228 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[No. 4. 



For the Farmers' Register. 



The soils and agricultural advantages 



OF FLORIDA. No. 2. 



Plantation JVascissa, Florida, July % 1835. 



The most prominent characteristics of the lands 

 immediately bordering on the Atlantic in East 

 Florida, were succinctly delineated in my last let- 

 ter: and conformable to my sell-assigned order of 

 correspondence, I continue my observations on 

 the remaining and extensive inland portion of the 

 "eastern district." 



The character, features, and growth of the land 

 are singularly and abruptly changed, as we pro- 

 ceed westward from the ocean: the country be- 

 comes generally more interesting in landscape, 

 and more diversified in soil and native production. 

 The monotonous levels and eye-fatiguing flats of 

 the low Atlantic marshes, are no longer, with 

 their rank grassy plumage, and thirsty pal mettoes, 

 to be seen: dense and towering forests of every 

 ioliage, luxuriant over a rolling and picturesque 

 country most verdant with herbage, and spotted 

 like the variegated leopard, with abrupt and 

 strange marks of richness and sterility, strike the 

 observant traveller with surprise, not unmixed with 

 the illusion of enchantment. 



The river Saint John's, than which there can 

 be no nobler stream, seems by nature intended as 

 the marked and eternal division of this varying 

 and diversified country. It rises amid the swamps 

 of the Everglades in the far south, and with com- 

 paratively little deviation from a north course, it 

 streams itself along for an hundred miles and up- 

 wards, receiving numerous tributaries, and rapidly 

 becoming a. wide, magnificent river. When reach- 

 ing the site of the town of Jacksonville, some 

 twenty miles from the sea, it gracefully rounds 

 and empties its widened breadth almost due east, 

 into the ocean. This river is singularly charac- 

 terized, in addition to its unrivalled forest banks, 

 by extensive eye reaches, and prospective scenes, 

 in being the only river of magnitude in the south- 

 ern states of America that, from its source to the 

 parallel of its mouth, runs -northerly: and still 

 more is it notable, that with this course, it should 

 run for nearly one hundred and twenty miles of its 

 length directly parallel to the Atlantic, and only 

 divided lor that whole distance, from the oceanic 

 waters, by a narrow strip of land some thirty 

 miles in average breadth. It is indeed a great 

 natural canal, singular in its position, and unsur- 

 passed in magnitude; and one sighs in witnessing 

 the unprofitable waste, and sluggish idleness of its 

 magnificent waters. The curiosities of the Saint 

 John's are likewise peculiar, and well worthy of 

 sight I would name the Silver Spring, so daz- 

 zling with its transparency and spangled carpet, 

 and so enormous in its dimensions and vehemence: 

 as also the Golden Spring, equally curious, though 

 smaller, in its jewelled bowl, and pellucid waters: 

 but above all is. most remarkable the phenomena 

 of sound to be here awakened: no where can 



"Gamboling echo hold more boisterous court — " 



than o'er the still expanse of this enchanting 

 stream. The report of my rifle was reverberated 

 with astounding loudness, and stammering reiter- 

 ation, alternately from bank to bank (here five 

 miles distant) in thirteen distinct successions, gra- 

 dually diminishing in power, till 



"Distance smothered softly the sound." 



Crossing this fascinating river, as the line of our 

 descriptive sketches, we leave in the. east the At- 

 lantic, with the lands delineated in my first letter, 

 and we find on the west the lbrest of Alachua, 

 now to be described. 



The county of Alachua extending nearly from 

 the western bank of the St. John's, to the gulf of 

 Mexico, and between latitude 29 degrees and 31 

 degrees, as its average northern and southern 

 boundaries embraces an immense body of rich and 

 diversified lands, constituting it one of the largest 

 and most valuable counties of the territory. It is 

 as yet but thinly populated: the presence of the 

 Seminole Indians, heretofore in' sole and native 

 possession of its wide extending hunting grounds, 

 has prevented the settlement of white men. These 

 ill-fated sons of the forest will however "relin- 

 quish^ their original rights this winter, and re- 

 move to the "far west," there to await the sure 

 advance of demoralizing civilization, and as sure- 

 ly, their second pilgrimage! Speculation and ava- 

 rice have, notwithstanding the "red men," ere. 

 this found a limited "local habitation" within 

 these Indian reserves.and from the exciting reports, 

 the tide of emigration is now setting rapidly 

 thither. 



A great diversity of soil, as visibly marked by 

 an infinite variety of growths, necessarily is to be 

 found throughout so extensive a county. The 

 most valuable is the dark chocolate soil, generally 

 on tabular sites, but oftentimes over the rolling 

 lands, indicated by a dense growth of sweet-gums, 

 dogwood, and tulip tree, with an impenetrable 

 undergrowth of gigantic grape vines, thickets of 

 wild orange, and plum. This soil I have never 

 had an opportunity of examining accurately. To 

 the eye, touch and taste, it seems composed of a 

 strong rank vegetable decomposition, coating the 

 surface in black humid fibrous matter, and com- 

 bined with a large portion of aluminous earth, 

 containing lime or other salt in visible quantity, 

 though not in a carbonate combination. These 

 lauds when first brought in tillage yield but indif- 

 ferently well, being, in the language ofthe district 

 farmers, "too luxuriant and fat, and produce only 

 weed." Cotton, corn, and sugar, however, after 

 two or three years' culture, produce amazingly, 

 and continue their large returns as far as expe- 

 rience has yet gone. I have said that "lime is 

 present, though not as a carbonate," in these soils. 

 I may extend my remark, and doubt whether cal- 

 careous earth as carbonate of lime is to be found 

 in any of our inland districts: they have undoubt- 

 edly lime in abundance, and in some places are 

 based on rotten limestone; yet I am inclined to 

 think we have the combination of the sulphate, 

 instead ofthe carbonate — and most probably more, 

 of magnesia, than of lrme. I hope however ere 

 long to analyse these interesting formations, and 

 place my knowledge beyond an hypothesis. My 

 present conviction is partly formed, by the taste 

 of the earth, and partly from the great luxuriance 

 near these rich mulatto soils of* towering pine 

 trees! But to return. These rich soils are beyond 

 doubt inexhaustible; and large tracts are now va- 

 cant, awaiting the test of culture. Some portions 

 are lighter in color, showing the preponderance 

 either of silicious or magnesian earth: but all are 

 proverbial for fertility and strength. The. attention 

 of the scattered settlers has heretofore been devo- 



