IN FLORIDA 41 



endeavors to find what is suitable for them. They appear to 

 have their whims and humors like a gasolene engine, and one must 

 favor them if he hopes to succeed. But what a joy it is after 

 spending years, it may be, with some such sickly, backward thing 

 to see it grow strong and flourish at last, to feel that, to a certain 

 extent, you have conquered the stubborn forces of nature, to 

 behold the wonder of long delayed growth and bloom. Verily, 

 there is more joy over the one plant that was lost and found than 

 over the ninety and nine that went not astray. 



If one must make his home in the hammock I would advise that 

 he cut out as little of it as possible, and that what he does cut 

 should be done gradually, because if too much is cleared away at 

 once it will give hurricanes a chance to break it up badly. One 

 can plant exotic things from time to time as he takes out the 

 native growth and thus his plantings will be sheltered from high 

 winds and frost. In the lower part of the state it is an excellent 

 idea to plant beggar weed or pigeon peas rather thickly in grounds 

 where tender things are set out, and as these are rapid growers 

 they will form a fine shelter and protection in time of frost. 

 They at the same time furnish an abundance of nitrogen for 

 the soil. 



More and more as the years go by I am coming to favor the 

 plan of close planting and of thickly scattering hardy, rapid 

 growing things among the tender stuff. Leave the clean, healthy 

 pine trees and a goodly number of low growing palmettos for a 

 first protection; then put in rather abundantly such things as 

 the oleanders, the Pittosporums, Prunus caroliniana, Dauben- 

 tonias, Gordonias, some of the hardier Eucalypts, Magnolias, 

 the evergreen oaks, the hardy bamboos and a variety of similar 

 things which will make a shelter in a short time. Then plant 

 among these, as soon as they have reached some size, the tender 

 things, thinning out the branches of the hardy plants as the 

 tender ones need room. When the hardy trees begin to crowd 

 badly cut them out here and there as needed but leave enough 

 for a good shelter. Never plant tender things where the morn- 

 ing sun will fall on them nor where the northwest wind will touch 

 them. In case of severe frost the hardy plants will still make a 

 show of green. 



