464 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



cellent sites for the hydraulic ram. One of the staple 

 products of this, Gadsden county, is Spanish tobacco. It 

 is grown in several places in Florida, principally from 

 Cuba seed, and is in high repute among cigar makers for 

 wrappers; it is more handsomely spotted than the same 

 article grown in Cuba. The first quality is grown exclu- 

 sively upon new ground, the first year after clearing off 

 the timber ; in fact, it will not spot upon old ground, and 

 besides, the leaf grows thicker, and not so suitable for 

 wrappers. Not more than one acre can be planted to 

 the hand, such is the immense labor of cultivating this 

 crop, principally owing to the unceasing task of keeping 

 it clear from worms. An average crop is 500 pounds, 

 and the average price about 22 cents a pound. The sec- 

 ond year's crop is heavier but less valuable, while the 

 third year will not pay, on account of the great labor of 

 keeping it free of grass. One gentleman told me he had 

 made $600 a year, to the hand, out of his tobacco and 

 other crops, as the tobacco does not prevent them from 

 raising corn, and part of a crop of cotton in connection 

 with it. The crop is mostly sent to New Orleans, for 

 sale. 



February 22d. — When I left Quincy, the oak trees were 

 putting on spring foliage, and the wild jasmine filled the 

 roads with fragrance from its beautiful flowers of gold ; 

 farmers were planting corn, and the few who ever think 

 of such small matters, were busy putting garden seeds in 

 the already warm earth. If Quincy could be easily ap- 

 proached, and had only a decently comfortable hotel, it 

 would become a great resort for invalids during winter. 

 From there to Chattahoochee, 22 miles, the road I found 

 passing nearly all the way through pine woods upon a 

 pretty level ridge, until near the river, where there was 

 an awful hill, down which I risked my neck in a crazy old 

 coach, and dark night, just to get an idea of the elevation 

 of the table land behind. If the traveller expects to find 

 the town of Chattahoochee, he will be slightly disap- 

 pointed. It consists of a tavern, store, warehouse, and 



