of Madam Joe and family to Terraceia, 



Notes from Sunland. 5 1 

Mr. Nichols concluded to go to New Orleans. 
During that year — 1846 — the yellow fever nearly 
depopulated the city, and Mr. Nichols was proba- 
bly one of its victims, as he has never been heard 
from by his friends since he left Terraceia. 

In the fall of 1846, one of the severest gales that 
ever visited this section of the country passed over 
Tampa, Terraceia, Palmetto and Manatee. Ma- 
dam Joe's house was blown down and all her fur- 
niture destroyed. The hen-house was the only 
structure that survived the storm. The fowls were 
dispossessed of their domicile, and the family oc- 
cupied it until another house was built. 

In 1848, a government official visited this part 
of Florida to examine proofs of claimants to land 
under the Armed Occupation and Homestead 
Acts. On examining Madam Joe's papers, it was 
discovered that two permits had been issued for 
the same number. This error could only be rec- 
tified at the General Land Office in Washington. 
It was deemed advisable by Madam Joe and her 
husband to return to Tampa and remain there until 
the mistake in relation to their homestead could be 
rectified. Mr. Joe hired a man to assist him in 
building a house at Tampa, and they went up the 
Hillsborough River to cut logs and make shingles 
for the structure. In the month of September the 
logs for the house were formed into a raft and the 
shingles placed on it. Everything being in readi- 



C2 Notes f rem Sunland. 

ness for a start, a furious gale set in, which de- 
stroyed the raft and scattered the logs and shingles 
for miles along the banks of the river. Having 
gathered the logs and shingles together and 
rafted them down to Tampa, Mr. Joe visited his 
family at Terraceia, where he learned that during 
the late storm his wife, child and niece had taken 
refuge in the house of a friend on another part of 
the island. He returned to Tam.pa, and his family 
followed soon after. When Madam Joe arrived, 
she did not admire the location her husband had 
selected for the house. The frame was taken down 
and erected on a lot on the town-side of the river, 
and was soon occupied by the family. The prop- 
erty is still owned by Madam Joe. 

Misfortunes, it is said, never come single-handed. 
In the early part of 1849, ^^- J^*^ injured one of 
his feet, and soon after was attacked with chills 
and fever, which, despite medical treatment, con- 
tinued nine months. At this time Madam Joe's 
finances were at a fearfully low ebb; but being 
equal to the emergency, she cast about for some- 
thing to do whereby she could earn an honest 
penny. She accordingly started a home-made 
beer and cake shop, which being liberally patron- 
ized by the soldiers, soon placed her in easy finan- 
cial circumstances. Her husband at the same 
time kept a sutler's store at Fort Chiconicla. 

About this time a partly-finished house, built by 



yoics from Sunland. 5 3-. 

a friend — Mr. Reecc — in PrJmetto, was sold by the- 
sheriff, and Madam Joe became the purchaser, 
with the hope that Mr. Reece would be able to ' 
redeem the i^roperty. Failing to do so, Madam 
Joe and family left Tampa and located in Palmetto 
in the year 1 85 1 . Here they opened a small 
store, in which they did a thriving business. They 
also cultivated their farm on Terraceia Island, and 
by degrees, as their means permitted, stocked it 
with cattle, horses and hogs. Additions were also 
made to their stock of goods, and finally they 
purchased a colored man, who was an excellent 
farm hand, and proved of great service to his 
owners. 

In 1855 another Indian war broke out. Volun- 
teer companies, home-guards and boat companies 
were organized for protection against Indian in- 
cursions. Many plantations were abandoned and 
homes broken up. Mr. Joe belonged to one of 
the boat companies, and a ten days' scout being 
prolonged to twenty days, it was reported that the 
entire party had been massacred by the Indians. 
During the scout they visited the Indian camps in 
the Everglades, from whence Mr. Joe brought 
away as trophies a silver cup and a spoon belong- 
ing to Billy Bowlegs. The cup was subsequently 
sold to Colonel Jewett, U. S. A. The country 
was in a state of commotion and fever of excite- 
ment until the close of the war, in 1858. During 



7^4 Notes from Sun land. 

these eventful years, Madam Joe stood guard with 
her musket or rifle whenever her services were re- 
quired. She never showed the white feather. 

Peace had scarcely been restored, when the 
civil war of 1861 broke out, and Florida was again 
in a state of anarchy. Mr. Joe enlisted in the 
Confederate service, and served in Tennessee and 
Kentucky. At the close of the war, Madam Joe 
sold her place at Palmetto, with the intention of 
returning to Europe, but her physician informed 
her that she could not survive a change of climate, 
which induced her to abandon the idea of visiting 
the Fatherland. The family again took up their 
residence on Terraceia, where Mr. Joe died on the 
29th of October, 1871. Madam Joe sold part of 
her Terraceia plantation and moved to Fogarty- 
ville, her present location, in the year 1873. -^^^ 
garden at this place comprises only four acres, but 
nowhere else in Florida can be found so many 
different varieties of trees, plants, vegetables, 
vines, shrubs and flowers. Mrs. William Fogarty, 
the daughter of Madam Joe, with her husband and 
son, reside with the madam. Here, in the year 
1 8 76, was planted a few grains of Mexican coffee, 
received from a neighbor, Mrs. E. S. Warner. 
On the 20th of February, 1880, Madam Joe sent 
to the Commissioner of Agriculture, at Washing- 
ton, the Jirsf pound of coffee grown in the United 
States, for which she received ten dollars. This 



Notes from Sunland. 5 5 

spring she has sent to the Agricultural Department, 
at Washington, four pounds of coffee, the product 
of two trees. Next year she will have eight coffee 
trees in bearing, and at least one hundred young 
trees in her nursery. As quite a diversity of 
opinion exists in relation to the origin of the seed 
from which the first coffee was grown in the United 
States, I append the following communications 
from Mrs. E. S. Warner, of Manatee, Fla., and 
Dr. A. A. Russell, of Cordova, Mexico, published 
in the Tampa Tribune, of September 26th, 1880: 

"Manatee, Fla., August 30th, j88o. 
•* Dr. Wall : Dear Sir — I inclose a letter from Dr. A. 
A. Russell, of Cordova, Mexico, the gentleman from whose 
plantation the coffee-seed was procured that has been suc- 
cessfully reproduced by Madam Atzeroth here. As the sub- 
ject of coffee -raising in this State is causing considerable 
inquiry, and as this letter contains much valuable informa- 
tion on the subject, I submit it to you for publication, asking 
the favor of having a copy forwarded to the doctor from 
your office as soon as issued. Very respectfully, 

"E. S. Warner." 

" CoRDOV.\, Mexico, May igth, 1880. 
" Mrs. E. S. Warner : Madam — It was quite a plea- 
sure to receive your very kind letter of April 1st. I con- 
gratulate you most heartily, and am proud to learn that from 
the seed I sent was produced the first coffee in the States. I 
think I wrote you that the plant requires shade. In this 
climate we prefer to plant in fresh, timbered land ; cutting 
out at first only the undergrowth, and taking out a few trees 



5 6 Notes from Sun land, 

every year after for two or three years, thus graduating the 
shade and ventilating as appears to be required. The pala- 
tine (or plantain, or banana, as you probably call it) makes 
a good shade, and may be cut out, or under leaves trimmed off 
as may seem to be necessary. Coffee requires a rich, 
vegetable soil, or manure. The berry is fully ripe when 
dark red, but the grain is matured if the berry is picked 
when it has become yellow or only turning red; however, 
the coffee is of better quality if the berry is fully ripe, that is, 
of a deep or dark red. When gathered, it should be spread 
out at once to dry^ in the sun. It may be dried on mats, 
scaffolds or platforms of planks or boards. In good or 
favorable weather it requires about three weeks to dry. 
Here it is often dried on the ground. It may be spread 
from two to four inches thick, and should be stirred twice or 
three times a day; and if it should get wet a few times on 
the diycr, before half dry, no harm will be done and the 
coffee not injured in the least, if frequently stirred to prevent 
fermentation. When half dry it should be protected from 
rain and dew. If it has been wet a few times it will be 
more easily cleaned, but if frequently wet it will be of a 
darker color; also much darker, and even black and spoiled, 
if allowed to heat and ferment. It may be pulped by some 
of the pulping machines now in use, the day it is gathered, 
then washed and dried. The pulped coffee will dry in a {qw 
•days, occupies less space in drying, and is of a lighter color, 
which, with you, I presume, are considerations of little im- 
portance at present. 

" You will know the coffee is sufficiently dry when the 
hull crushes readily under the foot. The most simple, and, 
by the way, not a very^bad process for cleaning the coffee, 
is the primitive mode of cleaning rice ; that is, to beat it out 
in a deep mortar with a heavy pestle, and as the chaff accu- 
mulates dip out the coffee with a cup in the left hand, pour- 




MADAM JULIA ATZEROTH, 

The lady who raised the first coffee grown in the United States. 

From a photograph hy F. Pinmu), Manatee and Tampa. 



JVofcs from Sunland. 59- 

ing back into the mortar from the same height, at the same 
time blowing off the chaff with a fan in the right hand, re- 
peating the process until clean. 

" There are a variety of machines for hulling and clean- 
ing coffee, which will be a matter of consideration when the 
production requires it. Now that you have succeeded in 
producing the grain, you will have less difficulty in propa- 
gating from the acclimated seed, which should be thoroughly 
ripe, squeezed out of the pulp and dried in the shade. Hope 
yoii will continue successfully, and establish plantations of 
importance. Your obedient servant, 

"A. A. Russell." 

The portrait of Madam Joe is a truthful like- 
ness. Above the medium height of her sex, with 
features bronzed by a tropical sun and the ex- 
posure and hardships of a pioneer life, she is never- 
theless a well-preserved matron of seventy-four 
years, with as noble and generous a heart as ever 
pulsated within the breast of a human being. She 
is passionately fond of music and waltzing, and 

can 

" Trip the light fastastic toe " 

as gracefully as a miss of sixteen. May her days 
in the land be prolonged beyond fourscore years 
and ten. 



CHAPTER V. 

"The Warners, Mother and Sons — Palmasola City — 
Steam Saw-mill and other Improvements — Sam 
Nichols and his Shell-mound — Palmasola Bay — 
Sarasota Bay and its Surroundings — Snead's Island 
— Shell-mound — Date-palm and Olive Trees — 
Uncle Joe and his Dogs with Glass Eyes — Sapp's 
Point — Palmetto — The Patten and Turner Plan- 
tations — JuDAH P. Benjamin — Oak Hill — Terra- 
CEiA Island — Landing of De Soto in 1539. 

Westward of Fogartyville, on the south side 
of the bay, among the most prominent residences, 
are those of the Warners, mother and sons. 
Thence westward, across a bayou, on a sand-spit 
projecting into the bay, stands the steam saw and 
planing-mill of Messrs. W. S. Warner & Co., 
just completed. This mill, wharf and warehouse 
are the nuclei of Palmasola City, which is soon to 
skirt the adjacent sand hills, and cause the sur- 
rounding ^'wilderness to blossom as the rose." 
Mr. Warner is a Bay State Yankee of indomitable 
pluck, and his partner, Mr. J. S. Beach, who re- 
sides at Terre Haute, Ind., controls the money 
bags of a national bank. If capital and pluck 
<can build a city, the success of Palmasola may be 
60 



Notes from Sunland. 6i 

set down as assured. Along the bay, west of the 
Warners, are the ranches of Messrs. Sweetzer, 
Burgess, Sykes and Bishop. A few miles further 
west is Shaw's Point, at the mouth of the bay. 
Here, on an immense shell-mound, surrounded by 
hammock and pine land, Mr. Sam Nichols, a native 
of Alabama, has entered a homestead of i6o acres 
of land. Although severely wounded during our 
late ''unpleasantness," Mr. Nichols has beaten 
his musket into a plowshare, his sword into a 
pruning-hook, and, like a good citizen, is earning 
his bread by the sweat of his brow. 

Along the Gulf coast, southward, skirting Pal- 
masola and Sarasota Bays, may be found the hos- 
pitable homes of Messrs. Farrar, Adams, Moore, 
Buckner, Harp, Stephonse, Tyler, Spang, Crow- 
ley, Dorch, Callan, Riggin, Dunham, Smith, 
Helveston, Whitaker, Willard, Bidwell, Ed- 
mondson, C. E. and M. R. Abbe, Liddell, Greer, 
Yonge, Boardman, Young, Lancaster, Cunliff, 
Wood worth, Jones, Anderson, Crocker, Hansen, 
Bronson Bros., Clower, Lowe, Webb, Griffith, 
Bacon, Knight, Guptrel and Roberts. 

On the north side of Manatee Bay, at its en- 
trance into Tampa Bay, is Snead's Island, sepa- 
rated from the mainland by a narrow and shallow 
"cut-off" leading into Terraceia Bay, and also 
by a wider and deeper channel opening into 
Tampa Bay, and separating it from Terraceia Is- 



62 Notes from Sunland. 

land. Midway of the island, fronting on Mana« 
tee Bay, is a curiosity in the shape of a shell- 
mound or earth- work, crescent-shaped, and some 
forty feet in height. The distance between the 
points of the crescent on the bank of the bay, is. 
five hundred feet. On the highest point of the 
mound, and nearly in the centre, stands a frame 
dwelling, somewhat dilapidated, erected by a 
former owner of the place. On the eastern angle 
are two date-palm and two olive trees. The 
former are fifteen inches in diameter and forty 
feet in height. The latter are eighteen inches in 
diameter two feet above the ground, and fifty feet 
in height. Both the olive and date-palms bear 
fruit j the former in large quantities. On the 
mound in the centre of the crescent, and near the 
house, are two olibanum trees, eighteen inches in 
diameter and fifty feet in height. Was this mound 
an Indian burial place, or was it thrown up by 
the early Spanish invaders as a defense against the 
Natchez, a warlike and semi-civilized tribe of In- 
dians, who, at the time of the Spanish conquest, 
inhabited this part of Florida ? Quicn sabe ? 

The only human occupants of the island at this 
time are uncle Joe Franklin and his wife, an aged 
couple. Uncle Joe lives in a palmetto hut with a 
shell floor, and with the old 'oman and two glass- 
eyed dogs as companions, 

" His hours in cheerful labor fly." 



Notes from Sunland. 63 

Uncle Joe is a character, and all visitors to the 
Manatee should call on him, examine his mam- 
moth wild fig tree and hedge of century plants. 
Metfi, Ask him to chain his dogs before you go 
.ashore, otherwise the seat of your inexpressibles 
will require repairs. I have been there. 

Eastward, above the Terraceia cut-off, is Sapp's 
Point. Further along, and directly opposite 
Braidentown, is Palmetto, a young town contain- 
ing two stores and a post-office. The reader will 
perceive that Uncle Sam distributes post-offices 
in Florida with a lavish hand. We have three of 
these convenient institutions within a radius of 
one and a half miles — Braidentown, Manatee, 
Palmetto — and Palmasola City, only three miles 
distant, will have one as soon as Postmaster War- 
ner shall build an office to protect the mail matter 
of that growing city. 

Immediately in the rear of Palmetto is a prairie 
of several miles in extent. North-east of the 
town, about one mile distant in the hammock, 
Mr. Hendricks, of Palmetto, has a promising six- 
ycars-old orange grove, grown from seeds planted 
with his own hands. Mr. Hendricks cultivates 
vegetables between the ro^vs of his orange trees, 
and last year he realized several hundred dollars 
by shipping his early tomatoes, cucumbers and 
snap-beans to New York and other Northern 
markets. To Mr. Hendricks belongs the credit 



64 Notes from Sunla7id, 

of starting the early vegetable boom in the Mana- 
tee region. 

]\Ir. David Zehner, from Louisiana, has recently 
purchased a strip of scrub hammock, east of the 
town, where he intends to make the cultivation 
of grapes and strawberries a specialty. He has 
already received several thousand cuttings and 
plants of the choicest varieties. A few miles 
further eastward, you reach the plantation of 
Major W. I. Turner, the god-father of Braiden- 
town, who has forty acres in tomatoes, cucumbers, 
squashes and beans. He has already commenced 
shipping his vegetables to the Northern markets. 

Half a mile east of Major Turner's is the ex- 
tensive plantation of Major George Patten. Gen- 
eral Hiram W. Leffingwell, ex-United States Mar- 
shal for the Eastern District of Missouri, has 
recently purchased 200 acres of this land, and is 
negotiating for more. Two of the general's 
sons, with their families and an unmarried nephew, 
are now encamped on the land, and are busily 
engaged in erecting dwelling-houses and the ne- 
cessary out-buildings. The general and his wife 
will arrive later in the season. In addition to the 
cultivation of the various fruits of the citrus 
family, the general will devote his attention to 
general farm crops and the growing of early vege- 
tables for the Northern and Western markets. 
Another St. Louis gentleman, Mr. C. G. B.. 



Notes from Sunland. 65 

Drummond, Assistant U. S. District Attorney, 
has purchased 120 acres of land on the Rogers' ham- 
mock near Oak Hill, on which he will set out an 
orange grove this summer. 

Mr. H. O. Cannon, a California Argonaut, and 
late resident of New Albany, Ind., after having 
spent several winters prospecting Florida, has, 
like a sensible man, concluded to pitch his tent 
on the Patten j^lantation. With this view, he has 
purchased twenty acres of land, which he has 
commenced grubbing and fencing, preparatory to 
planting an orange and lemon grove. Mr. C. H. 
Walworth, of Milwaukee, has purchased twenty 
acres of land adjoining Mr. Cannon, which he 
v/ill have cleared, grubbed and planted in orange 
and lemon trees this year. 

In ante belluni times, the present Patten planta- 
tion was know first as the Gamble, and afterward 
as the Cofield and Davis plantation, and was the 
largest and most thoroughly equipped sugar plan- 
tation in the State of Florida. The owners worked 
200 hands, and had 1,400 acres of sugar-cane in 
one field. Their sugar-mill and refinery contained 
all the modern appliances, and, at the commence- 
ment of the war, was worth half a million dol- 
lars. Soon after the breaking out of hostilities, 
most of the slaves were sent to Louisiana, and work 
on the plantation was abandoned. During the last 
year of the war, a Federal gunboat entered the. 



^(i Notes from Sunland. 

Manatee Bay, and a boat's crew, commanded by 
a,n officer, blew up the sugar-house and set fire to the 
refinery. The destruction was complete ; and to- 
day may be seen the ponderous fly-wheel of the en- 
gine, broken shafts and crumbling walls— sad me- 
mentos of the event. The family mansion, a large 
two-story brick structure, with galleries around 
three sides of both stories, escaped the hand of the 
destroyer. Although bearing the finger-marks of 
time, it is at this day, a substantial structure, and, 
with slight repairs, would weather the storms of 
another century. Connected with this old man- 
sion is a history, now for the first time published. 
Within these walls during the last days of the 
Southern Confederacy, when that fabric (on paper) 
was fast crumbling to pieces, Judah P. Benjamin, 
a fugitive from justice, and flying for his life under 
the assumed name of Charles Howard, was the 
guest for nearly two months of Captain Archibald 
McNeill, its then occupant. When on that mem- 
orable Sunday, in the spring of 1865, Jeff. Davis 
and his cabinet hastily fled from Richmond, Ben- 
jamin and Breckinridge struck out for the wilds of 
Florida, which seemed to ofl"er a secure retreat. 
Arrived at Gainsville, Breckinridge sought refuge 
on the Atlantic coast, and Benjamin, under the 
guidance of Captain L. G. Leslie, started for the 
Gulf coast, via Tampa, and arrived safely at the 
mansion of Captain McNeill. After remaining 



Notes from Sunland. 67- 

nearly two months at Captain McNeill's, Benja- 
min was conveyed in a boat to Manatee, and from 
thence to Sarasoto Bay in a horse-cart, by Rev. E. 
Glazier, of Manatee; from thence to Cape Florida, 
in a small sail-boat, commanded by Captain Fred. 
Tresca, also a resident of Manatee. At Cape 
Florida a larger boat was procured, and after 
several hair-breadth escapes from Federal gun- 
boats and the perils of the sea. Captain Tresca 
landed his charge safely on one of the islands of the 
Bahama group, and returned to Manatee ^1,500 
richer than when he left home. Benjamin reached 
England safely, where he has acquired fame and 
fortune. Should this page by chance meet his 
eye, he will no doubt be pleased to learn that 
Captain McNeill, past threescore and ten, has re- 
tired from active life and settled in Manatee, sur- 
rounded by a large family. Captain Tresca, or 
Captain ''Fred.,'* as he is called by his friends, 
lives with his wife and two children on a small 
plantation near Braidentown. Although he counts 
his years away up among the nineties, he is still a 
well-preserved "old salt." Rev. E. Glazier is 
still a resident of Manatee, and looks as though 
he had renewed his lease of life for another half 
century. Judas betrayed his Master for the paltry 
sum of thirty pieces of silver. Twenty-five thou- 
sand dollars was the price offered by the United 
States Government for the corpus of the fugitive. 



6S Notes from Sunland. 

The example of Judas was not followed by those 
who assisted Benjamin to escape. 

There are more than a thousand acres of the rich 
hammock land belonging to this plantation for 
sale at from %\^ to ^25 per acre, according to 
location. When the fact that it cost originally 
$75 P^^ ^cre to clear this land, is taken into con- 
sideration, it will be seen that the price at which 
it is now offered is very low, and places it within 
the reach of persons of small means. The land 
will be sold in lots to suit purchasers. 

Adjoining the grounds of the Patten mansion is 
the residence of Hamet J. Craig, who has a young 
orange grove of three hundred trees and ten acres 
of hammock land under cultivation. Five miles 
further on, in a north-easterly direction, is Oak 
Hill, the former residence of Major W. I. Turner. 
At this place the major has a bearing orange grove 
of several hundred trees, and also one of the most 
promising six-years-old groves of six hundred 
trees to be found in the Manatee region. Adjoin- 
ing Major Turner is the grove of Walter Tresca, 
just coming into bearing, and near by is the young 
grove of Mr. William Gillett. 

Terraceia Island, separated from Snead's Island 
by a narrow channel, is bounded on the west by 
Tampa Bay, on the north by Frog Creek, and on 
the east by Terraceia Bay. This island contains 
several tracts of excellent hammock land, most of 



Notes from Sunland. 69 

which is under improvement. On this island are 
located the bearing orange groves of Messrs. Hal- 
lock, Lennard and Williams; Messrs. Kennedy 
Howard, Gifford, Watkins, Hobart, Patten and 
Wyatt are also located on this island. Judge 
Cessna, of Gainesville, has recently purchased^ 
plantation on the island, and will soon locate 
there. Other persons on the line of the Transit 
Railroad having become disgusted with frost and 
ice, are seeking homes in the Manatee re-ion 
On the mainland, on the east side, and about mid- 
way of Terraceia Bay, is the plantation of Mr 
John Craig. Mr. Craig raises the finest cane and 
has the reputation of making the best sugar m 
Manatee County. 

A short distance north of Terraceia Island, on 
the mainland, Hernando De Soto, fresh from the 
conquest of Peru, where he was associated with 
Francisco Pizarro, landed his troops in the latter 
part of May, 1539. He sailed from Havana on 
Sunday May i8th, 1539, with his troops embarked 
in five large ships, two caravels and two bri-an- 
tines The disastrous fate of his predecessors in 
Florida cast no gloom on the mind of De Soto 
and his assurances of success imparted confidence 
o those who accompanied him. He had never 
been defeated in battle, and was believed by his 
soldiers to be invincible. His officers were men 
ot valor and ripe experience, and his troops were 



^o Notes from Sunland. 

well disciplined, a majority of them having served 
in many campaigns, and all were well acquainted 
with Indian warfare. 

His wife, Dona Isabella, did not share his en- 
thusiasm, and desired to accompany him and share 
the dangers she believed he was about to encoun- 
ter ; but De Soto strenuously opposed her wishes, 
and encouraged her to believe that the time of 
reunion was not far distant. The conquest of 
Florida appeared to De Soto to be an easy task, 
from which he could soon return with large acces- 
sions of wealth and glory. 

Contrary and baffling winds kept the squadron 
tossing about in the Gulf of Mexico for several 
days. De Soto and his troops obtained their first 
view of the Land of Flowers on the morning of 
the 25th day of May, and in the afternoon of the 
same day they came to anchor about two leagues, 
from the shore. The shoals which extended along 
the coast prevented the ships from coming nearer. 
They had, in the meantime, been discovered by 
the natives, who had kindled beacon-fires along 
the beach, now known as Pinellas, as signals to 
collect their forces and be in readiness to repel 
their enemies. De Soto's vessels were anchored 
off the mouth of Tampa Bay, called by the Span- 
iards the Bay of Espiritu Santo. 

The Natchez, who inhabited the neighboring 
country, were governed by a chief named Ucita, 



Notes from Sunland. 7r 

whose hatred of the Spaniards is easily explained. 
When Pamphilo de Narvaez visited this region in 
1528, he was kindly received and hospitably en- 
tertained by the Chief Ucita, and a treaty of 
peace between them was formed ; yet, on a very 
slight pretense, the wily and bloodthirsty Pam- 
philo caused the chief's nose to be cut off, and 
his aged mother to be torn to pieces by dogs ! 
Hence, the reason why Ucita displayed implaca- 
ble resentment in his behavior to De Soto and his 
companions in arms. 

Thus, it will be seen that from the earliest his- 
tory of our country, the aborigines have been 
treated with the most impolitic and unchristian- 
like barbarity; and it is highly probable that 
much of that ferocity which characterizes the In- 
dians of the far West at this time, may be ascribed 
to the harsh and merciless treatment which their 
ancestors received from the early Spanish ex- 
plorers, who acted on the principle that the In- 
dians had no rights that a white man was bound to 
respect. 

Wishing to avoid a collision with the Indians 
at that time, De Soto weighed anchor, and pro- 
ceeded with his fleet two leagues further up the 
bay, where he disembarked his troops in boats. The 
place where he landed was on the eastern shore 
of Hillsborough Bay, above the mouth of the 
Little Manatee River, and near the line which 
separates Hillsborough and Manatee Counties. 



7 2 Notes from Sunland. 

The Indians being anxious to get rid of De Soto 
and his followers, informed them that El Dorado^ 
for which they were seeking, was further north- 
ward. De Soto sent his ships back to Havana, 
and commenced his toilsome march overland, 
which ended with his death and burial in the 
Mississippi River, on the 5th day of June, 1542, 
three years and one month after the date of his 
arrival in Tampa Bay, 



CHAPTKIl VI. 

"Sunnyside" — Orange AND Banana Groves — Lemons 
AND Limes — Coffee Trees and Pine-apples — Cali- 
fornia Grapes — Quality of the Land — Mode of 
Cultivation — Florida, Past, Present and Future — 
Increased Production — Better and Cheaper Trans- 
portation — Interrogatories and Answers. 

• 

Having given the reader a hasty outline of the 
Manatee region, I will add a brief resume of my 
personal experience at *'Sunnyside" during the 
past eighteen months. On my arrival in Braiden- 
town, in the fall of 1879, my land was a ''howling 
wilderness. ' ' At this time I have a young orange 
grove of six hundred trees, sixty lemon, fifteen 
lime, ten guava, half a dozen olive, two soft-shell 
almond, twenty coffee, four each Japan plum and 
persimmon, two pomegranate, two cocoa-nut and 
four Le Conte pear trees, all of which are growing 
luxuriantly. I also have one acre in bananas and 
sixty pine-apple plants, both of which will bear 
fruit next year. Around the fence inclosing my 
house lot, I have sixty California grape-vines of 
the choicest varieties, viz. : Flaming Tokay, 
White Muscat of Alexandria, Mission and Rose 
of Peru. The vines are looking well, and will 
bear fruit next year. 

75 



7^ Notes from Sunland. 

_ The land on which I am located is spruce-pine 
interspersed with water-oak and scrub palmetto' 
which would be pronounced by the average Flo' 
ndian worthless. I had at the commencement 
and still have, abiding faith in the white sand of 
Florida with a mulatto sub-soil. No matter how 
white the surface, if underlaid by a mulatto or 
yellow sub-soil, the citrus family will thrive The 
foliage of my young trees is dark green, and their 
vigorous growth astonishes the -crackers," who 
predicted a failure. Owing to the mildness of 
the chmate-my location being exempt from frost 
—my trees grew all last winter. My orange trees 
are set in parallel rows, thirty feet apart each 
way ; the lemon and lime trees twenty-five feet 
apart; the bananas twelve feet, and the pine- 
apples two feet apart. I hoe my grove every two 
months, and plow it four times a year. Thus by 
keeping the soil constantly tickled with the hoe 
my trees laugh with a bountiful foliage. What I 
have done, can be performed by others. There 
IS no secret about the matter. We welcome im- 
migrants from the frigid North, from the prairies 
of the West, and from the lands beyond the sea. 
To all we say, come and tarry with us. 

Florida, the first State belonging to the Union, 
discovered and settled by Europeans, has, during 
the past 350 years, been hustled about from pillar 
to post like a shuttle-cock. The repeated Indian 



Notes from Sunland. 7 7 

wars from 1816 to 1858, rendered life so insecure, 
that the early settlers literally carried their lives 
in their hands. Is it then a matter of surprise 
that Florida is so sparsely populated? Mr. J. S.r 
Adams, former Commissioner of Immigration ^ 
truthfully remarks: ''The wonder truly is, not 
that she has not attained a more flourishing con- 
dition, but that she exists at all, and that her 
boundless forests, her lovely rivers and her beau^ 
tiful lakes are not fast locked in the silent embrace 
of a moveless desolation." Since slavery, which 
rested like an incubus of original sin on the soil 
of Florida, has been removed, immigration has 
been pouring in from the North and the West, 
and from the isles of the ocean. Germany, Italy, 
France and England have each furnished their 
quota, and the forests along the line of the rail- 
roads, as well as those accessible by steamboats, 
are beginning to show the effects of an advanced 
civilization. The gigantic undertaking of drain- 
ing Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades, to- 
gether with the construction of a ship canal, con- 
necting the Atlantic Ocean with the Gulf of 
Mexico, by Mr. Hamilton Disston, of Philadel- 
phia, and his coadjutors, is proof positive that anew 
era is beginning to dawn on the Land of Flowers, 
and, ere many years, the southern portion of the 
State will be one vast orange grove, interspersed 
with the guava, lemon, lime, pine-apple and ba- 



78 Notes from Sunland. 

nana. I hear the skeptic say: ''You will over- 
stock the market, and your fruit will not pay the 
cost of transportation." The orange pa7' excel- 
lence can be grown only in the soil of Florida, 
therefore competition with foreign countries need 
not be feared. Florida will soon be able to sup- 
ply the cities of the Mediterranean with a superior 
fruit to that grown on their own shores, and more 
-cheaply. Increased production and transporta- 
tion will cause a corresponding reduction in 
freight, and also insure greater and better facili- 
ties in the modes of transportation. There will 
also be a large reduction in price to the consumer, 
which will enable the man of limited means — in 
other words, the poor man — to indulge with the 
millionaire in the daily luxury of the golden apple 
of the Hesperides — the Florida orange. The 
above may be deemed by some persons chimeri- 
cal, but time, the great arbiter of events, will solve 
the problem. 

By every mail I am in receipt of letters asking 
.all manner of questions in relation to the climate, 
5oil, productions, etc., of this part of Florida. 
At first I cheerfully complied with the requests of 
my numerous correspondents, but the novelty has 
Avorn off, and the task has become slightly mo- 
notonous. Recently, I received a four-page cap- 
sheet letter from a gentleman in Utah Territory, 
to which was appended seventeen interrogatories 



Notes from Sunland. 19" 

in relation to the Gulf Coast of South Florida. 
That straw broke the camel's back, and, in reply 
to the following question: ''I see by the last 
census that Manatee County has a population of 
over 4,000, and not a death recorded for 1880. 
Do people ever die there?" I wrote immediately, 
''Hardly ever. When we want to start a grave- 
yard, we kill a man." I am firmly impressed 
with the belief that my Mormon correspondent, 
with a "family of ten persons," will not immi- 
grate to the Land of Flowers. Below will be found 
twenty-five questions in relation to Florida, from 
correspondents the ''wide world over," with an- 
swers appended : 

I St. "At any time of the year do you have 
severe storms of thunder and lightning?" 

During the rainy season, thunder showers, ac- 
companied by lightning, frequently occur, but 
they are not more severe than in the Northern and 
Western States. 

2d. "Arc venomous reptiles numerous?" 
During my residence and travels in Florida, I 
liave never seen a rattlesnake ; I have seen a few 
moccasin, garter, coachwhip and blacksnakes. 
The two latter are harmless, and are seldom killed 
by the natives. Alligators are not numerous in 
this vicinity, and are comparatively harmless. 
Scorpions and centipedes are seldom met with. 
Their sting is no more severe than that of a bee. 



^'=> Notes fro?n Swtland. 

3d. ^^Is the land about Braidentown sandy or 
clayey?" ■' 

The land on the margin of the bay is sandy: 
further back in the hammock, the soil is dark gray 
and chocolate color, underlaid with clay and lime- 
Stone. 

4th. ''Are the people mostly Northern^" 
Like an Englishman's favorite beverage, thev 
are 'alf-and-'alf. ^ 

5th. -What is the name of your nearest town 
of any importance?" 

Have no towns of -importance " in this section 
of the country; they are in the womb of time- 
not hatched yet. 

6th. - What is the character of your society^" 
Mixed. ^ ' 

7th. -Do you consider Florida as healthy as 
California?" 

I consider this Manatee region the sanitarium 
of the world. A more healthful spot cannot be 
found on God's footstool. 

8th. ^ ' Do malarial fevers prevail in your section 
any time during the year?" 

In the rich, low hammock lands, where vegeta- 
tion IS rank, malarial fevers exist in the fall of the 
year. Chills and fever here yield more readily to 
proper medical treatment than in the West. Pine 
land is exempt from malaria 



ins:? 



9th. -Does the summer heat prove enervat- 



Notes from Sunlarid. Si 

That depends on a man's constitution. If born 
tired, yes. 

loth. 'as it true that the summer weather with 
you is more pleasant — less oppressive — than at the 
North?" 

Yes; the thermometer rarely registers more than 
96^. It reached that point only twice last summer, 
nth. '' Are the nights in summer always cool ?" 
Generally; sometimes cooler than in the winter. 
1 2th. '' Can you work out of doors during the 
day in summer time ?" 

Yes, when it does not rain. I have not seen a 
day too hot to work out of doors since my arrival 
in Florida. 

13th. ''Do the crops of vegetables and grass 
burn under the summer sun ?" 

We don't raise vegetables in the summer. Our 
vegetables are grown in the winter and spring, 
when the land at the North is locked fast in the 
embrace of frost and ice. The grass here is very 
nutritious, and large herds of cattle fatten on it. 
This section of country supplies Cuba with beef. 
14th. ''Are insects— fleas and mosquitoes- 
more troublesome than at the North?" 

Fleas sometimes make it lively with us; but 
there are fewer mosquitoes in this locality than in 
a majority of the Northern States. 

15th. " Do you consider Manatee County one 
of the best to settle in?" 



p ^ Notes from Sunland. 

It suits me better than any other part of Florida, 
You might go further and fare worse. 

i6th. *'Do you think the Gulf Coast equal to 
the Atlantic Coast for climate, health, etc.?" 

Yes ; far superior. 

17th. *'What is the price of land in your sec- 
tion?" 

That depends upon quality and location. Here, 
in the settlement of Braidentown, land is selling 
at from $25 to $100 per acre. ' A short distance 
back of the town, pine land can be purchased at 
from ,$1.50 to $5 per acre ; and hammock land at 
^10 per acre. Across the bay, nearly opposite 
Manatee, on the Patten plantation, good ham- 
mock land, once under cultivation, can be pur- 
chased at from $15 to ^25 per acre, according to 
location. This land is being rapidly metamor- 
phosed into vegetable gardens, whose products- 
tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, etc.— reach the 
Northern markets during the month of ^larch. 
1 8th. ''What are the business prospects for a 



new-com.er^' 



That will depend a great deal on the "new- 
comer." Come, investigate and judge for your- 
self. 

19. "Can sugar-cane be grown to advantage in 
your neighborhood? and what amount of sugar 
can be made to the acre ?' ' 

The Manatee region is the natural home of the 



Nates from Sunland. 83 

sugar-cane. Here it tassels, and consequently 
fully matures. Florida is the only State of the 
Union in which the cane tassels. When the Co- 
field and Davis, now Patten plantation, was in 
full operation, the average product was two hogs- 
heads of sugar to the acre. The cane here ra- 
toons from six to eight years. 

20th. '' What is the cost of clearing land ?" 

That depends on the quality of the land. The 
average pine land can be cleared and grubbed at 
from $10 to $20 per acre. Hammock land will 
cost double that price. 

2 1 St. *' Can lumber be had on the Manatee, and 
if SO, at what price?" 

Heart-pine lumber, suitable for fencing or 
building purposes, can be had here at ^15 per M. 
Light wood posts can be purchased at ^10 per 
hundred. 

2 2d. ''What is the price of labor in your vicin- 
ity?" 

Colored laborers can be hired at from $15 to 
$20 per month, with board or rations. The price 
is $1 per day when the laborer boards himself. 

23d. ''Are fish, oysters and game plentiful?" 

Our rivers and bayous are literally alive with 
mullet — the mackerel of the South. Sea-trout 
(black bass), jack-fish, sheepshead, red-fish, angel- 
fish, drum and pompino can also be had in abund- 
ance in the water around Palm Key, at the mouth 



84 Noies from Sunland, 

of the bay. Oysters and clams of a superior 
quality can be had in Terraceia and Sarasoto Bays. 
Deer, squirrels, quail and wild turkeys abound in 
the adjoining hammocks. 

24th. *' Can you refer me to any person in your 
vicinity whose health has been benefited by the 
climate?" 

Yes ; several. Rev. Edmund Lee, of Manatee, 
arrived here forty-five years ago, a confirmed in- 
valid ; in fact, nearly gone with pulmonary con- 
sumption. On his first arrival he was so weak 
that it required considerable effort to pull a mullet 
off a grid-iron. The healthfulness of the climate, 
together with out-door exercise and a clear con- 
science, have enabled him to fight the flesh and 
the devil successfully to the present time. He is 
at this time a well-preserved patriarch of seventy- 
two years ; has outlived two wives, and bids fair 
to remain many years longer on this side of Jor- 
dan. 

Mr, John M. Helm, residing some three miles 
south-east of Braidentown, arrived from Windsor, 
Ind., about four years since. He also was nearly 
gone with consumption. One lung was hepatized, 
and on the other a tubercle formed, and dis- 
charged after his arrival here. Physicians at the 
West pronounced his case hopeless — beyopd the 
reach of medicine — and recommended the cli- 
mate of Florida as a last resort. He is now a well 



Notes from Sun/and. ^5 

man, and can hoe more orange trees in a day, and 
hoe them better, than any man I know in Florida. 

Two years ago I arrived here, clad in porous- 
plasters, suffering with chronic rheumatism. Two 
months later I was as frisky as a lamb in spring 
time. I am convinced that my old complaint has 
left me never to return, so long as I remain here. 
I could record other cases, but the above must 
suffice for the present. 

25th. '' State the most direct route to Braiden- 
town." 

By rail to Cedar Key, the terminus of railroad 
communication, thence by the boats of the Tampa 
Steamship Company to this place. A boat leaves 
Cedar Key on Monday and Friday afternoon of 
each week, and arrives at Braidentown early on 
the following morning. Fare, ^8. The above is 
the advertised programme, but it is sometimes 
changed to suit wind and weather. Captains 
Jackson and Doane are thorough seamen, and do 
everything in their power to render passengers 
comfortable. Whatever may be the opinion of 
travelers in regard to the speed and accommoda- 
tions of the boats, they will unanimously agree 
that the fare — 18 for a distance of less than 100 
miles — is first-class. A line of light draught, 
modern-built and comfortably fitted-up steam- 
boats, between Cedar Key and Braidentown, 
would be liberally patronized. Shall we have the 
boats? Echo repeats the question. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Florida Letter Published in a California Paper. — 
Editorial Remarks — The "Fountain of Youth"— 
The Manatee River and its Surroundings — Tropi- 
cal Fruits — Game and Fish — The Sportsman's Par- 
adise — Letter to the Editress of the " Philadel- 
phia Sunday Times" — The Land of Promise — 
Sunstroke and Hydrophobia Unknown — Cooi. 
Nights During the "Dog Days" — Preparing the 
Land and Planting an Orange Grove — The Flo- 
rida Orange — Route to the Manatee — Climate of 
the Gulf Coast of South Florida — Record of 
Thermometer and Rainfall for the Year 1880 — 
No Frost — Report in Relation to the Effects of 
the Freeze on the Atlantic Coast in December 
Last. 

As THE following letters and communications 
have a direct bearing on the Manatee region, the 
reader will pardon their republication. Among 
the chaff perchance may be found a few grains of 
information that will pay for the perusal. The 
first letter was written to a personal friend in the 
city of New York, who forwarded it to the San 
Francisco Examiner. It was first published in that 
paper with the following editorial remarks ; 

" Old Californians are not unfamiliar with the name of Mr. 
:-:Samuel C. Upham, an editor upon this coast in the early 



Notes from Sun/and. 87 

<lays, :.ncl, of late, the author of a work entitled Voyage to 
California via Cape Horn, and Scenes in El Dorado in i849- 
and 1850. We are permitted to copy a letter from that gen- 
tleman, written in his hmnorous style, and addressed to an 
old Californian friend, which may prove of interest to others.'^ 

Philadelphia, June j6f/i, iSjg. 

Friend C : I owe you a letter, and the following is 

what I have to say : You are aware that I v^ent South last 
winter for the benefit of my health, and that I returned in the 
spring as frisky as a lamb. The late hot weather has pulled 
me down considerably, and I sigh for the Land of Flowers, 
where Ponce de Leon searched for the fountain of youth, and 
Upham found it. I was so charmed with the climate of the 
Gulf Goast of vSouth Florida, that, while there last winter, I 
purchased 225 acres of land on the Manatee River, fifty 
miles south of Tampa, and Mrs. U. and myself are going 
down to that land of promise the coming fall, to plant an. 
orange grove, and sit under our own vine, orange and euca- 
lyptus trees. It is a delightful country, away down below 
" frost line," where the pine-apple, banana, guava, sapadillo, 
pomegranate, date, cocoa-nut, orange, lime and lemon grow 
almost spontaneously. The rivers are overflowing A\ith fish, 
and the forests are overrun with game. Roasted wild turkeys 
run about with carving-knives and forks sticking in their 
bracks, and ask to be eaten. The country now is a trifle A\ild, 
l^ut will soon become tamed and civilized. The peoi)le are 
hospitable, and welcome all classes of strangers, with the ex- 
ception of "carpet-baggers." They have been tried and 
found wanting. 

I shall locate in the village— if two stores and four houses 
can be dignified by that name— of Braidentown, Manatee 
County, Florida. The place is scarcely twelve months old, 
but is bound to be heard from— after I locate there. The- 



.83 



Notes from Sunland. 



-a.mate is delightful-sort of an earthly Paradise. The ther 
mometer during the winter months ranges from 70° to yco 
and n. summer rarely exceeds 90°, with a sea-breeze blov^;: 
constantly either from the Atlantic or the Gulf. The niaht! 
m summer are invariably cool, and one can lie comfortably 
under blankets during " dog days.' 

I do not expect to make^noney in Florida, but I do ex 

of my exodus. I shall, first off, plant an orange grove of 500 
trees, which, m eight years, barring accidents, ought to yield me 
a handsome revenue. Should I '^ shuffle off this mortal coil " 
before these orange trees commence bearing, I shall feel dis- 
appointed-that's all. I think the change will give me a 

Te? llr T;/ ^^^ -^' - I "^tend to plant three%ars-oH 
^rees I think the chances are rather in my favor. The Good 
Book says : ^^ What does it profit a man if he gain the whole 
world and ose his own life ?" I am not prepared to " hand 
m my checks " just yet; hence my change of base. I have 
•been watching and praying the past four or five years for the 
good time coming " to put in an appearance, but it has not 
arrived, .nd will not, I fear, during my sojourn in this vale 
ot tears. I have a mortal dread of the poor-house. In Florida 
that institution is unknown. My eldest son will take charge 
of my store and laboratory in this city, so the business wUl 
go on without interruption. As I have spun out this letter to 
a great length, I will say domino. 

Truly yours, 

S. C. Upham. 
^ The following letter was published originally 
in laggart's Philadelphia Sunday Times, under 
the following caption : - Life in Florida. Inter- 
esting letter from Samuel C. Upham, formerly of 



Notes from Sunland. ^9' 

Philadelphia, but now located in Florida, ad- 
dressed to our lady editress. Hints to those who* 
may wish to visit the Flowery Land." 

SuNNYsiDE Cottage, 
Braidentown, Fla., June 8th, 1880. 

My Dear Mrs. Bladen: In the Sunday Times of the 
30th ult., you say: 

*' Mr. Samuel C. Upham, whose popular songs and won- 
derful California experiences render him a Philadelphia celeb- 
rity, has a large plantation near Jacksonville." 

It is pleasing to know, when one is far away, that he is not 
entirely forgotten by his friends ; but you are slightly mistaken 
when you say I own a large orange plantation near Jack- 
sonville. I am located on the Manatee River, some eight 
miles above its entrance into Tampa Bay, on the Gulf coast 
of South Florida, in latitude 27^°, and below " frost line." 
I visited Jacksonville and all the towns and landings on the 
St. Johns, Halifax and Matanzas Rivers, and also " did" the 
Suwanee pretty thoroughly before locating in Braidentown. 
I prefer this part of Florida to the Atlantic coast for the fol- 
lowing reasons: Heathfulness of climate, purity of water 
and immunity from frost and insects. My health has im- 
proved wonderfully since my arrival in the Land of Plowers, 
and I am pretty thoroughly convinced that I have obtained a 
new lease of life. The sea breezes that fan my brov/ at 
morning, noon and night, act as a tonic on my enfeebled con- 
stitution, and I am daily gaining strength and muscle. I have 
to-day worked six hours in my banana grove, with the ther- 
mometer at 90° in the shade, without experiencing any in- 
convenience from the heat. The heat is so modified by the 
constant sea breeze that one can work in the sun at all hours 
of the day and at all seasons of the year. Sunstroke and 



■ 90 Notes from Sitnland. 

hydrophobia are unknown here. This statement can be taken 
■without salt. In midsummer the nights are invariably cool. 
Blankets at night are the rule, not the exception. This mucli 
about location and climate ; now, a few words about that 
orange grove. 

My I'anch is new, and consequently rather crude. ^Vhen I 
located here in November last, a large portion of it was a 
" howding wilderness." Since that time, I have felled the 
trees, piled the logs, burned the brush, grubbed and fenced 
fifteen acres, on ten acres of which I am now setting out 500 
two-years-old sweet seedling orange trees, which I hope to 
live long enough to see bear fruit. Some two months since, 
I set out 200 banana plants, and they are doing remarkably 
well ; many of the stalks are six feet in height. They will bear 
fruit in about eighteen months. I also have a patch of sixty 
pine-apple plants which will bear fruit next year. I have a 
few coffee and tea plants, Japan plum and persimmon, pome- 
granate, almond and olive trees that are growing luxuriantly. 
I brought with me from Philadelphia, half a dozen cocoa- 
nuts, which I planted on the 1st of November last, and had 
given up all hope of ever seeing them sprout, when, to my 
great surprise, some two weeks since, t^o of them threw up 
sprouts. They are now one foot high, and are growing vig- 
orously. The guava thrives admirably here. I have several 
trees, and expect soon to luxuriate on guava jelly of my own 
manufacture. I \\\\\ send you a few sample boxes. 

Have you ever eaten a Florida orange, fresh plucked, that 
ripened on the tree? If not, visit Florida, and enjoy the 
greatest luxury of your life. It is the iv\xii par excellence — 
fit food for the gods. I have, in the course of my somewhat 
eventful life, eaten oranges in the groves of the Mediterra- 
nean, South America, Mexico and the West Indies, but none 
can compare \\\\\\ the orange grown in this State. Our soil 
is peculiarly adapted to the growth and maturity of the per- 



Notes from Sunland. ^^ 

fed orange. No oUicr soil can produce it. The West India 
and Louisiana seedling orange tree is wonderfully improved 
by being transplanted in Florida soil. South Florida will, 
ere long, be one vast orange grove, and will supply the world 
with her incomparable fruit. She will supply the Mediterra- 
nean ports with better oranges than can possibly be raised in 
that countiy. Won't that be " carrying coals to Newcastle ? ' 
I may not live to see the above prediction verified, but there 
arc persons living at this time who will. 

If any of your numerous friends think it would be a good 
thing to have an orange grove, advise them to visit the Gulf 
coast of South Florida before locating elsewhere. Also tell 
them to drop in at Braidentown. They may go further and 
fare worse. The most direct route to this place is by rail to 
Cedar Kev, the present terminus of railroad communication, 
thence by'steamer down the coast. The mail steamers leave 
Cedar Key twice a week for this place and Tampa. Leave 
Cedar Key at 4 o'clock P. ^L on Monday and Friday of each 
week, and arrive at Braidentown at 7 o'clock the following 
morning. A:c rcvoir. S. C. Upham. 

The following communication was published in 
the Florida Agriculturist in January last, under 
the caption of the - Climate of the Gulf Coast of 
Sou til Florida.'' 

Having kept a record of the state of the thermometer at 
6 o'clock A. M., 12 o'clock M. and 6 o'clock P. M. cit Brai- 
dentown, Manatee County, Florida, from the 1st day of Jan- 
uary to the 31st day of December, 1 880, inclusive, I herewith 
inclose you a synopsis of the same for publication in the 
Acrriculturist, with the hope that it may interest your numer- 
ous readers, especially those in the Northern and Western- 
States who are seeking homes in 

The land of the orange and guava. 
The pine-apple, date and cassava. 



"'92 Notes from Sun land. 

I also send a statement of the rainfall for the year iSSo. 

Temperature. 

Average temperature at 6 o'clock A. M.. , ,/o 

Average temperatm-e at 1 2 o'clock M., ! * ' * s!^'^ 

Average temperature at 6 o'clock P M " ' ^Z% 

Highest temperature at 12 o'clock M.', July is't nncl '' 
August 26th, . , ^ 

Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M./Dec.'jist," . ^S^ 
Rainfall. 




January, 

Februar}', 

March, 

April, 

May, 

June, 

A^'gust, , 

September, .... • • • 10 

October, . ' ^^ 

November, 
December, 

Total, 



Rainfall dunng year, ^ ,^ .^^^^^^ 

At least one-half the days classed as " cloudy and partly 

el' : "T 'l'" '"■''^' "' ''" '^>'' ^"^ ^ "-i-W of 
e ramy days were clear three-fourths of the day Dur- 



Notes from Sunland. g^ 

ing the gale on the 29th and 30th of last August, which wxs 
so [destructive on the Atlantic coast of the State, rain fell 
here almost uninterruptedly for nearly forty-eight hours, but 
the wind did little or no damage. The rainfall during the 
two days was six and one-half inches, the heaviest of the 
season. I have resided here during the past fourteen months, 
and, up to this time (January 7th, 1 881), there has been no 
frosty and my tropical fruits and plants have grown luxu- 
riantly every month of the year. The year just closed, in its 
dying throes, kicked the mercury in the thermometer down 
to 2,%°, and a slight frost occun-ed on the opposite side of the 
Manate« River, and also in the hammock four or five miles 
south-east of Braidentown. The water protection — ^being 
surrounded on three sides by the aqueous fluid — has rendered 
Braidentown exempt from frost. 

Although the rainfall of 1 880 has been some nine inches 
in excess of the average rainfall in this State, I have passed 
one of the most agreeable summers of my life. While the 
denizens of the St. Johns and Atlantic coast are shivering in 
the chilling blasts of ^^•inter, we on the Gulf coast of South 
Florida are basking in the sun, with a temperature of 65° at 
6 o'clock A. M., 75° at 12 o'clock M. and 70° at 6 o'clock 
P. M. If any locality north of latitude 27^° can present a 
more favorable record, BraidentONsn \\-ill yield the palm. 
Notis verrons. 

S. C. Upham. 
SuNNYSiDE Cottage, 

Braidentown, Fla., Jan. 7th, 1881. 



94 



Notes from Siinland, 



BRAIDENTOWN, SOUTH FLORIDA. 

Editor of the Florida Agriculturist : 

Several of your Northern and Western subscribers wha 
read the communication.! published in the Agriculturist 
in January last, giving a synopsis of the climate of the Mana- 
tee region during the year 1880, and which was repro- 
duced in my recently published book, " Notes from Sun- 
land," have requested me to publish in your journal a state- 
ment of the thermometer, rainfall etc., in Braidentown for 
the year 1881. I have furnished the desired information as^ 
briefly as possible : 

TEMPERATURE. 

Average temperature at 6 o'clock a. m., .... 7i/'8^ 

Average temperature at 12 o'clock m., 83° 

Average temperature at 6 o'clock p. M., ..... 78%° 

Highest temperature at 12 o'clock m., July 7th and August 4th, . 96° 
Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock, a. m., January 26th and 

November 25th, 44O 





c 


>i 












- >> 


nfall. 


which 
Fell. 


•2 >. 


'en 


^■o 




c 


^ [ 


-' 





>.o 




•/I 







Q 


CJ 



Janu.iry, . 
February, 
March, . . 
April, . . 
May,. . . 
Tune, . . . 

July, • . . 

August, 

September, 

October, . 

November, 

December, 

Total, . 



53^8 jr.. 



2>6 1". 

2 14 in. 
2^4 in.- 
6iX in- 
i,y. in. 

aM, in. 
i>4 in. 
2^ in. 



42H 



5 

8 

17 



95 



17 

6 

8 



19 
7 



156 



CJ 



M 



25 

22 

18 

9 

9 

12 

24 
19 



209 



Notes from Sunland. 95 

\Yhen the cUfterence of rainfall for the years 1880 and '81 
is taken into consideration, the equability of the tempera- 
lure for the two years is a surprising and strange coincidence, 
there being less than one degree Fahrenheit in the average 
temperature of the two years. The rainfall for the year 1881 
was iS inches below the average on the Gulf coast, which is 
60 inches, the difference between the years 1880 and 'Si 
being 27>^ inches; that of 1880 being ^y. inches in excess 
of the average rainfall. Although we had, comparatively 
speaking, no " rainy season " last year, vegetation and crops 
have not suffered from drouth. The vegetable gardeners 
hereabout were never more sanguine of large crops. Cucum- 
bers, squashes, and turnips have already been shipped by 
them to New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and toma- 
toes in abundance will follow next month. Several truck- 
men from Fairbanks and other places on the Transit Railroad 
are this year engaged in raising ^arly vegetables in the ham- 
mocks bordering the Manatee. 

The mercury in the thermometer reached 96 degrees only 
twice the past year; and the lowest point indicated was 44 
degrees on the morning of the 26th of January and 25th of 
November— 12 degrees above the freezing point. We had 
no frost during the year. My alligator pears, cherimoyas, 
custard apples, sapodillas, sour sops, pineapples, cocoanut 
trees, and other tropical fruits are growing luxuriantly ; and 
my wife's camelia japonicas, hibiscus, and rose bushes in the 
open air, are in full bloom. In conclusion, allow me to re- 
iterate what I said last year : " If any locality north of lati- 
tude 27^2 degrees can present a more favorable record, 
JJraidentown will yield the palm.*' 

S. C. Ul'HAM. 

January 2d, 1 882. 



9 6 Notes from Sunlatid, 



SYNOPSIS OF THE WEATHER RECORD 

AT BRAIDENTOWN FOR THE 

YEAR 1882. 

During a three years' residence in Braidentown, I have- 
kept a thermometrical record of the weather, also a register 
of the rainfall. A synopsis of my observations for the years 
1880 and '81 was published in the Florida Agriculiurist, in 
the months of January, 1 881 and '82, In my " Notes from 
Sunland," published in the fall of 1 88 1, I gave meteorolog- 
ical tables of the temperature and rainfall at Braidentown,. 
commencing with the month of January, 1880, and ending^ 
with March, 1 881 — fifteen months. In those tables I gave 
the record of the thermometer at 6 o'clock a. m., 12 o'clock 
M., and 6 o'clock r. m. For the information of my readers, 
and also of numerous correspondents at the North and West,. 
I publish the following summary of the temperature and 
rainfall for the year 1882 : 



TEMrERATURE. 



Average temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 



Average temperature at 12 o'clock M., 
Average temperature at 6 o'clock p. M., , . 
Highest temperature at 12 o'clock M., July 19th, . 
Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock a. m., December 17th, 



71° 

78° 
96° 
38^ 



Notes from Sit nl and. 



97 



January, . 
February, 
March, . . 
April, . . 
May, . . . 
June, . . . 
July . . . 
August, 
September, 
October, . 
November, 
December, 





c 


>. 












'11 tit 


• 


^ 








PL,Q 










^13 
o 


y anc 
oudy 




IT. 


•BCJ 




rt 


o 




Q 


O 



2^4 in- 

i^in. 

^'sin- 
sKin- 
1% in, 
7 in. 
iYa, in- 
7K in- 
2j^ in. 
3^ in. 
1^2 in. 
45< in. 



O 



5 


9 


22 


3 


6 


22 


4 


ID 


21 


7 


20 


10 


6 


19 


12 


lO 


23 


7 


20 


22 


9 


»5 


15 


16 


9 


13 


17 


9 


" 


20 


5 


II 


19 


8 


12 


19 



Total, 



171 i 194 



Although the difference in the rainfall between the year 
1880 and the years 1881 and '82, was 27 j4 inches in the 
former and 26 j4 inches in the latter year, there was not a 
change of one degree Fahrenheit in the mean temperature of 
the three years, which indicates a remarkable equability of 
temperature. From the above it would seem that the tem- 
perature is not governed by the rainfall. In 18S0, rain fell 
on 104 days; in 1881, on 95 days, and on loi days in 
1882. 

In 1880 there were 177 cloudy and partially cloudy days; 
156 in 1881, and 171 in 1882. In 1880 there were 188 
clear days ; 209 in '81, and 194 in '82. The days on which 
rain fell were seldom rainy days, in the common accepta- 
tion of the term. Showers from one-half to one hour's du- 
ration were the rule, and an occasional rainy day the excep- 
tion. 

The highest temperature recorded during the three years 



qS ^^ot(.\\ /fo/n SimlainL 

was 96° at 12 o'clock M., on the 1st of July and 26th of 
August, 1880; July 7th and August £^\i, i88l,and on July 
19th, 1882. The lowest temperature during the three years, 
wa5 38^ at 6 o'clock A. M., on December 31st, 18S0; 44° 
^on January 26th and November 25th, 1881, aad 38° on 
December 17th, 1882. Braidentown being surrounded on 
three sides by water, has, during the past three years, escaped 
damage by frost, although we do not claim to be below the 
mythical " frost line." The hammocks on the opposite side 
of the Manatee River, and on Orange and Bee Ridges, south 
of Braidentown, have been visited by frost, and vegetation 
and tropical fruits have been injured. 

From the ravages of hurricanes, tornadoes, and cyclones 
which occasionally visit the Atlantic coast, and sweep across 
the northern and extreme southern portions of our State, we 
are comparatively free. That portion of the Gulf coast of 
South Florida, lying between Clear Water and Charlotte Har- 
bor, has, for some unexplained reason— probably the piety 
of its inhabitants— been exempt from hurricanes and torna- 
does during the past forty years. I do not believe that 
the Manatee region is fully entitled to the appellation of Par- 
adise ; but I do believe that our citizens are as near that 
beatific place as they ever will be while in the flesh. If any 
one knows of a more desirable location on earth, or in the 
waters under the earth, I shall be pleased to record the 

fact. 

S. C. Upham. 

January 3^, 1883. 



SuNNYSiDE Cottage, 

Braidentown, Fla., Fib. ^th, iSSj. 

D. II. Elliott, Esq., 

Sec. " Florida Fntit Groovers' Association^'' 
Jacksonville, Fla., 

Deak. Sir: In the Report of the Proceedings of the 
Eighth Annual Meeting of the " Florida Fruit Growers' As- 
.sociation," held in Jacksonville on the 27 ult., and published 
in the Daily Union of that city on the following morning, 
the annexed resolution was published, with the name of your 
humble servant appended as one of the committee : 

" Resolved, That a committee l>e appointed to investigate 
the effects of the late freeze on the orange and other fruits 
and vegetables ; said committee to i-eport to the secretary at 
Jacksonville at the earliest practicable moment." 

Having received no official notice of my appointment to 
serve oil the aforesaid committee, I have resolved myself into 
a committee of one, and have the honor to respectfully report 
as follows : 

The old and trite aphorism — '• If the mountain \vill not 
come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain " — 
seems peculiarly applicable to the above resolution. Ergo, 
if the orange and other fruits of the citrus family will not 
thrive 'mid frost and ice, cultivate them in a more genial 
climate. With the experience of last fall and tlie })rescnt. 
winter before me, together with a careful investigation of the 
climatology of Florida during the past fifty years, I have 
come to the conclusion that the fruits comprising tlie citrus 
family cannot be successfully cultivated in this State north of 
the 28th parallel of latitude, anil the sooner and more widely 
this fact is promulgated, the better it will Ije for all persons 
interested or about to become interested in this laudable and 
growing industry. The fact that the late freeze killed tlie- 



loo Notes from Sunland. 

scale insects on the orange trees in middle and north Florida, 
is cold comfort for those engaged in orange culture. There 
are fruits better adapted to the climate of Florida north of 
latitude 28° than the orange, lemon, lime, guava, banana and 
pine-apple. Why, then, persist in endeavoring to cultivate 
those fruits with so dim a prospect of success ? It is kicking 
against the pricks, hoping against hope. In conclusion, plant 
your orange, lemon, lime and banana groves below the 28th 
parallel of latitude, tickle the soil constantly -vvlth the hoe, 
and success will crown your efforts. So mote it be. 

S. C. Upham. 



Notes from Sunland. 



lOl 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermometer and Rainfall at BraidentowKy 
Florida^ for the month of January, jS8o, with Remarks 
in relation to Wind and IVeather. 



Date. 



13 
14 
1.S 

16 

17 
18 

20 



=4 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 






65 
64 
68 
64 
66 
64 
62 
62 
62 
61 
62 
62 
64 
58 
58 
55 
58 
55 
52 
53 
56 
64 
65 
54 
58 
71 
64 
58 
58 
63 
62 






Slims, j 1,788 
Avgc siVi 



80 

78 
82 
80 
80 
80 
80 
78 
82 
84 
82 
82 

74 
78 
7S 
86 
78 
76 

74 

78 

78 
76 
82 
58 
73 
78 
68 
66 
80 
86 
80 



2,315 
74K 



• 

vo 



76 
76 

74 
77 
74 
74 
72 
70 
72 

75 
72 

74 
70 

73 
72 
68 
72 
66 
70 
68 

70 
72 

56 
58 
70 
70 
62 

63 
72 
70 
70 

2,168 
70 


Wind at 
M. 


Rainfall. 


E. 
E. 
E. 
E. 
S. E. 

E. 

N. W. 

W. 

W. 

E. 

E. 

E. 

N.E. 

E. 

S. 

E. 

W. 

N. W. 

E. 
S.W. 

s. 

. s. 

w. 

N.W. 

E. 
S.W. 

W. 
N.W. 

W. 


J/iin. 

2 in. 
/sin. 
5^ in. 




sHin- 




Remarks. 



Cloudy A.M., clear P.M. 

Clear. 

A. M. clear, P. M. cloudy. 

Clear with strong E. wind. 

Clear A. M., cloudy P. M„ 

Clear. 



Cloudy. 
Clear. 



Cloudy. 

Rain A. M., clear P. M. 

Clear A. M., rain P. M. 

Cloudy. 

Rain A. M., clear P. M. 

Cloudy. 

Clear. 



Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 19th inst„ 52" 

Highest " 12 " M., 16th and 30th insts 86° 



I02 



Notes from Sunland. 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

. Record of the Thermometer and Rainfall at Braidentorvn, 
Florida, for the month of February, iS8o, ivith Remarks 
in relatio7i to Wind and Weather. 





^ 


^ 










Date. 





. 








Remarks. 




NO 







^ 


« 




I 


64 


76 


63 


N.W. 




Cloudy. [all day. 


2 


62 


80 


73 


S. 


V% in. 


Rain at night. Strong wind 


3 


66 


70 


62 


N.W. 




Wind has blown a gale all day 


4 


46 


72 


^8 


S. E. 




Clear A. M., cloudy P. M. 


s 


S6 


80 


74 


E. 


Ks in. 


Rain during night, clear all 


6 


52 


6S 


62 


E. 




Cloudy. [day. 


7 


55 


74 


64 


E. 


•«•■•• 


Clear. 


3 


62 


80 


70 


W. 




" 


9 


60 


74 


68 


E. 






lO 


5S 


36 


72 


w. 




" 


II 


57 


83 


76 


E. 






12 


62 


82 


74 


w. 




" 


'3 


66 


79 


74 


S. 




Clear. Wind blowing a gale. 


14 


72 


80 


75 


s. 


I in. 


Rain during night, cloudy all 


15 


6s 


74 


63 


N.E. 




Clear. ["^y» 


16 


49 


78 


68 


E. 




" 


17 


58 


82 


76 


E. 




" 


18 


64 


86 


74 


S.W. 




" 


19 


6s 


84 


70 


N.W. 




" 


20 


63 


85 


72 


E. 




" 


3-1 


62 


77 


70 


w. 




" 


22 


67 


76 


66 


w. 






23 


53 


79 


69 


w. 




" 


24 


56 


bi 


73 


E. 




" 


25 


60 


80 


7-2 


S. E. 




" 


26 


62 


80 


74 


S. 




'• 


27 


58 


88 


74 


N.E. 




" 


28 


60 


82 


72 


w. 




" f 


29 


68 


87 


74 


S. E. 






Sums, 


1.744 


2,303 


2,034 




iT^ill. 




Av'ge 


60H 


19% 


7oj4 









Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A.M., 4th inst 46° 

.Highest " 12 " M., 27th inst 83<3 



Notes ffoin Sunland. 



103 



METEOROLOGICAL, 

Record of the 'riurmoineter and Rainfall at Braidento^un, 
Florida, for the month of Afarch, 1880, zuith Remarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather. 



^9 
20 



23 
24 
25 
26 

27 
28 

29 

30 
31 





■^ 


^ 










*i 





Date, 


•^^. 


?S 




o< 






VO 


M 


I 


60 


79 


2 


64 


82 


3 


68 


80 


4 


67 


82 


5 


64 


S-, 


6 


64 


«3 


7 


73 


a^ 


8 


68 


81 


9 


76 


82 


10 


74 


84 1 


ir 


68 


84 


12 


71 


86 


M 


67 


86 


14 


72 


86 


13 


6„ 


85 


16 


70 


84 


17 1 


70 


84 1 


:? i 


Zl 1 


84 1 



76 
76 
67 
65 
64 

63 

(>!, 
65 
63 

69 I 
62 j 
52 






74 
79 
76 
78 

75 
76 
76 
76 
78 
78 
78 
78 
78 
73 
78 
i 78 
76 
78 
78 
74 
74 
72 

74 
75 
78 
78 

77 
72 
69 
74 
74 



Sums,! 2,093 ! 2,530 
Av'gej 671^ I 8i.% 



2,359 
76/8 






P5 



s, 




N.W. 




S. W. 




S.W. 




s. w. 




w. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




s. 




S.W. 




s. 




s. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




S.W. 




E. 


H in. 


E. 
E. 


15 in- 


N. W. 




E. 




S.W. 




W. 
W. 


16 in- 


S. K. 




E. 

1 




1 


^/in- 



Remarks. 



Clear. 



Cloudy. 

Clear. 

Rain during night, cloudy all 
Cloudy. [day. 

Rain during night, cloudy all 
Cloudy. [day. 

Clear. 



Rain A. M., cloudy P. W. 
Clear. 



Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 31st inst 52" 

Highest " n " M., 12th, 13th and 14th insts 86'' 



iq4 



Noics from SiiiiIaiuL 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Jiecord of the Thermometer and Rainfall at Braidentozvn^ 
Florida, for the month of April, j88o, ivith Remarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather. 



Date. 






I o' 



37 
18 

20 



24 
25 

26 
27 

28 

-9 



Sums, 
Av'ge 



6o 
60 
67 
70 
69 

65 
6S 
68 
70 
59 
65 
65 
58 
62 

65 
68 
70 
75 
74 
76 
73 
69 
72 
73 
73 
72 

73 
76 

74 
76 



2,065 
685 



81 

79 
82 
80 
81 

83 
82 
82 

77 
76 

79 
78 

77 



83 
84 
85 
85 
86 
86 
86 






75 
76 
75 
76 
76 

79 
78 
69 
68 
75 
76 
75 
80 

78 
78 

78 

79 
81 

85 
82 
81 






7^ 



W. 

s, w. 
s. w. 
s. w. 
s. w. 
s. w. 
s. w. 
s. w. 

N. W 



V^'■^^■ 



Remarks. 



Clear. 



8s 


79 ; 


87 


80 


86 


79 


87 


84 


86 


84 


88 


85 


87 


82 


88 


86 


2,497 


2,351 


83^X 


78^ 



s. w. 

S. E. 
S. W, 

E. 
N. W 

N. W 
W. 

s. w. 

w. 

w. 

w. 
s. w. 
s.w. 
s. w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 
s.w. 



Cloudy, with 
Clear. 



in the 
[evening 



\Vx in. 



T.owest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 13th inst 5 

Highest " 12 " M., 14th, 28th and 30th insts 88 



Notes from Siiniand. 



lo: 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thervioineter and Rainfall at Braidentoxun, 
Floriday for the month of May, jSSOy ivith Retnarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather, 





^ 


^ 


^ 










(J • 


u 


• 


ni 






Date, 





n 

M 


op,' 




^ 
^ 


Remarks 


I 


73 


80 


£6 


E. 




Clear, 


2 


72 


89 


79 


S. E. 


Vz'in. 


Cloudy, t\ ith rain T. M. 


3 


72 


80 


79 


S. E. 


, 


" \vith Scotch mist. 


4 


78 


84 


84 


S.W. 




Clear. 


5 


75 


79 


81 


S. E. 




Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 


6 


74 


83 


83 


E. 




Cloudy. 


7 


74 


90 


74 


E. 


I in. 


Rain during P.M. and night. 


8 


75 


80 


76 


E. 


2j<in. 


•< It it It 


9 


76 


85 


78 


E. 




Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 


lO 


74 


87 


S6 


S.W. 




Partly cloudy. 


II 


73 


87 


79 


S.W. 


I in. 


Rain in the afternoon. 


12 


75 


78 


78 


S.W. 


iJ4 in. 


" " " 


13 


72 


83 


83 


S.W, 




Cloudy. 


14 


75 


84 


83 


S.W. 




ft 


J5 


75 


83 


Si 


E. 




Cloudy; wind blowing a gale. 


i6 


72 


85 


79 


E. 




tt tt <i 


17 


73 


86 


8o 


E. 




Cloudy. 


18 


73 


87 


83 


E. 




" 


19 


73 


93 


84 


E, 




" 


20 


75 


90 


82 


S. E. 


j^'.'in. 


Rain during P.M. and night. 


21 


75 


90 


80 


S. E. 


1 in. 


It tt tt « ° 


r2 


75 


79 


78 


S. E. 


2 in. 


" " the day. 


"3 


78 


86 


78 


S. E. 


I in. 


" '• " 


-4 


78 


86 


78 


S. E. 


i/in. 


" " " 


25 


76 


75 


78 


S. E. 


'A in. 


" " " 


26 


76 


88 


78 


S. E. 




Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 


27 


75 


89 


86 


S. E. 




Partly cloudy. 


28 


76 


89 


89 


S. E. 




" " 


29 


76 


90 


87 


S. E. 


ii'in. 


Rain during night, day clear 


30 


78 


95 


.87 


S. E. 




Clear.- 


31 


8d 


91 


£6 


S. E. 




tt 


Sums, 


2,319 


2.657 


2,523 




11^ in 




Av'ge 


74K 


85-K 


81 K 









Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M,, 2d, 3d, 13th and i6th insts.,.72<^ 
Highest " ij " M., 3cth inst 95° 



io6 



JS/otes from Sunland. 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermometer and Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the month of "Jzine, 1880, with Remarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather. 



. 


^ 


^ 


^ 




. 




Date. 


Is 




¥ 




5 


RemarJ<s. 











^ 


Pi 




I 


80 


88 


84 


S. E. 


V2 in. 


Cloudy. 


2 


82 


82 


81 


S. E. 


V2 in. 


" 


3 


80 


87 


85 


w. 


Vi in. 


Rain in the afternoon. 


4 


73 


91 


85 


S. E. 





Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 


5 


80 


89 


82 


S. E. 


i^in. 


Rain in the afternoon. 


6 


81 


87 


80 


S. E. 


V2 in. 


" " " 


7 


79 


90 


85 


s. w. 




Clear, 


8 


80 


89 


87 


S. W. 





" 


9 


82 


9^ 


90 


s. w. 


I in. 


Rain in evening. 


10 


78 


92 


78 


s. w. 


1 in. 


" " afternoon. 


II 


80 


90 


78 


s. \v. 


M in. 


" " " 


12 


79 


92 


88 


s. w. 


Clear, 


13 


82 


90 


88 


s. w. 


1 ;; 


14 


84 


91 


87 


w. 


1 


15 


86 


92 


88 


w. 


;; 


16 


85 


91 


87 


w. 




17 


79 


89 


88 


s. w. 


1 in. ' Rain A. M., clear P. M. 


18 


80 


88 


88 


s. w. 


1 Clear. 


19 


77 


79 


83 


s. w. 


1/ in, I Rain A. M., clear P. M. 


20 


80 


80 


76 


E. 


1 Cloudy. 


21 


76 


80 


78 


s. w. 


V% in. 1 


22 


74 


88 


80 


S. E. 


K in. 


Rain P. M. and at night. 


23 


78 


87 


84 


s. 


I in, 


Rain during night. 


24 


78 


90 


84 


S. E. 





Cloudy. 


25 


78 


87 


86 


S. 


I'g in. 1 Rain during afteri::oon. 


26 


80 


92 


86 


S. E. 




Shower during afternoon. 


27 


86 


91 


84 


S. W, 




Light shower in afternoon. 


28 


82 


88 


89 


S. W. 


Va in. j 


.< li .< ii 


29 


81 


86 


86 


S. W. 


/-r 1 


" '• " " 


30 


S3 


94 
2.657 


86 

■ 
2,531 


S. W. 


1 


(< , <c << a 


Sums, 


2,408 




1 
8% in. 




Av'ge 


80K 


88 14 


WA 









Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. AL, 22d inst 74° 

Highest " 12 " M., 30th inst 94° 



Notes from Siniland. 



loy 



• METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermo?7ieier attd Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the month of July, iSSo, with Remarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather. 



Date. 



3 
4 
5 
6 

7 
8 

9 

lO 



13 
14 
15 
i6 

17 
18 

19 
20 



23 
24 
25 
26 

27 
28 

29 
30 
31 



o<J 



82 
82 
84 



84 
84 
84 
81 
82 
86 
82 

83 
86 
82 
88 
86 
84 
86 
88 
83 
88 
84 
84 
84 
80 
80 
80 

83 
82 
80 



96 
92 
91 
91 
93 
92 

79 
93 
85 
92 

89 
84 

93 
90 
92 
90 
89 
93 
90 

91 
93 
90 
92 
9Z 
94 
80 
80 

87 
90 
90 
84 



Sums, I 2,593 2,778 
AVgei 833^ I 891^ 

I i 






.5S 



Remarks. 



82 

87 
90 
84 

91 
83 

84 
89 



82 
86 
87 



90 
88 



90 
37 



82 
83 
83 
83 
87 
85 
83 



2,683 
86)^ 



S, W. 

S. W. 

S.W. 

S.W. 

S.W, 

S.W. 

S.E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S.W. 

S.W. 

S. W. 

S.W.I 

S.W.I 

S.W 

S.W. 

S. E. 

S.W. 

S.W. 

S.W. 

S.W. 

; s. w. 

S.W. 

S.W. 

S. E. 

S.E. 

S.E. 

S.E. 

S.W. 

S.W 

S. W 



« 






^in. 



ij^ in. 

I in. 
3^ in. 



7^ in. 



Rain during the afternoon. 

Clear. 

Cloudy. 

Clear. 

Scotch mist in the afternoon. 

Rain during P, M. 



Clear. 

Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 

Cloudy. 

Rain in the afternoon. 

Cloudy. 



Clear. 

Cloudy; rain in the evening. 
Cloudy. 

Cloudy ; rain in the evening. 
Scotch mist in the afternoon. 
Rain in the evening. 
" afternoon. 

Cloudy and misty. 

Clear. 

Rain at noon. 



Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A.M., 26th, 27th, 28th and 31st insts 8o« 
Highest " 12 " M.. istinst "pgo 



io8 



Notes from Sunland. 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermometer and Rainfall at Braidentozvn. 
Florida Jor the month of August, iS8o, u^ith Remarks tn 
relation to Wind arid Weather. 



Date. 





a 


^ 


(J 


o • 









-^^ 


-nS 


'o< 


fi 


vO 


" 






82 


9» 


82 


91 


82 


90 






13 
14 

15 

16 

17 
18 

19 



=3 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 



78 
78 

79 

82 

82 

81 

82 

84 

82 

81 

82 

8o 

82 

8d 

78 

82 

8o 

84 

86 

84 

82 

81 

82 

82 

84 

78 

8r- 



82 
80 
83 

91 
94 
94 
90 

91 
93 
93 
95 
91 
93 
89 
89 

Q2 
06 

93 

96 
94 

95 
84 



83 
8o 

79 
82 
82 
80 
84 
83 
88 
80 
84 
87 
92 

79 
84 
8--. 
86 
00 
86 

89 
89 
90 
88 
85 






S. W. 
S. E. 
S. W. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. W. 
S. W. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 
S. W. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

s. w. 
s. w. 
s. w. 

S. E. 
S. W. 

1 S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. W. 

S. 
S. E. 



Remarks. 



in. 
ii/ in, 
iYt. in, 

tV ■'"• 
V^ in. 
I in. 
i^ in. 



Vi in. 



Clear. 

Rain during nigkt. 
" " clay and night. 

<« " forenoon. 

<' *' afternoon. 



Cloudy. 

Rain in the afternoon. 

Cloudy. 



iTiVi Rain in the afternoon. 

'!".... Cloudy. 

2 ill. Rain in the afternoon. 

I Cloudy. 

1 Clear. . t, at 

^'5 in. i Cloudy, ram in the P. M. 

I Clear. 

^5 in. I Cloudy, with rain in the P.M. 

Kin- ;; ;; ;; ;; ;, 

1 in. 

Clear. 

I " [and night. 

is'i^'in. Rain, wind blowing gale day 

1 3 in- " " ," r 

U^ in. Rain during the forenoon. 



Sums,! 2,520 
Av'ge I 84 93-/i 

Lowest temperature at 
Highest " ' 




6 o'clock A. M., 4th, 5th, 6th, 19th and sothinsts 

78^ 

2 " M., 23d and 26th insts 9^°' 



Notes from Simland. 



109 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thentioineter and Rainfall at Brai dent own ^ 
Florida, foi- the vtonth of September^ iSSo, 7C'ith Remarks 
in relation to Wi7id and Weather. 



Date. 



9 
10 



14 
15 
16 

17 
18 

19 
20 



23 
24 



27 
28 
=9 
30 



"Sums, 
Av'se 






81 
78 
78 
80 
82 
81 
81 



80 
82 
82 
80 
82 
80 
78 

75 
73 
75 
78 
78 
78 
78 
77 
80 

78 
80 
85 
79 
1^ 



2,377 
79K 



86 
88 
92 
92 
92 
90 
88 
90 
92 

94 
92 

94 
92 
90 
91 
77 
87 
85 
90 
90 

93 
92 

94 
94 
90 
92 

87 
90 
88 
90 



2,702 
90 



^ 




• 


rt 


^^ 




0^ 


> 


VO 


r^ 



82 

78 

81 

88 

87 
87 

85 
84 
86 
87 
88 

87 
90 
88 



88 
87 
89 
90 

85 
87 
86 
86 
84 
87 



S. E. 
S.W. 

s. 

S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S.W. 
S.W. 

s. w. 

S. E. 
S. E. 
S.W. 

I s. 

S. E. 
is. E. 
is. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 

S. 
S.W. 
S.W. 
N.W. 
S. E. 
S. E. 



2,562 I 



Remarks. 



X 



li in. 
I in. 
I in. 



Vi in. 
y% in. 

I in. 
J^in. 



^/in. 



Cloudy, with rain in P. M. 



Clear. 

Clear A. M., cloudy P. M. 

Clear. ■< 



Rain in the afternoon. 
it it ti 

Cloudy. 

R^n in the afternoon. 

Clear day, rain during night. 

Clear. 

Clear day, rain during night. 

Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 

Clear. 

Cloudy, with strong wind. 

Clear A. M., rain P. M. 

Rain in the afternoon. 

Clear. 



—... I " [night. 

}^ in. : Rain during early part of 
I in. I Rain in the morning. 

I Clear. 

I 



7/^ in.' 



Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 30th inst 70'' 

Highest " 12 " M., loth, i2th, 23dand24thinsts...94'^ 



no 



Notes from Sun land. 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Kecord of the Ther77iometer and Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the month of October, iSSo, -with Remarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather. 





^ 


-^ 




rt 


_. 




Date. 


(J . 


?^; 




•g^' 




Remarks. 









^0 


I 






I 


73 


92 


87 


S. E. 




Clear. 


2 


70 


90 


85 


S. E. 





" 


3 


76 


92 


87 


S. E. 




" 


4 


76 


92 


85 


S. E. 





" 


■; 


77 


86 


81 


S. E. 


Hin. 


Cloudy, with rain. 


6 


76 


80 


80 


S. E. 


y& in. 




7 


78 


80 


78 


S. E. 


3 in. 


Cloudy, with heavy rain. 


8 


82 


86 


8s 


S. w. 


2 in. 


Clear A. M., rain P. U. 


9 


80 


82 


79 


S. E. 




Cloudy. 


lO 


76 


90 


87 


S. 




Clear. 


II 


78 


90 


86 


E. 




" 


12 


78 


88 


82 


E. 






13 


70 


88 


88 


E. 




'• 


14 


76 


93 


82 


E. 






15 


70 


87 


82 


E. 




** 


16 


68 


87 


80 


E. 





<i 


17 


72 


8s 


77 


S. 


*/2 HI. 


Rain in the afternoon. 


18 


66 


79 


75 


E. 




Clear. 


19 


6q 


84 


bi 


N. E. 




" 


20 


75 


86 


80 


S. E. 


H in. 


Rain in the morning. 


21 


70 


87 


82 


S. E. 


I in. 


" during the night. 


22 


78 


82 


76 


N. W. 


Vz in. 


" in the morning. 


23 


68 


78 


73 


N. W. 




Clear. 


24 


62 


So 


76 


S. E. 




" 


25 


6o 


79 


80 


E. 






'26 


62 


82 


80 


S. E. 






27 


68 


86 


81 


S. E. 




" 


28 


74 


72 


74 


S. E. 


i^in. 


Cloudy, with heavy rain. 


29 


70 


80 


79 


N. W. 


% in. 


" '* rain. 


30 


75 


80 


76 


N. W. 




Cloudy 


51 


72 


i 82 


78 


s. w. 




] Clear. 



Sums, 
Av'ge 



2,245 
72>4 



2,625 
845i 



2,502 
805^ 



'oYa in. 



Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 25th inst 60° 

Highest " J2 •' M., 14th inst 93° 



Notes from Sunland. 



Ill 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Therijiofueter and Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the month of November, iS8o, with Remarks 
in relation to Wind and Weather. 





J^ 


(J 


^ 




^ 






Date. 


• 







Is 


1 

c 


Remarks.^ 




I 


1 

[ 68 


86 


79 


S.E. 


CloudyA. M.,Clear P. 


M. 


2 


i 63 


82 


78 


N.W. 




ClearA.M., Cloudy P. 


M. 


3 


: 68 


83 


78 


S.W. 




Clear. 




4 


70 


80 


80 


N.E. 


j^"in. 


Rain during the night. 




5 


78 


86 


82 


S. 




Clear, 




6 


77 


, 86 


81 


S. 




" 




7 


! 74 


' 75 


76 


N. 




Cloudy. 




8 


70 


80 


77 


S. E. 




" 




9 


72 


90 


85 


E. 




Clear. 




lO 


77 


85 


78 


S. 




Cloudy. 




II 


70 


84 


78 


S. E. 




Clear. 




12 


70 


82 


82 


E. 




" 




13 


7-5 


87 


86 


S.E. 




" 




14 


74 


83 


80 


S. 


ii"in. 


Clear day, rain at night. 




15 


70 


70 


66 


N.E. 




Cloudy. 




16 


50 


72 


71 


S. E. 




Clear. 




■7 


6o 


75 


73 


w. 




" 




18 


64 


80 


76 


w. 




Cloudy. 




'9 


70 


78 


79 


E. 




" 




20 


77 


75 


72 


N.E, 


>^'Vn. 


Rain in the forenoon. 




21 


62 


76 


77 


E. 




Clear A. M., Cloudy P. 


M. 


22 


68 


84 1 


76 


E. 




II II 11 


<< 


23 


63 


76 


67 


N.E. 




Cloudy. 




24 


65 


79 


79 


S.E. 




" 




25 


71 


80 1 


74 


N.W. 




and foggy. 




26 


71 


75 


75 


S. E. 




" 




27 


72 


80 


76 


S.E. 




Clear. 




28 


71 


84 1 


78 


S. 




'* 




29 


71 


84 : 


84 


S, E. 




" 




S'^ 


70 i 

i 


86 ; 


78 : 


S. E. 








Sums. 


I 

2,081 1 


2,412 


2,321 


ii^in. 






Av'ge 


69H 


80H 


77>1 










Lowest 


tempe 


rature a 


t 6 o'cl 


ock A. M.. i6th jnst 


.50° 


Highcs 


t 


" 


12 ' 


M 


., Qth ii 


1st 


00° 



112 



Notes from Stuiland. 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermometer and Rainfall at Braideniown, 
Fiprida, for the -month of December, 1880, ivith Retnarks 
in relation to Wind and Weather, 



Date, 



13 
14 



17 

18 

23 



24 



27 
28 
29 
30 



Sums, 
Av'ge 






71 
76 
72 
69 
70 
76 
56 
45 
52 
52 
45 
50 
50 
58 
6d 

65 
66 
70 
70 
70 
58 
42 
46 
58 
62 
52 
52 
43 
54 
40 

33 



^iVx 



<^ 



80 



77 
68 
72 

73 
69 

72 
75 
79 
78 
78 



77 
81 
60 
56 
71 
71 
69 
66 
63 
65 
71 
51 
50 



o • 



2,237 

74^ 



80 
84 
82 
80 
78 
73 
65 
64 
72 
68 
69 
72 
75 
70 

73 
75 
75 
74 
70 

6S 
55 
54 
68 
67 
68 
58 
6o 

65 
60 

45 
53 






S. 

w, 
s. w. 

s, 

s. 
s. w. 

N. E. 

E. 
N. E. 
N, E. 
N, E, 
N. E. 
N. W, 
S. E. 

S. 

s. 

s. 

s. w. 

s. 

N. W. 

N. W. 
N. E. 
S. E. 

s.w. 

s. 

N. E. 
N.W. 
S. E. 

S, E. I Vg in 

N.W.I 

N. E. I in. 



Remarks, 



Cloudy, 
if 

Clear. 



Cloudy, with rain. 
Clear. 



>iin. 
Vi in. 



H in- 



2,117 ! la^in- 

68^ i 



Rain morning and afternoon. 
Rain in the afternoon. 
Cloudy. 



Clear. 

Rain in the afternoon. 
Cloudy. 

Clear. 

Rain in the afternoon. 
Cloudy. [of the year. 

Drizzling rain. Coldest day 



Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 31st inst., 
Highest " 12 " M., 2d inst 



.38° 
.84<' 



Notes from S,Hnland. 



113 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermometer and Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the month of January, 188 1, with Remarks 
in relation to Wind and Weather. 



Date. o'^. 





^ 




I 


54 


78 


2 


50 


67 


3 


46 


74 


4 


69 


80 


5 


74 


79 


6 


66 


68 


7 


63 


67 


8 


65 


68 


9 


66 


75 


10 


73 


80 


II 


68 


76 


12 


54 


62 


13 


48 


78 


14 


64 


75 


15 


68 


77 


16 


66 


82 


17 


64 


83 


18 


66 


87 



19 

20 



23 
24 
25 

26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 



66 
66 
66 
60 
57 
53 
52 
44 
48 

54 
56 
60 
55 



83 
77 
75 
76 
60 
60 

55 
76 
72 
67 
80 
78 
78 



Sums. 
Av'ge 






59 
63 
70 
77 
71 
66 
67 
69 
72 
75 
65 
62 

75 
70 
70 
76 
80 

79 
78 
72 
70 
66 
58 
56 
52 
64 
62 
64 
74 
76 

74 



Remarks. 




S. 

E. 1 
E. I 
S. i 

s. 

E. 
E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S. 
N.W. 

E. 

E. 

S. 

w. 

s. w. 

S. E. 
E. 

S. E. 

S. 

s. w. 

S. E. 

N.E. 
N.W. 

N.E. 

N.E. 

N. E. 

N. E. 

E. 
N.W. 
N.W. 



i^ in. Rain during the afternoon. 
I Clear. 

I in. Rain nearly all day. 

y% in. I Rain in the afternoon. 

I in. Rain morning and afternoon. 

y^ in. Rain in the afternoon 

Cloudy. 

^ in. Rain during the night. 
J^in. " afternoon. 

Cloudy. 

j Clear. 

Cloudy. 

y^ in. I Rain in the afternoon. 

Clear. 

[ Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 

} Clear A. M, cloudy P. M. 

! Clear. 

l;^ in. i Rain P. M. and night. 
k in. j 

Cloudy. 

Clear. 




Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 26th inst 44° 

Highest " 12 " M., 17th and 19th insts 83° 



114 



Notes from Sunland. 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of th:: Thermometer and Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the ffionth of February, 1881, with Remarks 
in relation to Wind and Weather. 



Date. 


3.% 
. 


-^ ■ 



N 

H 


it 

"ofl( 

NO 


4-» 


Rainfall. 


Remarks. 


I 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 

7 
8 

9 
10 

II 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 

17 

18 

19 
20 
21 
22 

23 
24 

25 
26 
27 
28 


56 
65 
54 
50 
52 
62 
66 
64 
68 

65 
70 
64 

66 
48 
52 
58 

59 
62 

65 
60 

58 
58 

60 
60 

65 
69 


76 

71 
70 

65 

75 
75 
78 

79 

84 
81 
72 

69 
66 

P 
80 

84 

85 

82 

81 

76 

80 

80 

80 

Z9 
84 

79 
76 


72 
70 
67 
62 

69 
72 

73 
70 
78 

64 

59 
62 
66 

76 
76 
74 
74 
69 
66 
73 
74 
74 
77 
eg 
6'J 


S. E. 
S. W. 
S. W. 

S. E. 

N. E. 
N. E. 
N E. 

E. 
S. E. 
S. E. 

S. 

s. w. 
w. 

N.W. 
N.W. 

N. E. 

S. E. 

S. E. 

S.E. 

s. w. 

N.W. 

s. w. 

S. E. 
N. E. 

E. 

S. E. 

s. 
w. 


y& in. 
/s'ln. 

...... 

2 in. 


Clear. 

Rain in the afternoon. 

Clear. 

Cloudy. 

Clear. 

Clear, wind blowing a gale. 

Rain in the afternoon. 
Clear. 

Rain in the afternoon. 
Clear. 

(( 

(I 

<< 

Cloudy. 

Clear. • [S^le. 
Rain, with wind blowing a 
Clear, " " " 


Sums, 
Av'ge 


1,712 

61% 


2,054 
73% 


1.970 
, 70M 


2j^ in. 





Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock A. M., 14th inst 48'- 

Highest " 12 " M., i8th inst 85"= 



Notes from Sunland. 



115 



METEOROLOGICAL. 

Record of the Thermomeier and Rainfall at Braidentown, 
Florida, for the month of March, 1881, with Remarks in 
relation to Wind and Weather. 





^ 


^ 


. ^ 


« 




Date. 








'^ i 3 
> ' 'I 


Remarks. 




VO 




VO 


> : Pi 




I 


59 


74 


61 


N. W 


Clear. 


2 


59 


75 


(^ 


N.W.i 


" 


3 


60 


75 


71 


S.W.I 


" 


4 


59 


71 


6s 


N.W. 


" 


5 


66 


74 


63 


N. W 


<i 


6 


59 


68 


68 


N.W 


t< 


7 


53 


72 


73 


E 


" 


8 


60 


78 


6g 


S. 1% in. 


Rain P. M. and night. 


9 


62 


78 


67 


N.W 


Clear. 


10 


57 


72 


70 


S. E. ; 


" 


II 


52 


79 


73 


S. E. : 


" 


12 


73 


81 


75 


s. w. 


Cloudy, with Scotch mist. 


13 


73 


75 


72 


N.W. 


" " " 


14 


6s 


80 


77 


N. E 


Cloudy. 


15 


67 


88 


80 


N. E 


Clear. 


16 


67 


83 


75 


s. \ 


" 


17 


66 


80 


76 


s. W 


" 


18 


72 


82 


78 


S. W. ... 


" 


19 


72 


79 


76 


S. W. I in. 


Cloudy, rain P.M. and night. 


20 


68 


70 


64 


N.W 


Cloudy. 


21 


63 


74 


67 


S.W. i^ in. 


Cloudy, with rain at night. 


22 


62 


65 


61 


N. El 


Clear, wind blowing a gale. 


23 


52 


66 


58 


N.W. 


Clear. 


24 


59 


74 


71 


N.W. 


<( 


25 


56 


74 


66 


S.W. 


c< 


26 


65 


70 


6p 


S.W. 


Cloudy. 


27 


60 1 


72 


6:1 


S.W 


Clear. 


28 


52 


78 


71 


S. E. : 


" 


29 


57 


75 


70 


S.W.I 


" 


30 


59 , 


6S 1 


64 


N.W.I 


Clear, wind blowing a e^ale. 


31 


60 


68 , 


63 


N.W.j 

i 




Sums, 


1,914 


2,315 


2,143 


■^Vi in. 




Av'ge 


62 


74K 


69^ 







Lowest temperature at 6 o'clock, A. M., nth, 23d and 28th insts 52° 

Highest " 12 " M.. 15th inst 88° 






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