112 THE CULTIVATOR. 
ver contradicted. Yet Key West is noiv as healthy a 
place as I have ever known or wish to live in. There¬ 
fore, without sanctioning these extravagant assertions, 
we may safely conclude that the climate at Cape Flori¬ 
da is unusually salubrious. Yet to a person unacquaint¬ 
ed with the causes which operate to make it so, it may 
seem strange that the interminable marshes with which 
the country is known to abound, do not produce sick¬ 
ness. They undoubtedly would do so, were people to 
settle in the worst of them, and there spend much of 
their time at fatiguing labor and exposure. I say the 
worst of them, because many of these swamps, as they are 
called, and indeed a great portion of the everglade, are 
merely shoal bodies of pure moving water, covering a 
bed of white sand—others are low prairies, covered 
with short stinted grass, sometimes dry, sometimes wet, 
and sometimes entirely inundated; the soil of which, 
i hough I have never examined it, 1 believe to be a lime 
marl—and others are doubtless composed of that loamy 
soil the tendency of which when marshy is always un¬ 
healthy. Furthermore, the settlements have been chief¬ 
ly confined to the coast, over which the easterly winds 
from the sea are, a great portion of the time, blowing, 
and driving from them the miasmata that may arise 
from the wet grounds in the rear. The ridges on the 
coast are at an elevation of from ten to twenty feet, com¬ 
posed principally of sand resting upon a limestone base, 
and clothed with extensive pine forests, diversified with 
intervals of marl prairies. These circumstances are 
sufficient to explain the cause of the peculiar healthi¬ 
ness of that country. 
I am aware that northern invalids often fear the ef¬ 
fects of our summer climate. I did so myself before 
trying it. But they who have any disposition to pulmo¬ 
nary complaints, and indeed most of the inhabitants 
here, greatly prefer the summer to the winter. There 
is a purity—a luxury in our summer air which a north¬ 
erner can never know, and which makes the tempera¬ 
ture here of 90° more pleasant and agreeable than that 
of 85° at the north. The constant gentle breeze by 
which we are fanned—the pure air which the lungs in¬ 
hale so easily—and the inviting shade in which the ease 
of earning our subsistence permits us to indulge, all 
unite to awaken the consciousn ss of present calm en¬ 
joyment which few other situations in life can impart. 
Our winters indeed are pleasant, and much praised by 
the invalids who yearly resort here—even more plea¬ 
sant than our northern summers. But we complain of 
frequent and sudden changes of the weather. Yes, we 
complain; though the extreme winter range of the ther¬ 
mometer is between 50 J and 82 or 3 ’; while the sum¬ 
mer range at the north is from 32 J to 1008 When the 
winds in winter are between east and south, which is 
perhaps two-thirds of the time, we are contented, and 
we lounge in our piazzas in thin summer clothing. But 
when the wind comes out of the north, then “ stand by” 
for pinching cold. Woolen clothes become necessary, 
though some will shiver in their thin ones rather than 
change; and in the evening, perhaps half a dozen times 
during the winter, a cloak is very comfortable to sit in. 
Fire is quite out of the question. 1 have not seen that 
strange light in a dwelling since I left New-York in the 
fall of 1835. On these occasions the mercury ranges 
about 60 J at its extreme depression. It has been known 
since the settlement of the island, twice only, to fall be¬ 
low 50 '. And it has been known to rise, in summer, 
above 90 8 So far this season it has not been above 85 J . 
I speak here of the temperature of Key West. Cape 
Florida is one degree further north, and of course is 
some colder; but no thermometer having ever been 
kept there, its exact temperature is not known. Nei¬ 
ther am I satisfied whether frost has ever been seen 
there or not. It certainly has not on Key Biscaino, 
which helps form the bay, since the light house lias 
been there, which is ten or twelve years. At all events, 
garden vegetables thrive there throughout the winter. 
While I was at the cape, in January, we had green 
peas, beans, corn, fresh potatoes, and other articles of 
the kind. Indeed planting and plucking, upon a limit¬ 
ed scale, is in progress there at all seasons of the year; 
and the fruit trees exhibit their flowers, their green and 
their ripe fruit at the same time and almost at all times. 
The title to a large portion of the land at the cape, 
as well as elsewhere in the territory, is yet unsettled. 
Before the cession of Florida to the United States, a 
tract of twelve miles square was granted by Spain to 
one Don Juan Arrambide, the south line of which pass¬ 
es east and west, through the mouth of the Miami river, 
about eight miles north of the principal entrance into 
the bay from the sea. This grant has been decided to 
be valid by the Superior Court for this district, having 
jurisdiction of such cases; but the United States have 
appe iled from the decision to their own Supreme Court. 
When the appeal will be tried is uncertain—perhaps 
not within two or three years. No doubts, however, 
are expressed here that the decision will be comfirmed. 
Still this case will not determine in whom the title in 
fact lies—but merely whether or not it lies in the Unit¬ 
ed States. In the mean time there is a suit pending in 
Chancery between three several parties, each of whom 
lay claim to the land under the said Spanish grant. 
This suit will probably be determined in the course of 
a year, when, it is believed, the land will he offered for 
sale, by the successful party, on some conditions to se¬ 
cure the purchasers against loss, in case the Supreme 
Court should decide against the validity of the grant. 
This tract embraces the whole of the north end of 
Biscaino bay, and extends east and west from the sea 
to the everglade, including the whole of the Miami and 
its branches, Little river, Arch creek and the mouth of 
Rio Ratones, all emptying into the bay. South of the 
Miami, and stretching along the shore of the bay, lie 
three donation grants containing one square mile each, 
all owned by a resident. 
With the exception of these grants, the title to the 
land is clear and undisputed in the government. But 
inasmuch as it has never been surveyed, nor brought 
into market, they who settle it must rely, for their title 
in future, upon their right of pre-emption. Such settlers 
are furthermore protected by an express provision of 
our Territorial Statute recognizing in them a property 
in the lands they thus possess, defensible, transferable, 
and subject to execution. 
I propose in my next to treat of the soil and produc¬ 
tions of the country, and the various means of subsist¬ 
ence for those who dwell there. 
L. W. SMITH. 
EXTRACTS. 
From the New E7tglaud Fanner. 
Ashes— Milk —Bog. 
We have the pleasure to present to the agricultu¬ 
ral public the subjoined highly valuable communica¬ 
tion ; and acknowledge ourselves much indebted to 
the kindness of this intelligent and skilful cultivator 
for having at our request presented it. Our attention 
in passing on the road from Pawtucket to Providence 
had been always particularly attracted to the improve¬ 
ments going on on this farm, and the order and neat¬ 
ness which marked the premises. The last spring, 
on a visit to some relatives, we had the pleasure of 
examining the excellent management pursued at the 
establishment. The cultivator it will be seen from 
the style of address, is a friend. This most exem¬ 
plary Christian sect are always remarkable for their 
neatness and order, qualities which are so valuable, 
and produce so much comfort in life. “ Thou shalt 
be neat and clean, and systematic and orderly in thy 
person and in all thy dealings” is a commandment, 
which if they have not actually added it to the deca¬ 
logue, seems to have with them almost as high an au¬ 
thority. A slovenly Quaker is a “ rare birdan 
anomaly seldom occuring. We cannot too much 
commend them for this. “ Order is Heaven’s first law.” 
Neatness, as a friend was accustomed to remark, is 
next to godliness ; it is essential to good manners and 
almost equally so to good morals : its opposite is cer¬ 
tainly a violation of what are called the minor morals 
of society. H. C. 
North Providence , 6 mo. 4, 1838. 
Respected Friend, Henry Coleman — I have ne¬ 
ver known more profitable results from the application 
of any manure to light and sterile soils, whether loamy, 
sandy, or gravelly, than from leeched or unleeched 
ashes. They have long been used in Rhode-Isiand 
with great success, especially in the growing of barley 
and clover, to which they seem peculiarly adapted. 
As evidence of the estimation in which they are held 
by the farmers of the Island, ten cents per bushel 
have been paid for them in Newport for the last twen¬ 
ty years and upwards, and though considerable quan¬ 
tities have been furnished from different places on the 
sea-board, the demand for them has always exceeded 
the supply. They are generally used at the time of 
seeding, spread on an even surface and harrowed in 
lightly with the grain and grass seed. The quantity 
varying from 50 to 100 bushels per acre. 
In 1833, a lot of land falling under my management 
which had then recently been purchased at .$30 per 
acre, seven acres of it and perhaps the least valuable 
part, which in my opinion never possessed fertility, 
though it is usually called worn out land, being a 
sandy plain, gravelly subsoil, were ploughed and rolled, 
in order to secure for the benefit of the crop what lit¬ 
tle vegetable matter had been turned under; about 
1,600 bushels leeched ashes were then spread on the 
lot, and it was sowed with 10 quarts millet and 16 lbs. 
southern or small clover seed to the acre. The sea¬ 
son proved dry and the seed took badly, the crop of 
millet was 10 tons by estimation, and was sold for 
$180. 19 tons clover were supposed to have been 
obtained the two succeeding years at four cuttings ; 
this too was sold for $316. The clover having near¬ 
ly all perished in the winter of 1835-6 it was pastured 
the season following, and last year 1,136 bushels ashes 
having been applied to it, it was again sowed with 
millet, and stocked as before with southern clover, 20 
lbs. to the acre. The product was 13 tons millet, for 
winch I credited the owner $221, retaining it for my 
own use. Like results have been obtained from simi¬ 
lar treatment of the same description of soil in vari¬ 
ous instances, this not having been selected because 
the most striking, but because the amount for which 
the crops sold fixes their value, without knowing ex¬ 
actly the quantity produced, which in each case has 
been supposed. The labor bestowed on the lot was 
more or less blended with other business of the farm ; 
it is therefore difficult at this period of time to ascer¬ 
tain the amount charged. I believe, however, it did not 
exceed the charge in the subjoined account. 
Cost of land,... $210 00 
“ ashes for both dressings,. 215 54 
Seed for do. 41 25 
Ploughing lOi days,. 21 00 
Rolling 3| do... ? 00 
Harrowing 3| do. 7 00 
Carting outside furrows,.. 7 50 
Sowing 3 days, ... 3 00 
Carling and spreading ashes,. 54 00 
Cutting, curing, and housing 41 tons mil¬ 
let and clover,.... 123 00 
5 years taxes,. 2 10 
Interest accruing on transaction,. 46 00 
$737 39 
By Produce sold, amounting to.. $717 00 
Value of pasturage, .. .. 15 00 
Value of lot in its present condition,.... 385 00 
$1,117 00 
737 39 
$379 61 
There is reason to suppose from present appearan¬ 
ces that the lot in question will cut two tons clover 
this season per acre ; it will therefore be seen that 
my valuation is not a high one. A repetition of the 
treatment it has received, would no doubt improve 
still more the texture of the soil, but I am inclined to 
think there might be a falling off instead of an ad¬ 
vancement in the amount of its productions, by sub¬ 
sequent ashings. Should this be the case it would 
indicate a suitable condition for more permanent im¬ 
provement by manuring. 
There is hut one instance in which I can make out 
the exact quantity of milk sold in a year. It amounts 
to 11,131 J gallons; this is exclusive of a supply for 
the family, and was produced by I suppose an average 
of 20 cows. There have been seasons when I think 
a larger quantity has been produced in proportion to 
the number of cows kept, but the maimer in which 
my books have been kept, hardly ever specifying more 
than the amount received for the article sold, does not 
enable me to determine with accuracy the quantity 
sold in any other year. In the instance given the milk 
was disposed of to one person at a certain rate, which 
with the amount of sales being known determines the 
quantity. How much was used by the family is not 
known, probably not more than 309 gallons. 
In regard to the bog there is yet but little to be said, 
a greater part of it being yet on tne tide of experi- 
ritnent, whether successful or not, time will determine. 
The burnt part has hitherto been most productive. 
In 1835, | acre was pared, the turf burnt, and the 
ashes spread over the surface. The year following it 
was planted with potatoes, the crop paying for the 
land at $30 per acre and all expenses accruing 
from its improvement. Last year nothing was taken 
from it, it was seeded the latter part of summer, and 
now promises a large crop of hay. 
Respectfully thy friend, 
ADAM ANTHONY. 
From the Genesee Farmer. 
Different Systems of Farming. 
Mr. Tucker —In the management of our temporal 
affairs, whatever presents itself to our minds in the 
most clear and distinct manner, as best calculated to 
promote our interests, we embrace the most cordially, 
and pursue the most thoroughly. The operation of 
this principle is manifested in all the events and pur¬ 
suits of life. And if the question should be asked, 
1 Why is it that men do not universally adopt the most 
approved and enlightened systems in the management 
of their different avocations,’ the answer must evi¬ 
dently be, that from want of proper information they 
are not equally convinced, by a clear and distinct per¬ 
ception, of the superior merits of any system but their 
own. And in no other business is the practical ope¬ 
ration of this principle so manifest as in that of farm¬ 
ing ; where a great diversity of systems leads to as 
great a variety of results. 
My purpose is to show that farming, in its great 
fundamental features, is one of the plainest and easi¬ 
est things in the world, if we but take hold of it in 
the right way. 
Let us first look at the different systems of farming 
in vogue among us. The longest tried, and most ve¬ 
nerable, is that of Skinning, whereby the farm and 
the farmer become impoverished together. This sys¬ 
tem has yet many advocates in the land, who settle 
down on good soils, work it hard, and wear it out; 
then sell cheap, and go to the west and buy cheaper 
and better soils ; wear that out, pull up stakes again, 
and again push off to the west. By this system, new 
countries are cleared up and settled, and a broader 
scope given to population ; fulfilling the requirements 
of Scripture, “ be ye fruitful, and multiply and re¬ 
plenish the earth.” Another system, of a somewhat 
more modern date, is, Let well alone. This system is 
