



FLOniDA. 



FLORIDA. 



! II 



rained in 1950 (5,752,000 lb.) was nearly ten times as preat as in 1340 ! 

 (275.81 7 HWL); the increase in the cotton raised in the same yew was i 

 aotqnite 50 per cent. Tobacco, coffee, rice, indigo, Sisil hem; 

 Zmlsnd flax, maize and other crain, and a great variety of vegetables 

 are successfully cultivated. The cochineal cactus is indigenous. The 

 frniU an exceedingly numerous, and form valuable article* of export : 

 among those meet railed are oranges, which flourish excellently and 

 are <>f fine flavour, lemon*, shaddocks, limes, olives, grapes, pine- 

 apple*, and all kinds of melons. 



Orer the extensive grassy prairies, or savannahs, immense herds of 

 cattle constantly roam, requiring and receiving no care from th'-ir 

 owners either in summer or winter. Swine likewise, throughout the 

 liner part of the state, find for themselves abundant food in the 

 roots and mast of the country. Game is mid to be more abundant 

 than in any other portion of the United States. Besides deer, wild 

 turkeys, geese, ducks, and curlews are abundant. Alligators and 

 snakes are numerous. Turtle and a great vnriety of fish arc extremely 

 plentiful all round the coast, and about the keys ; and an equally 

 plentiful supply of fresh-water fish, and the delicious soft-shelled turtle, 

 is found in the lakes, rivers, and creeks of the interior. Sponges 

 abound on many parts of the coast, and form a profitable branch of 

 trade. 



Agriculture and commerce are the principal occupations of the 

 inhabitants. Sugar, cotton, tobacco, and rice, with timber, are the 

 staple exports. In 1850 the number of farms under cultivation in 

 the state was 4804. The extent of improved lands was 349,049 acres, 

 <>f unimproved lands, 1,248,240 acres, which together were valued at 

 6,323,109 dollars. The total produce of the principal crops in 1850 

 was as follows : Wheat, 1027 bushels; rye, 1152 bushels; maize, 

 1,996,809 bushels; oats, 66,586 bushels; potatoes, 7828 bushels ; sweet 

 potatoes, 757,226 bushels ; rice, 1,075,090 Ibs. ; sugar, 2,7.10,000 Ibs., 

 and racial-sen, 852,898 gallons; tobacco, 998,614 Ibs. ; ginned cotton, 

 18,052,400 Ibs. ; peas and beans, 185,859 bushels; hay, 2510 tons. 

 The value of orchard products was 1280 dollars; and of market- 

 garden product*, 8721 dollars. Very little wine is made. 



The number of horses in the state in 1850 was 10,848 ; a=ses and 

 mules, 5002 ; milch-cows, 72,876 ; working oxen, 5794 ; other cattle, 

 182,415; sheep, 28,811; swine, 209,453. The products of animals 

 were thus returned : Wool, 23,247 Ibs. (in 1840, 7285 Ibs.); butter, 

 371,498 Ibs.; cheese, 18,01 5 Ibs. ; value of animals slaughtered during 

 the year, 514,685 dollars; silk-cocoons, 6 Ibs.; bees'-wax and honey, 

 18,971 Ibs. 



Manufacture*, Commeree, <tc. Florida is an agricultural and com- 

 mercial state ; the manufactures are small in value, being merely of 

 such articles as the immediate requirements of the population render 

 indispensable. None of the staple manufactures of the United States 

 have been introduced here, the manufactured goods required being 

 brought from the manufacturing states and exchanged for agricultural 

 produce. Even ship-building, though this is a commercial state, is 

 hardly to be considered as a branch of its industry ; the only vessel 

 built in Florida in 1852 being one schooner of 80 tons burden. In 

 1850 the number of manufacturing establishments producing to the 

 value of 500 dollars and upwards was 121. The total capital invested 

 in manufactures was 1,209,107 dollars; the value of raw material 

 used, fuel consumed, &c., was 412,030 dollars; value of products, 

 962,114 dollars; the average number of hands employed was 1112 

 males and 80 females. The ' home-made manufactures ' were valued 

 at 75,582 dollar*. 



Florida has a very considerable foreign export trade, but its coasting 

 trade is much larger: of the cotton exported in 1851, 70,547 bales 

 were sent direct to foreign ports, while 111,532 bales were sent 

 coast-wire ; and the other staples are said to bear a like proportion. 

 The foreign exports however appear to be steadily increasing in value : 

 in 1852 the value of the exports of domestic produce to foreign ports 

 was 2,511,976 dollars; in 1845 it was 1,514,745 dollars. The dire.-t 

 foreign imports, on the other hand, are regularly decreasing : in 1S42 

 they were 176,980 dollars, while in 1852 they were only 80,71 8 dollar*. 

 The greater part of the exports of the state are cleared from Appala- 

 ebioola, which is likewise the outlet for eastern Alabama ami tlic 

 oath-west of Georgia, their produce being brought down the river in 

 steamer'. The shipping entered at all the ports in the state in 1850 

 mounted to 1T.980 tons, of which 10,462 tons were foreign. The 

 mount of shipping cleared amounted to 22,156 tons, of which 12,134 

 tons were foreign. The total shipping owned in the state amounted 

 to 11,272 tons, of which 2185 tons were navigated by steam. 



IHrlrioiu, Tovta, *r. Florida is divided into 28 counties. Talla- 

 hassee is the capital of the state, but Key West and Pensacola are the 

 Urgent and most commercial towns, and 8t Augustine is the oldest. 

 There are few other places of sufficient importance to require notice 

 here : the population is that of 1850: 



Tattahautt, the capital of Florida, stands on elevated ground, some 

 distance from the left bank of the Ocklockonneo, in 30 28' N lat 

 84" 86' W. long., distant 8 miles 8.W. by 8. from Washington in a 

 direct line: population, 1891. The city WM founded and settled in 

 1824 on its site being selected as that of the capital of the state. The 

 streets are regularly laid out at right angles, and there are several 

 public squares. Its public buildings an the state house, court-house, 

 market-housc, United States land-office, jail, three churches, tad an 



academy. Two newspapers are published here weekly. In winter it 

 is a place of considerable resort on account of the warmth of its 

 climate. It is connected with St. Mark's, its port in Ocklockonnee 

 Bay, by a railway 26 miles long. A good mill-stream runs close by 

 the town. 



Key Wat, stands on the key of the same name, in 24 32' X. lat, 

 81* 48' W. long., 480 miles in a direct line from Tallahassee: popu- 

 lation, exclusive of slaves, 1948. The town has grown up entirely 

 within the last 25 years, but is now the largest in the stn> 

 contains the usual county building*, a district-court which has cogni- 

 sance of all cases of wrecks and other shipping disasters, a spacious 

 marine hospitnl, fmir clmrchen, and a county orphan school. As 

 already mentioned, in speaking of the island, the inhabitants are 

 chiefly dependent on wrecking, but there is a good deal of general 

 trade, and sponge collecting and mil-making are considerable sources 

 of profit. Steamers to Hie Havannah call here. The shipping 



raging to Key West in 1850 amounted to 6766 tons, of whi 

 vessels of 1539 tons belonged to wreckers The climate of Key West 

 is considered to be singularly adapted to invalids. 



Ptntatola, the capital of Escambia, stands on the west bank of 

 Pensacola Bay, 10 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and 176 miles W. 

 from Tallahassee : population, 2164. The city is built on a slightly 

 elevated sandy plain, and is regularly laid out. The streets are wide, 

 and there are two public squares. It contains two churches and the 

 usual county buildings. Pensacola is the principal port of the state, 

 and carries on a considerable trade. The shipping belonging to the 

 district in 1850 amounted to 1794 tons. Convenient wharfs have 

 been constructed for the shipping. About midway between the city 

 and the entrance to the harbour is the United States navy-yard, con- 

 taining a dry-dock and various workshops and officers' buildings, and 

 occupying altogether an "8X68 of nearly 80 acres. About a mile 

 below are the naval hospital, and the Harraneas barracks. On two 

 small islands at the entrance to the harbour are two forts and a 



A. Aitguttint, situated on an inlet on the east coast, about 2 

 miles from the Atlantic, nnd 1 70 miles E. by 8. from Tallahassee, 

 population, 1984, is the oldest settlement in the Union, having I'.-en 

 founded by the Spaniards in 1 564. It has an appearance of antiq uity 

 unusual in the towns of the United States, and its inhabitants like 

 to call it the ' ancient city.' The streets are narrow and the houses, 

 irregularly placed, are mostly of two stories, the upper story being 

 of wood and projecting over the lower which is of stone. The 

 principal feature of the town is the large public square which fronts 

 the sound, and around which are the chief public buildings. Many 

 of the inhabitants are the descendants of the for: ii and 



French population. The Roman Catholic church is a very handsome 

 edifice ; there are three other churches, the usual county buiMings, 

 barracks, and a fort. St. Augustine is much frequented by invalids 

 from the northern states. 



Appalactiimla occupies a plot of ground one mile square, on the 

 right bank of the Appalachicola River, at the entrance to Appalacliee 

 Bay, 62 miles S.W. from Tallahassee. It is a port town with a 

 considerable coasting trade ; and in 1850 possessed steamers amount- 

 ing to 2050 tons burden, all engaged in navigating the Appalachian!*. 

 River. In the foreign trade there cleared in the same year 17,i:J2 

 tons, and entered 12,196 tons. Jaclxonvillc, the capital of Puvall 

 county, on the left bank and about 20 miles from the mouth of the 

 St. John's River, 162 miles E. by S. from Tallahassee : population, 

 1045. The town contains the usual county building.", and carries on 

 a good trade with the interior, whence large quantities of cotton are 

 brought to Jacksonville for shipment The river is here above a 

 mile wide. The town ia much frequented by invalids from the north. 

 Miami, on Key Biscayne Bay, is another flourishing village, the resort 

 of persons of delicate health. Pilatlea, on the left bank of the St 

 John's River, 178 miles E.S.E. from Tallahassee, is a port of delivery, 

 and the place for the re-shipment of goods from the 1'pp r St. .l.ihn's 

 and Ocklawaha river*. It has regular steam-boat communication 

 with Savannah and Charleston. As the chief port for tlio export of 

 the cotton, sugar, and rice of the St John's cane-brake marshes, it is 

 a place of considerable trade. 



Garmmeni, Judicature, il't. The right of voting belongs to all 

 free white male citizens, 21 years of age, who have resided for two 

 years in the state, and six months in the county where they offer to 

 vote. The legislative body, styled the General Assembly, con*i 

 a senate of 19 members, and a house of representatives consisting of 

 40 members, who are elected biennially. The governor, who has a 

 qualified veto on all votes of the legislature, is elected for four \ 

 his salary is 1500 dollars. No officer in a banking company, while 

 he is serving in the bank or for twelve months afterwards, is eligible 

 for the office of governor, senator, or representative : nor con a duellist, 

 or second in a duel, hold any office under the state. 



The revenue from all sources amounts to about 60,000 dollar-", the 

 expenditure is somewhat legs. Florida, according to the ' State 

 Returns,' under 'public debt 1 has 'absolute debt none; contingent 

 debt, none.' But it is to be remembered that in these govern'. 

 returns the repudiating states, of which Florida is one, altogether 

 omit the repudiated debt Before its admission into the Union as a 

 state, Florida had contracted a very considerable public debt; but it 



