AND AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES. 17 



by the prevalence of daily winds from the ocean or Gulf of Mexico. 

 The eastern portion, probably from the influence of the Gulf Stream, 

 has a milder and more agreeable climate than that west of the Suwan- 

 nee, and in winter suffers less from the cold northers and northwesters 

 that occasionally prevail. But through the whole section so equable is 

 the climate that although ice may be formed two or three times in the 

 course of a year, the thermometer very seldom falls below 35 in the 

 winter, or rises above 90 in the summer. There are occasional frosts, 

 but during four-fifths of the winter season the prevalent temperature 

 is that of the mildest Indian summer at the North and West. 



The surface of Northern Florida varies from the somewhat tame and 

 monotonous levels of Eastern and Western Florida to the undulating 

 and uneven lands of the middle portion, and gives a much wider field 

 for selection than is commonly supposed, although extreme elevations 

 are entirely wanting. Many strangers, who only make a personal in- 

 spection of the Saint John's region, and go, away complaining of the 

 taineness of the scenejry, the lack of variety in the landscape, and the 

 sluggish movements of the streams, would find in the valley of the Saint 

 Mary's a deep and somewhat rapid stream inclosed between pictu- 

 resque bluffs and high banks in the midst of a rich and fertile territory. 

 The same is also true of the Suwannee, the Chipola, and other rivers. 



From Hamilton on the east and Holmes on the west, the intermediate 

 section is undulating, and in some parts quite broken ; many portions 

 of Jackson, Gadsden, and Leon Counties, in particular, bearing upon 

 their surface a strong resemblance to the less hilly portions of Pennsyl- 

 vania, New York, and New England, and thus is afforded in Northern 

 Florida a variety of surface, consisting of sandy plains and u flat woods," 

 and an alternation of hill and vale, from which the divers tastes of dif- 

 ferent individuals can be easily gratified. 



The soils of Northern Florida are as varied as is the surface. To the 

 east is found a light and sandy soil, with a subsoil varying in depth, of 

 clay or marl. In the west the poorer soils are sandy, while the better 

 are loamy in character. In the middle, or section commonly called 

 "Middle Florida," strong clay soils are often to be met, as is especially 

 the case in Jackson, Gadsden, and Leon Counties. 



It is undeniable that here, as in the State generally, there is a good 

 deal of light and poor soil; but it is equally true that as rich and pro- 

 ductive lands exist in Northern Florida, and when considered with ref- 

 erence to the value of the staple crops, as productive and valuable lands 

 as can be found anywhere. The first year's crop of cotton and corn has 

 in more than one instance repaid the purchase price of a plantation. 



From the broken and uneven surface of the middle counties on the 

 north, and from the comparative coolness of the climate, this division of 

 the State is better adapted than either of the others to what is under- 

 stood by ordinary "farming," as contradistinguished from "planting," 

 so called. Hence there is a greater diversity of the crops usually raised 

 3290 2 



