A FLORIDA PALM FOREST. 



lantic region is due to the destruction of 

 the forests in the gulf and adjacent States, 

 I am not prepared to say. This is a subject 

 that has not received the attention it de- 

 serves, but there is good reason to believe, 

 based on observations made abroad, that 

 material changes may be wrought in the 

 climate by widespread forest destruction. 

 The history of the climatic changes in Flor- 

 ida, is deeply interesting. The first destruc- 

 tive freeze for 50 years occurred in 1886, 

 when a 3 days' blizzard from the Northwest 

 swept over the State and cut back or at 

 least defoliated all the orange trees down 

 to about the 29th degree in all but the most 

 protected sections. Since that time there 

 has been a succession of frosts, as far South 

 as Tampa, that have materially injured the 

 crops in some places. Especially have its 

 effects been felt in the new groves, which 

 were either killed or crippled to such an ex- 

 tent that few new plantations have been 

 brought into good condition. In December, 

 1894, a still more severe Northwest blizzard 

 defoliated all the trees as far South as the 

 Manatee river, and the destruction was ren- 

 dered complete by a freeze in February, 

 when the groves were putting forth their 

 young leaves and the tender shoots were 

 filled with sap. From Tampa North the 

 trees of the orange belt were either killed 

 outright or so enfeebled that the majority 

 were unable to rally. People in the North 



have no idea of the extent of the ruin and 

 desolation wrought by this calamity. A 

 great industry, built up with reckless enthu- 

 siasm owing to the large returns secured, 

 together with extensive interests associated 

 with orange growing, were swept away al- 

 most in a single night. Today in the place 

 of these productive farms, attractive homes 

 and busy towns there remains but a frac- 

 tion of all this prosperity. Abandoned 

 fields of white sand, dilapidated buildings 

 and half populated villages reveal the na- 

 ture and extent of the destruction. It is to 

 be questioned if this country has ever ex- 

 perienced such extensive destruction of 

 property and the financial ruin of so many 

 people ; for while the estimated loss of 

 $100,000,000 may not be compared with 

 some other calamities that have overtaken 

 the country, it is to be borne in mind that 

 in this case we are dealing with a misfor- 

 tune that can not to any considerable ex- 

 tent be overcome. 



While it can not be said that the destruc- 

 tion of the forests in Florida and in the 

 neighboring States to the Northwest is re- 

 sponsible for the climatic changes, it is sig- 

 nificant that the cold waves are always 

 preceded by severe wind storms from 

 the North or Northwest. It will readily 

 be seen that forests afford an effectual bar- 

 rier to the progress of such storms and 

 thus permit the tempering of the cold wave 



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