Koikes of the Floridas, t|/-c. 129 



For the production of the ordinary crops, wheat, corn, cot- 

 ton,potatoes, and rice, Florida possesses no advantange over 

 the southern states, but it has a superiority for the cuhivation 

 of the sugar cane, of orange, olive, and date trees. In Geor- 

 gia the cane rarely matures except near its southern ex- 

 tremity, and is often destroyed by early frosts. It is seldom 

 that more than three joints afford good juice. In East Flori- 

 da canes will have a growth of nine and ten months, affording 

 juice mature for crystallization, yielding a third more sugar 

 than the Georgia canes. The rattoon in Florida sur- 

 vives the winter, saving the expense of annual planting. In 

 the southern part of the peninsula, the growth will be un- 

 checked by frosts. 



The oranges of Florida are the best brought to the 

 northern market, and the crop more certain than in a high- 

 er latitude. The orange trees of Georgia and Louisiana 

 have been generally killed to the root within a hw years 

 by severe frosts, an effect unknown in Florida. There are 

 trees in St. Augustine upwards of a century old, and date- 

 trees sixty — likewise olive-trees mature in size and very 

 productive. The fig-tree yields successive crops in the 

 summer without blossoming. The fruit may be profita- 

 bly dried. The palma christa is now considerably culti- 

 vated. Coffee plantations will not succeed in the territo- 

 ries, as the slightest frost destroys the tree, and no part of 

 Florida is exempt for many years from frost. 



For grazing, the climate of East Florida is preferable to 

 that of Georgia, Alabama, or Mississippi. In these states 

 much stock is lost from a scanty supply of nourishment in 

 winter. In East Florida there is rarely a deficiency from 

 the severity of frosts. In the southern part of the peninsula 

 there is perpetual verdure, and there are great prairies to 

 which cattle can be driven if necessary. Droves of cattle and 

 horses can be supported through the year at a trifling ex- 

 pense on the spontaneous productof the savannas, prairies, 

 and extensive low pine lands, that are well watered in the 

 hot months. The grasses of the wet sandy lands and of 

 the prairies are generally fine and preferred by native 

 horses and cattle to other food. In March I observed cattle, 

 fed on the Alachua savanna, sufficiently fat for any market. 

 Southern mules are more valuable than northern, and can 

 be advantageously raised in Florida. The native horses 



Vol. IX.-No. I 17 



