164 HOME LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



tance. But we have dealt with the esthetic part of our 

 subject long enough ; esthetic, yet not in this case useless, 

 for one's home can not be made too attractive. 



But it must have its creature comforts too ; for we are 

 of the earth "earthy." Not one of the least of these is 

 the water-supply. There are a few houses in Florida whose 

 owners have provided large tanks on the roof, into which 

 water is pumped from a lake or well by means of a wind- 

 mill, pipes leading from the tank conducting w^ater through- 

 out the dwelling ; and these convenient contrivances can, 

 as we have seen, be had by people of moderate means. 

 In a few localities only, well-water is not good, being hard 

 from the underlying limestone rock ; but all through the 

 rolling pine lands the water obtained from the wells is 

 soft and as pure as crystal; indeed, none better could 

 be desired. During the summer months it is not as cool 

 as the Northern taste could wish, bred up, as it is, with the 

 idea that ice in the summer is a necessity. In fact, this 

 lack of ice is at first one of the settler's greatest depriva- 

 tions ; but with this, as with all things, time eftects a cure, 

 and by and by the water seems to grow cooler, and rarely 

 fails to quench the summer thirst. One could almost de- 

 clare, after the first summer, that it actually has become 

 cooler, so powerful is custom. It is possible, too, to make 

 a decided change in the temperature of the water by keep- 

 ing that intended for drinking in those large earthenware 

 jars that are manufactured for the purpose, water-jars, 

 they are called. The writer has seen them in use in South 

 America, and they are equally useful in Florida ; drawing 

 the water over night and allowing it to stand out where 

 the night air will blow over it is a good way to secure a 

 cool morning drink. In the fall, winter, and spring months, 

 the water is quite cool enough for any one, and often 

 "makes one's teeth ache." 



