September i, 1890.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
tS3 
presented by five figures. Now nearly all fazendeiros 
count their hundreds of thousands and some exceed 
the million. Calculate ye old hands three hundred 
trees to the acre, calculate the high price of coffee 
and most of it cultivated by slave labour assisted 
before 1887 by only very few European colonists’ 
families, and you will not be surprised that many 
who were formerly reckoned poor are looked on 
now as millionaires, and many who were then the 
most obstinate of slaveholders had latterly been 
amongst the foremost of emancipators who has 
given unconditional liberty to their people before 
the law of 1888 compelled them to do so. One can 
scarcely believe the rapid strides the Province has 
made in such a short number of years. Hear it 
oh ye stubborn use-and-wont permanent Secretaries 
of the British Colonial Office, and wait-a-bit Dictators 
of British Crown Colonies ; the moving cause is 
Eailways. 
It did not require the wine to inspire our “ after 
dinner ” chat, but by-and-by, I am nudged by my 
companion, who reminds me that this is his first 
visit to Sao Paulo, and he wants to see some of 
the town. Unfortunately it was past 8 o’clock 
and all shops were shut, the streets wore lighted 
only by the gas lamps, and as we had to leave 
by train in the morning early, we soon returned 
to the hotel. We could not spare a day for sight 
seeing and visiting old friends, as the other members 
of the Commission on which we were engaged had 
preceded us into the interior some days before, 
and were waiting us there. 
The rest of our journey must remain to be 
described in my next. A. SCOTT-BLACKLAW. 
THE OEANGE GEOVES OP PLOEIDA. 
There are many beautiful things amongst the wild 
plants and shrubs, some of which are occasionally seen 
under cultivation, and are known to English gardens 
also. These include Lantana crocea, Ipomea Quamoclit, 
two or three species of Opuntia ; three kinds of Fan- 
leaved Palms, one of wnicli resembles Chamaerops 
Fortuneii very closely, and is very abundant ; the 
others grow to heights of 20 feet and upwards, and 
are very pretty when seen growing in large clumps. 
Oallicarpa purpurea forms a fine object, laden with its 
purple berries, when seen in quantity. Magnolias form 
large trees, but none was in flower at the time of my 
visit. Yucca filamentosa is occasionally found. Oranges 
grow wild in some parts, but they are sour and worth- 
less. Quercus coccmea (ihe Scarlet Oak] is very Hue 
in December, when its leaves put on their bright tints ; 
and two or three other species, which are evergreens, 
make very fine trees in some parts of the country, 
but where the sand is of very poor quality they are 
generally found only as low bushes, w'hile underneath 
them the sand, if too poor to grow grass, is covered 
with a finely cut leaved species of Lichen, similar to 
what we sometimes find on Apple trees in Fngiaiid. 
Opuiitias also grow in these places, and their roots 
extend 10 and 12 feet horizontally a little below the 
surface, while the whole plant may not bo more than 
() inches high. In the more racist parts some of the 
grasses are very pretty, but they were all dried up 
when I saw them, ancl in this state they are often mis- 
chievously set on fire, causing wholesale conflagration. 
A few acres of a Pine forest when on fire forms at 
night a weird and strange sight, hut it is not often 
the trees take tiro from the burning grasses, unle.'s 
they have been previously injured or are decayed ; 
but the grass and herbs are e'eart d off for a time only, 
to spring up ag.iin alter the fir.st shower. These forest 
fires do a great deal of harm by consuming all the 
decaying vegntahle nia'.tcr that would otherwise go to 
enrich the sanily land. 
Many of tlie wild flowers of Florida arc pretty, and 
belong chiefly to Compositio. Very few plants wild 
in Britain are found, but I’ingnicula vulgaris is abundant 
and beautiful. Two Ferns similar to Pteris aquilina 
and Osmunda regalis, a Drosera, which I believe to 
be D. rotundifolia, a Eumex resembling E. aoetosa, 
a Polygonum, perhaps P. persicaria, and Sphagnum 
Moss, were all that I observed. Poa annua was no- 
where to be seen, and Florida has none of our worst 
garden weeds, although I do not consider their own 
any improvement. 
In the best vegetable grounds Oane-grass is very 
abundant, growing in the manner of our Oouchgrass, 
but it is far stronger, the underground stems being as 
thick as lead-pencils, and the stems 18 inches in height. 
The creeping roots of this grass soon fill a piece of 
ground, if left alone for a time, when it is peaty and 
moist. Another species of grass has stems which ramify 
on the top of the sand, and grow at a great pace 
until they reach a length of 30 feet, rooting, and send- 
ing out sideshoots as they advanced, and in moist 
places this soon covers the sand completely, if left 
undisturbed. A kind of grass, or Sedge, called the 
Sand-spur, which seeds very freely, is also very trouble- 
some. It derives its name from the fruits, which are 
covered with sharp spines, and have an uncomfortable 
trick of getting into one’s boots, and other like places 
and never let go their hold without much persuasion! 
The timber is chiefly composed of Pinus cnbensis, 
a coarse-grained hard wood, containing a good deal of 
turpentine. Another species of Pinus, but which is 
very local, is P. iuops var- clausa, whose cones remain 
on the trees a great number of years, and give them 
a very pecnliar appearance. Taxodium distichum is 
abundant in some parts, and is always found growinv 
in the water, or close to it, sometimes^ it may be fonnd 
where the water is 3 or 4 feet deep, but in such positions 
it is generally in a state of decay. The curious ex- 
crescences, or outgrowths, from the root, called “ knees ” 
ill England, are abundant, and are dangerous to smalj 
craft. This tree gives the largest timber of ary that 
I saw, and some specimens measured from 10 to 12 feet 
in circumference, while the species of Finns are noi 
found of more than 5 feet in circumference. I mea. 
sured a dead tree of P. cnbensis which was 102 feet 
high, and 4 feet 8 inches in circumference at 4 feet 
from the ground. P. inops does not grow so ta or 
so large as this. Evergreen Oak is occasionally Been 
of large size, but the wood is so hard they cannot 
work it up. It is called Live Oak, to distinguisli it 
from Quercus coccinea, a tree which is also occasion- 
ally seen of a good size. Other kinds of timber, Hickory 
Ash, and Cherry, are found in some parts of Florida' 
and the Eed Cedar, which is so much used for making 
pencils; but I found on inquiry that this is scarce in 
large size, although often used as posts for fencing. 
The chief drawback to the trade of the country is 
the bad state of the roads, which are so loose that it 
is impossible to walk any long distance, and riding or 
driving becomes a necessity ; and there are no means 
of improving this state of things, for not a stone of 
any kind is to be seen, and in the larger towns the 
footpaths are made of cement, and in some instances 
of shells, which are spread on the sand, the streets 
being sprinkled with a water-hose, which causes some 
little improvement. 
Among wild animals, deer, rabbits, tortoises — called 
by the negroes “ gofers ’’—wild cats, opossums, skunks, 
&c., are more or less abundant ; and away in the swamps 
bears and pixiithers are occasionally met with ; snakes 
are abundant, and for the most part harmless. Doves, 
Uirtle-doves, quails, butcher-birds, mocking-birds, hawks 
of severai kinds, buzzards, watei-turkeys, herons, 
woodpeckers, storks, &c., and some rarer kinds, are 
found in the uninhabited portions. 
Anyone intending to settle in Florida as an Orange- 
grower, &c., should be previously well instructed in 
the first principles of horticulture, as the most of the 
pi rsoDS engaged in Orange growing out there have 
vague ideas as to what is required, and it is difficult 
to get from them any definite information. On the 
whole, I found the country very enjoyable and Iiealthy ; 
but intending settlers should bo very careful to get 
on the liighest land, towards the centre of the State. 
A good amount of capital is required, in order to get 
good returns, as it costs quite 50 per cent, moor for 
