1835.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



229 



ted to grazing: and their extensive herds, well 

 rounded in limbs, and accompanied with numerous 

 young, afford substantial evidence of the profit of 

 such "occupation. Same few plantations have 

 been opened, and are now successfully under cul- 

 tivation of the sugar cane, sea island cotton, and 

 farinaceous grain. Their crops have been varia 

 Lie in production: though their failures may justly 

 be attributed to the deficiencies of the requisite 

 machinery and dilatoriness in harvesting) rather 

 than to any fixed discovered error of soil. Pro- 

 crastination has been here, as well as in other 

 parts of Florida, the thief of wealth. Col. Clinch 

 of the army, is I believe, the proprietor of the 

 largest settled estate in Alachua, J lis plantation 

 has been in operation tor several years, and though 

 it has had, like others, its good and bad crops, it 

 may be staled, (in evidence of what the soil and 

 climate can produce,) that last year, notwithstand- 

 ing the unexampled severity of the winter, he re- 

 alized from his crop, unassisted by artificial ma- 

 nuring, and at best roughly cultivated, with only 

 about fifty negroes, the sum of (as understood,) 

 $20,000! having made (as heard,) 170 and odd 

 hogsheads sugar, and 60 odd hales of fine sea 

 island cotton, besides a large crop of corn and 

 other provisions! 



No other evidence is needed to establish the 

 great fertility of the Alachua soil; or to show the 

 immense returns capable of being there made from 

 agricultural investment. What one man has done, 

 a thousand equally skilful and industrious may do: 

 and if any apology is due for the freedom with 

 which I promulgate private emolument, I trust it 

 may be found excusable, in the absence we have 

 of oilier means of comparing the fertility and ca- 

 pabilities of this new country; as well as in my 

 aim, that the speculative world may be attracted 

 to an examination of this wealthy, yet vacant 

 land. The advancement of the public weal aug- 

 ments the prosperity of individual interest; and 

 upon this truism, I hope yet to see intrusive and 

 prying science embowelling the concealed mines 

 of Florida. 



Alachua has, bestowed by nature, a liberal 

 share of her best advantages. With an extent 

 of latitude, embracing both a temperate and tropi- 

 cal clime; and affording a choice of navigation 

 and intercourse, either direct to the gulf of Mexi- 

 co, (of which it constitutes a part of its eastern 

 boundary,) or through the tributaries of the St. 

 John's River, to the Atlantic. With a soil rich 

 beyond exhaustion, rich in perpetual pasturage, 

 and valuable timber, and varied in texture and 

 qualities; congenial to the production of almost 

 every northern and southern staple of commerce. 

 With open and commanding roadsteads, among 

 which are notable Charlotte's Harbor and Tampa 

 Bay, equally proverbial for good anchorage, ac- 

 cessibility, and uninterrupted health. All these 

 are advantages singularly combined, and which 

 must not only create rapid wealth and improve- 

 ment, but ultimately rank the County of Alachua 

 as the "Jewelled Queen of Florida." 



My next letter shall not be so prolix, and will 

 be upon the Middle District. 



FARQ. MACEAE. 



For Uie Farmers' Register. 

 VEGETABLE AXE ANIMAL ANALOGY. 



[Continued from page 756, Vol. II.] 



Observation teaches that nature has implanted 

 appetites as various among vegetables, as we find 

 in the animal kingdom, and hence arises that end- 

 less diversity of their qualities and properties. 

 They are so differently organized, and had im- 

 planted in them originally, such various appetites, 

 that every order and species of the two kingdoms 

 may receive certain principles from the earth, 

 which when combined in certain proportions, shall 

 constitute the animal or vegetable; and although 

 they may be equal in size, and similar in their 

 general conformation, as to external appearances, 

 and nourished by the same food, shall differ in 

 strength, texture, and solidity. This, however, 

 can only be explained upon the principle of a dif- 

 ference in organization; viz: a difference of capa- 

 city in their vessels, glands, &c, whereby certain 

 portions of the same food are received, or rejected, 

 according to the structure of those parts, or capa- 

 city for receiving suitable proportions of aliment. 

 A plant extracts from its gross parent (the earth) 

 those principles which are suited to its nature and 

 constitution; the earth always ready to give, but 

 the plant is not willing, and rarely receives any 

 thing but what is proper lor its subsistence: it is 

 worthy of remark-, that in soils most favorable for 

 the production of the various mild esculent or nu- 

 tritive plants, nicoUana,cicuta, hyosiamus, digitalis, 

 lauro cerasus, datura stramonium, monkshood, 4 &c, 

 flourish and arrive at great perfection. There can 

 be no doubt that the principles received from the 

 earth, by those noxious plants which constitute 

 their most virulent and active qualities, are not 

 intimately blended with that which affords nourish- 

 ment, and becomes a component part of all the 

 nutritive tribe. Their organization, or the capacity 

 of their absorbing vessels, are such as necessarily 

 exclude those poisonous principles; and it seems 

 that by virtue of an inherent or instinctive prin- 

 ciple implanted in them by the author of their ex- 

 istence, those offensive matters are uniformly re- 

 jected. From this circumstance may we not inter, 

 that both the animal and vegetable kingdoms pos- 

 sess the power of receiving ibod when it is offered 

 them, and also the faculty of choosing. Animal 

 and vegetable instinct may probably be admitted, 

 since we cannot with greater propriety call that 

 principle of a child by any other name, which 

 prompts it to seek the breast of its mother, soon 

 after it comes into the world; and that of aquatic, 

 fowls to seek water, as their natural element, soon 

 as they are disengaged from the egg-shell; and 

 that of a vine to rear its head to the highest 

 places, and entwine every branch within its reach, 

 as if mindful of the danger to which it must be 

 exposed, if spread out promiscuously upon the 

 earth. Many other circumstances relative to ve- 

 getables, would, at first view, seem to prove that 

 they possess sensitive and instinctive qualities, not 

 unlike those of animals. 



The, vegetable and animal kingdoms derive 

 their support, either directly or indirectly horn the 

 earth, through certain media. Many of the large 

 vegetable seeds, when divided longitudinally, pre- 

 sent an entire plant with its stalk and foliage com- 

 plete in miniature, and nothing wanting but to be 

 placed in reach of what it is destined to receive 



