"FROST LINE" AND "ORANGE BELT." 61 



As to " the frost line," there is no portion of 

 the peninsula of Florida that is not subject to oc- 

 casional frost. I have seen the effects of frost as 

 low down as Fort Myers. Persons whose state- 

 ments are entirely reliable, and residents of the sec- 

 tion, have told me time and again that they have 

 occasionally had their vegetables killed on the ex- 

 treme southern capes of the peninsula. That frost 

 is modified by latitude there is no question ; that 

 the southern portions of the State are less liable to 

 frost than the northern portions there is no doubt ; 

 but do not deceive the immigrant by saying or im- 

 plying that any portion of the mainland of Florida 

 is entirely exempt from frost. And I do not know 

 that this is to be deprecated. For while " Jack 

 Frost" is an unskilled pruner, and by the little cut- 

 ting he does in Florida may do some hurt, yet I 

 think upon the whole both the orange tree and the 

 health of the inhabitants are the better for his visits. 

 I am sure my own orange trees were never so free 

 from insects and in so healthy condition as to-day, 

 eight months after the frost of December, 1880. 

 And the only trees of my grove now giving indica- 

 tion of rust on the fruit are those where the frost 

 left a few leaves, giving a wintering and start to the 

 rust insect. 



As to " the orange belt," there is no " orange 

 belt' ; in Florida, unless those who so frequently use 

 that expression mean to embrace the entire State. 

 I do not mean to say that certain portions of the 



