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UP THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER.
A GOSSIPY MELANGE FROM THE
LAND OF THE ORANGE.
Tlic Steamer Fred de Barr and Her
Officers— Florida in Springtime—
River Observations—Minor Topics
—General aud Personal—lmprove
ments at Sanford and Maitland—
Tlie Soutb Florida Railroad and
Its Branches—Death ol Capt. Dick
Smart—Final Paragraphs.
On Steamer Fred de Bary, May 4.—Much
has been written and said in praise of the beau
ty and splendid appointments of this new and
magnificent river steamer, in many respects
the finest boat that ever rode the waters of
the noble St. John’s river. But I doubt if the
most Battering praise has done full justice
to her merits, as I have seen them unfolded to
view during a most delightful trip to Sanford
and back.
The traveling public owe a deep debt of
gratitude to Mr. Fred de Bary for his munifi
cent contribution to their comfort while on the
St. John’s river. All the boats of his “Mer
chants’ Line” are noted for speed and com
fort, and are commanded by popular and ex
perienced Captains. His extensive invest
ments at Enterprise, where he has a charming
winter home in the midst of a thrifty orange
grove, have done much to induce other gen
tlemen of wealth to put some of their surplus
cash into the development of Florida.
But his best investment, both for himself and
the public, Is the elegant steamer that bears
his honored name, and in the general super
vision of which his accomplished son, Mr.
Adolphe de Bary, is winning high honors as a
young man of thorough and systematic busi
ness habits. Associated with him as the
General Manager of the line is that veteran
steamboat man, Commodore Wm. B. WatsoD,
whose pleasant face is as familiar to Florida
visitors as household words. With his head
quarters at Jacksonville, he supervises and
controls all the movements of the boats of the
line with promptness and efficiency. He is not
only perfectly familiar with all the most intri
cate details of steamboat management, but is
a gentleman of refined and courteous manners,
which make him universally popular with the
traveling public, and commands for him the
highest respect from all his associates.
The officers of the steamer Fred, de Bary are
among the most popular and best known on
the river, and were selected for this palace of
floating beauty because of their eminent fit
ness for the various positions filled by them.
Os Captain W. A. Shaw I have said so many
good things that nothing remains to be added,
except to note his constantly growing popu
larity with his new boat, which always carries
a full load of passengers and freight. Savan
nah may well be proud of the high reputation
which he has won in his adopted State. The
acting purser, Captain Chas. B. Fenwick,
seems to have been born for the position, and
no matter how crowded the steamer may be
with passengers, he finds away to provide for
all and make everybody fee! comfortable and
happy. His smiling face and cheerful voice
have an inspiration in them, and he never
fails to make himself popular with the patrons
of the boat. He is as brave and fearless.|as he
is polite and affable, and under all circum
stances is always the right man in the light
place, whether acting as purser or in his posi
tion of General Passenger Agent of the line.
Chief Engineer F. W. Ellis has been on the
river a long time, and I have never met a more
trusty and efficient engineer or agreeable gen
tleman. His assistant, Mr. John Piatt, and
second officer. Geo. J. Mercier, complete the
list, and give the De Bary the best complement
of officers of any steamer on the river.
FLORIDA IN SPRINGTIME.
Ido not propose to give a detailed and con
nected account of my trip up the river and
back again, but simply to note some of the
most interesting points of observation. Part
of the way was traveled in the night, and con
sequently I could not take observations.
For this season of the year the weather has
been delightfully coo!, and the breezes on the
river and lakes rather too strong lor a visitor
(like myself) afflicted witii rheumatism. Al
though the great bulk of Northern and West
ern visitors have gone homo, there is a large
river travel yet, mostly composed of people
who live here.
1 am forced to believe that the summers In
Florida are not oppressively hot, and that the
residents for “all the year round” really enjoy
themselves quite as well as they would in the
so-called colder sections of the couul ry. The
train to and from Maitland was filled with
home people traveling about, and they looked
healthy and happy, aud talked cheerfully of
summer work and weather. During the middle
of the day the heat is rather oppressive, but
the rest of the day is cool aud pleasant.
While Florida may satisfy tho resident popu
lation in summer. Xdo not think many winter
visitors like to tarry very far into the spring.
After the rich perfume of orange blossoms
fades away from the air, and the trees are
robbed of their red ripe fruit, much of the at
tract “Land of Flowers” is lost to
‘<i*v warm days wiirAjaare to
how.i,
5 sppaiiward an:,; ,i
jjfW9S>t tipig •¥§
■BKSnTbuilding thoSEBgKK
HL WEgpK; ail bough exp isJH
' lid) Bs-' ,r not appear to min.T'
eo(ir?J*ezo over them from ihe\ p*
W hero so many lakes and rivers abouud, lranß
ed on one tide ny the Gulf aud on the other by
the ocean, laborers out of ’doors manage to
make themselves comfortable during the
greater portion of the dav„ New settlers, I
should imagine. Would not find it desirable to
start their improvements in the summer A
winter spent in Florida will better fit them to
get successfully through their summer of out
door work. X anticipate that an immense
amount of work will be laid out by new settlers
next winter and carried through during the
summer.
RIVER OBSERVATIONS.
At Cabbage Bluff I noticed that tho hand
some Gothic building erected for DeLand v ity
occupied a conspicuous place on tlie wharf’
having been removed from the former landing
some half mile above.
The St. John’s and Lake Eustis Railroad
Company has built a fine wharf, and erected a
neat depot just above and opposite Volusia
In due time 1 think a little town will spring up
around it.
A substantial steam saw mill is being built at
Green Cove Spring, and will no doubt give a
new impetus to the building boom that has
started this season. At Alexander’s Landing,
on Lake Beresford, I also noticed a steam saw
mill iu full operation, and every indica! ion that
lumber was in lively demand tor building pur
poses.
I was surprised to see a large three-masted
schooner at the wharf in Palatka, and. was in
formed that it was loaded with iron for the
railroad to Gainesville Although I have visit
ed Florida for a number of winters, 1 never be
fore saw a large vessel so far up the river. The
heavy freight, and freight in great quantities,
is carried by tlie Charleston and .Savannah
steameis as a general thing, although some of
it comes to Jacksonville hy sailing vessels and
is there transferred to river steameis.
Senator Delano, of Vohi in county, was on
the steamer Fred de Bary, and 1 found him
quite enthusiastic over his grand railroad pro
ject. He is President of a company that pro
poses to construct a railroad from tlie Indian
River country to Palatka, with various
branches. Being apr ctieal railroader and a
gentleman of great energy of character and
marked intelligence, it is safe to predict that
Senator Delano will pu9h his enterprise to as
speedy a consummation as possible. The sec
tion of country through which the road will
run is rapidly settling up with a class of thrifty
and intelligent people, and they will soon need
railroad facilities for market purposes.
MINOR TOPICS.
The “Merchan s’ Line” of steamers now car
ry the mails between Palatka and Enterprise,
and I was more than pleased to meet again ray
old friend George L. Fox, who is mail agent oh
the Fred de Bary. Some six yoars ago I had a
delightful trip with him from Jacksonville to
Palatka, and I now find him as young looking
and as lively as ever. He still asserts that
Hogarth’s Landing is the most beautiful spot
on tlie river.
Between Lake George and Lake Monroe the
St. John’s river is so crooked in many places
that the steamer De Bary finds it difficult to
turn the bends wi'hout hugging the shore.
There are also several long stretches through
the marsh lands where two s'earners going the
same way appear to be headed in opposite di
rections. Owing to these numerous curves a
steamer is compelled to go over some twenty
miles to make ten mi'es on a straight line.
Insane people travel about in Florida with
the same freedom that exists in some parts of
Georgia. Soon after the steamer De Bary left
the wharf at Green Cove .Spring an insane
young man. in his shirt sleeves, was ditcover
ed drumming on the piano in the cabin. He
had slipped on board, got a good supper, tile- n
possession of a gentleman’s state room, an t
then seated himse.f at the piano. He was put
ashore at Picolata and afterwards made his
way to Palatka, where he is no w in j ail.
There is one good regulation on the Merchants’
line of steamers. The shooting of alligators,
birds and turtles is prohibited, and in conse
quence game is becoming more plentiful on
the river. The indiscriminate slaughter tar
ried on for several years by tlie passengers on
the various steamers had driven away the
handsomest birds and the largest alligators
thus tebbing an up river trip of more than
half its pleasure and nearly all its excitement.
A visit to Florida without seeiog several big
alligators is considered a very dull affair.
Some five years ago I wrote a letter from
Florida, one of my “Land of Flowers” series,
in which I described nearly a dozen railroad
and canal enterprises Ihen being generally
discussed. I did not speak very encouragingly
cf some of those projects, as money was not
then being liberally invested in internal im
provements in anv part of the coun
try. Now, however, I find several of these
projected railroads partially completed and
open for business, while others are either un
der contract or about to be commenced. There
has been quite a lively railroad boom here
during tho past year, and if the country es-‘
capes a general financial panic during the
summer, as I hope it may, Flori'g will have
several new railroads opened for travel next
winter.
SANFORD AND MAITLAND.
At this season of the year Sanford does not
present a very lively appearance. The hotel is
closed for tho season, and the streets deserted
by winter visitors. There are, however, many
signs of improvement about the place, and
everything indicates a future full of promise.
A lready the town seems to have absorbed its
older rival, Mellonville, which presents a very
lonely appearance. Capt. M. J. Doyle, its mer
chant prince, is now doing business at San
ford.
The South Florida Railroad brings a marked
increase in trade to the Sanford merchants.
The train out on Thursday night carried a
large number of passengers, who were well
loaded down with purchases made during the
day. People from Orlando and along the line
of the road can come to Sanford on the morn
ing train, attend to their business, make their
purchases, and get back to their homes before
supper time. Such a schedule as this brings a
small crowd of visitors to town every morning.
I found the railroad in excellent order, and
the run to Maitland was made in such a short
time that I could hardly realize the fact. Long
wood is at present the most important town
between Sanford and Maitland, and I noticed a
good deal of building goittg on, including a
neat little Episcopal Church edifice. A large
amount of freight was put off there, as well as
at Snow’s Station. But it is evident that twelve
months hence there will be a half dozen or
more new and growing towns scattered over
this territory, and adding very much to the
passenger travel and freight business of the
road.
Maitland has grown very much since my last
visit, aud is now quite a pretentious place.
The elegant Fluvanna House and the substan
tial Park Hotel have drawn thither a great
crowd of visitors during the past winter, and
it frequently happened that both hotels and all
the boarding houses were full, and no accom
modations could be found. This has led to the
preparation of plans for a new and larger
hotel for next season. With an ice factory and
a market house, there is no reason why Mait
land could not support two more good hotels.
There is no more quiet and attractive winter
resort in Florida, and a constant increase in the
number of visitors each succeeding winter
shows how well pleased such guests are with
that beautiful region of charming little lakes.
New winter homes are also being established in
and around Maitland, which causes many addi
tions to the business portion of the town.
DEATH OF CAI-T. STUART.
As the De Bary steamed away from Alexan
der's Landing, on Lake Beresford, the second
officer ran the flags up to half mast, and an
nounced that Capt. Richard H. Stuart, the
veteran steamboat commander, had died at
his home, near there, early Monday morning.
Few men were better known to the travel
ing public in Florida. Long before the war he
was on the old steamboat Carolina, with Capt.
Coxetter, and commanded the Florida before
Capt. T. E. Shaw (father of Capt. W. A. Shaw)
took charge of that steamer. He became
quite prominent as a commander, when many
of the present steamboat captains were
youths, and not a few were infants of tender
years.
Since the war Capt. Stuart had been con
nected with the Brock Line of steamers, and
had commanded some of the best boats on the
river. A few years ago he superintended the
reconstruction of the steamer George M. Bird,
which he commanded for a time, and was suc
ceeded by Capt. Wm. A. Shaw. Lately, how
ever, he had spent much time at his orange
grove on Lake Beresford, a sufferer from
rheumatism. He was a frank, open-hearted,
blunt man, and his death will be deeply re
gretted by a wide circle of friends and ac
quaintances, who will sympathize with his
afflicted family.
FINAL PARAGRAPHS.
I have never seen so few really good oranges
as during the past winter, either in Atlanta or
Florida. It may be that I have had bad luck
in selecting them, but I hear the same com
plaint from other persons, who ask, “What
has become of the good oranges?”
Imagine my surprise to find Monday’s
Savannah Morning News on sale at Palatka
the same afternoon at five o’clock. I could
scarcely believe it, and when I brought the
paper on board the De Bary, it created a sen
sation that would have done Barnum’s heart
good. Look out for a big increase in the circu
lation of the News in Florida from this date
under the fast schedule.
The only grove in which I have seen any
ripe oranges on the trees, during my present
visit, is that of Captain Fenwick, acting purser
of this steamer. He has a twenty thousand
dollar place at Welaka, on a high bluff, over
looking the river, and several thousand oranges
still remain on the trees, which shows that the
frost did not injure the crop. He has sold
about twenty-five hundred dollars worth of
oranges the present season, and will gather
another lot this week. I tried some of his or
anges to-day, and have tasted none better in
Florida. He considers his grove a regular
“big bonanza.” Chatham.
LETTER FRO3I ATLANTA.
All Quiet Along tlie Lines Tlie
Speculative Fever Subsides The
Railroad Commission and tlie
Railroads—Promised Benefits front
Mr. Wadlcy’s .iepiubl nations—Real
Estate in Georgia Looking Up.
Atlanta, May 4 — Editor Morning News:
Unusual-serenity prevails at the capital. Trade
channels have lapsed into the quiet naturally
to be exppeted at this season, and the brain of
enterprisj is engaged in working up new
schemes of profit. The echoing sound of the
hammer and the musical clink of the stone
cutter’s pick is heard all around the city, indi
cating that the work of architectural im
is {♦ting steadily forward and like
||3ke rapid headway ere the short days
fcjtV weather again return to check the
Hn ■ apt theJbuilder. . _»»»
- •icgoiTb
- c in tin state,
BEFVing si>eetlianoiWlF , '?Wu->s, seems to
SggKlled into a general feeling of satisfac-
HKat the honor and welfare of our people
aniMprate seaports will be preserved, with a
growing disposition to give due credit to the
Central Railroad officials for the vigorous
manner, skillfully executed, in producing
these brilliant results. The effect will
be seen in a more cordial and
fraternal sentiment between formerly
rival interests in the several communities of
our State, and in a tendency to more closely
unite people who for years have been inc’ined
to watch each other with jaundiced and
jealous eyes. Nothing now remains to
bring about a perfect and intelligent under
standing between the thinking body of
our citizens and the great carrier lines
upon the continued prosperity of which
the livelihood of so many depends, but
the modification of the features of the Com
mission, which, as it now operates, is an
anomalous and incongruous institution in a re
publican government, as has been so per
sistently and abiy urged by the Nev.’s and other
journals. The leading paper of this city,among
influential members of the press, seems to
stand pretty much alone in insisting on the
continuation of the arbitrary characteristics of
a triumvirate installed inaspirit of classlegis
latiou if not malevolence that has blinded
mauy good people to the reactionary and
despotic phases of tho law. That the rail
roads should have prospered in spite of it is
owing entirely to the extraordinary crops and
consequent enormous value of business flowing
from them, but the fact of this exceptional
prosperity does not make the law, as it stands,
more just, nor close the eyes of the reflecting
to the danger of the principle involved, and
the probable collapse of this property on tho
first failure in crops, saying nothing of the
effect in making capital cautions in putting it
self under a domination that- tends to cripple
its investments and refuses full authority in
their management to those immediately inter
ested.
Another tendency of the recent success of
Mr. Wadley will be to attract more marked at
tention to our section from monied quarters,
for it shows a vigor of resolution that inspires
confidence in our future. Georgia is the cen
tral figure in the Southern group of
States, as viewed by Northern ob
servers, and faith in her prospects is grow
ing stronger every hour. Constant accessions
are being made now to the enterprising part
of cur population by the removal here of men
of means ami pluck from the North and West.
One firm of extensive connections. Nelson,
Barker & Co., who for years have been lendiug
money on property in lowa, have transferred
their office to this city within the past few
months, and are making loans freely on long
time upon every description of sound real
oropsrty offered them. Their supply of capi
tal, furnished by rich men North who value
their judgment and long experience, appears to
be unarm :ed. These gentlemen express them
selves as delighted with our State, which they
never visited before last fall, and emphatically
announce that they have come to stay, and to
cast their fortunes with us, not doubting, as
they assure us, that we shall ere long see a de
cided looming np in our real estate market.
They are much interested in Mr. Fontaine’s
movements towards stimulating immigration,
and have had long and suggestive conferences
with him upon tlie subject. Our land owners
then should not despond, but renew the hope
of a better day soon dawning. It will refresh
their patriotism to discover that the great vir
tues of our mother State are being practically
recognized by worthy and discriminating peo
ple from distant lands in deciding to make
their homes permanently upon our soil.
*r* * _
The advantage of living in a country
so vast that no crop can be a failure in
all parts of it is illustrated by late re
ports from the wheat fields. Cool head
ed men in Minnesota are predicting a
large yield of the best quality, owing to
the reserves ot moisture stored in the
soil at an unusual depth, while from
Ohio word comes that the crop of 1881,
contrary to premature reports, is likely
to be above the average and may be the
largest ever harvested in the State. With
these comfortable promises to lean on, it
is not worth while to des-pond over the
news from Kansas. The Leavenworth
Times frankly admits that the wheat crop
of that State will undoubtedly fall very
much below the average. According to
that journal there has been no little un
warranted boasting of an enormous
yield, but it is more honest and a better
policy to face the disagreeable fact. The
prospects were never better for a great
crop than on March Ist, but that month
has a habit of upsetting many fair hopes,
and has done its worst by hundreds of
wheat fields.
Food for the Brain and Nerves that will
invigorate the body’ without Intoxicating is
what we need in these days of ru:-h and
worry. Parker’s Ginger Tonic restores the
vital energies, soothes the nerves and brings
good health quicker than anything you can
us--.— Tribune. S:e other column.
m, 7-wlm
NOTES OF FLORIDA TRAVEL.
A Kusli of Homeward Travel—Way*
cross Short Line—Elegance and
Comfort—A Beliglitful Picnic-
South Florida Railroad—Rush ol
New Settlers—Personal Mention-
Final Paragraphs.
On Waycross Train, May 4. —We came down
to Jacksonville yesterday morning to take the
Waycross Fast Line to Savannah, but found no
train ready to leave until night. As I wished
to see the new road in the day time, and also
ride on the new train, we concluded to wait
over until this morning.
Fortunately the St. James Hotel was still
open to special friends, and some thirty de
layed passengers found a comfortable resting
place there. Mr. J. R. Campbell, the genial
and attentive host, ordered out his buggy and
scoured the city for fresh supplies, which ena
bled him to entertain us all in fine style.
It was well that we remained over until to-day,
as the train leaving last night was uncomfort
ably crowded with passengers bound North and
West. The Fred de Bary came down the river
with a big load of homeward bound yisitors,
cots being placed in the cabin for a large num
ber, so crowded was the steamer. Most of the
passengers left Jacksonville on the night train,
and filled four sleeping cars.
After an early but excellent breakfast at the
St. James Hotel we boarded the fast train,
where we were cordially greeted by that prince
of polite and popular conductors, Capt. J. D.
Meynardie, who promptly attended to the
comfort of our entire party (some fifteen), giv
ing, as usual, his especial attention to the ia
dies and children traveling without any male
companion. Although the train was well filled
the Captain managed to give every passenger
“the best seat on the shady side” of the cars,
which is always a very difficult task.
But such a train! Taken as a whole I think
it beats anything of the kind I ever saw in the
South. The light native woods and darker
trimmings of tlie cars attracted universal
comment of the most complimentary charac
ter. In fact, all the appointments of the train
are elegant, substantial and comfortable. The
smoking car, with its revolving easy chairs,
card tables and tapestry carpet, misled a party
of ladies and gentlemen from the St. James
Hotel, who quietly seated themselves and be
gan to admire their comfortable quarters,
when Capt. Meynardie came in and told them,
much to their surprise, that the “Parlor Car”
was in the rear of the train.
As the gifted pen of the sity editor of the
Morning News, B. H. Richardson, Esq., has
given a graphic, and interesting sketch of this
new and already popular route, I need only
indorse all the good things he has said about
it. Most of this letter is written while the
train is in motion, yet I think your printers
will find it rather more legible than my epis
tles generally are. This fact will prove that
the road bed is remarkably even ana solid, and
the trains run with great steadiness.
Already this route (or root, as many
pronounce it,) has become the
most famous for its speed and comfort, and
without such an efficient, handsome and gen
tlemanly representative in Jacksonville as Mr.
John 11. Griffin, it would draw to its patronage
nearly the entire travel by rail from Florida.
Col. H. S. Haines has won the lasting gratitude
of the traveling public for this last and noblest
monument to his energy, ability and liberality
as a railroad manager of the highest charac
ter.
A DELIGHTFUL PICNIC.
About ten years ago Mr. William Beasley
settled at what is now called Maitland, select
ing the most charming spot in Florida for his
residence. At that time he did not have a
dollar in cash, but was full of energy and
pluck. To-day he owns a place worth twenty
thousand dollars, the result of honest industry
and the companionship and co-operation of a
wife noted for her rare domestic virtues.
As Mr. Beasley was the first settler, and has
on his place a beautiful and shady gi ove near
the margin of the lake, the annual picnic of
the Union Sunday school of Maitland is held
on his grounds. This year the Ist day of May
came on Sunday, so the picnic was held on last
Saturday, which happened to be a very cool
and pleasant day. Your correspondent, hav
ing received an official invitation from Captain
J. A. Richardson, the accomplished Superin
tendent of the school, and formerly a promi
nent citizen of Atlanta, concluded to attend
and enjoy the happy occasion.
Following a suspicious looking basket which
our charming hostess, Mrs. Swoope, had sent
ahead by a colored boy. we (my v. ife and I)
rode from her pretty lake-side villa, on Lake
Minnehaha, through the town to the picnic
srounds.5 rounds. Just as w e reached the gate Captain
. 0. Eaton, (formerly of the United States
Navy) the children’s patron saint, was seen
coming up the street iu advance of
two large wagons profusely shaded and
decorated with moss, flowers and evergreens,
in which were gathered the smaller children of
the school, whose happy faces, bright eyes
and white dresses showed that they were out
for a day of real pleasure. Captain Eaton and
his assistants had given them a fine start, and
every countenance beamed with joyous expec
tation of a continuance of the programme in
like manner to the close of the day. Nor were
the children disappointed in any respect.
The crowd had hardly taken possession of the
grove when tae announcement was made that
the Mdy Queen was a jftroaching. Marching
slower down-,the slope the royal proces-
AlisiSKda Lewis, of Ken-
Jjf jflPaHJicf Mrs. Begley, being ;< scorted
u*»* ‘i-’Srby Her gatggrTtrrrkhfs and Maids of
llonoF. Ike Rev. J. J.HeSfry, of Canada, acting
sA Gtend Marshal witlf great dignity. On
reaching the handsome)? decorated throne,
Mr. Jozies, in one of his eloquent and classical
speeches, addressed the lovely and queenly
lady’ who had been chosen "Queen
of /the May,” and taking from the
bright-eyed crown bearer, Master Volney
Taliaferro, of Atlanta, the'floral crown, grace
fully placed it upon her head, while ail the
people present paid homage to their lovely sov
ereign. After this ceremony came the basket
dinner, which gave everybody a chance to have
a free and easy lunch. Judging from the
cakes, pies, nuts, raisins and candy that I saw
scattered about, lam sura the children were
well looked after by their teachers and friends
I am told there are very few servants in Mait
land, which may account for the rare excab
leace of the eatables. The ladies do their own
cooking.
The crowning of the Queen was interesting
and the dinner good, but an intellectual feast
was next given, and surpassed in attractive
ness all that had preceded it. Capt. Richard
son, in a few appropriate remarks, introduced
Rev. C. W. Ward (son of the la'e Admiral
Ward), rector of the Episcopal Church, who
first read with much tenderness and pathos
Tennyson’s familiar poem of the “May Queen,”
and then gave a most excellent rendition of
“Biddy McGinnis at tho Photographer's.” The
piece is long and difficult, ’out Mr. Ward main
tained the “rich Irish brogue” to tho end,
and won hearty applause. I never heard a bet
ter rendition from any professional reader on
the stage. Major Sidney Herbert, in response
to a call for the Morning News, made a few
scattering remarks, after which Lewis Law
ronce, Esq, a venerable and philanthropic
capitalist from Utica, N. Y„ gave the people
a stirring talk. lie was enthusiastic in his
praise of Maitland, and his words of com
mendation follow several large investments in
and arcuml the town. He lias proved his faith
in Maitland by his good works. At the close of
Mr. Lawrence’s lively speech Captain Richard
son told the children they could spend the rest
of thß afternoon in their own way. This was
the signal for lots of fun, and with Captain
Eaton and Rev. Mr. Ward to help them, the
young folks bad a merry time indeed.
Your correspondent sat p round under the
shade of massive oaks enjoying the strong,
refreshing breeze from across Lake Maitland,
and watching Mr. James Bear, the handsome
and gallant Virginian, rowing the ladies
around the lake,while Capt. Eaton was equally
attentive to the children. I have seldom en
joyed such a delightfully cooi and pleasant
May day, and the meeting of old friends made
the occasion more enjoyable. First on the
list was Rev. W. G. F. Wallace, son of the late
Rev. J. A. Wallace, D. D., of Clayton, Alabama,
who is now preaching for the Presbyterian
church at Apopka, at Orlando and Maitland.
He is a young man of fine abilities and I was
glad to find him in such a desirable field of
labor. I a’so met Mr James M. Lewis, form
erly a printer in Clayton, Ala., and later a
compositor in the Morning News office, but
now residing at Maitland. These gentlemen
and Messrs. Beasley, Richardson, Heard, Ven
trers, Mayo, Taliaferro and Veers, he pedme
to pass a very delightful afternoon on the
beautiful and breezy banks of Lake Maitland,
around which are scattered so many charming
lake-side villas and attractive winter homes.
SOUTH FLORIDA RAILROAD.
Last season this new railroad enterprise was
being pushed ahead from Sanford to Orlando,
but tlie first trains did not go through until
about the Ist of June. Os course there has
been a great rush of travel durirg the past
winter, and the road has made money under
Superintendent B. R. Swoopa’s efficient man
agement.
But I was not prepared to see such costly
and substantial wharf improvements at the
Sanford terminus. The track runs to the river,
where a large and strongly built wharf, which
can accommodate five or six steamers at the
same time, is being finished off in superior
style and with an eye to future wants.
A depot building is provided for the river
freight, but another one will soon be needed
to meet the constantly increasing business.
’J he rapid development of tlie country along
the line of the road has created many new en
terprises, and thereby nearly doubled the
amount of freight daily carried out from San
ford in years past.
A glance at these wharf and depot facilities
will convince any person that the South Flori
da Railroad is to be something more than a
mere local road to Orlando. It must soon
stretch away toward the distant coast
and open up to easy and quick transportation
a large and rich section of the State that is
new sadly in ueed of such facilities.
Nor will this be all. I think it more than
probable that seveial important franchises
will yet spring out from the main line. A
iarge committee from Apopka and Altamonte
was at Sanford on Thursday in cons .Ration
with the officers of the road in regard to a
branch from near Snow’s station to their neigh
borhood. r i hi 3 will no doubt be the first branch
constructed and will add largely to the present
business of the road. Other branches will
follow as fast as they can be constructed and
put in operation.
In view of an extension of the road and the
building of branches, as well as to meet the
requirements of the rapidly increased traffic,
tlie present rails are to be taken up and relaid
with heavier iron, and numerous other im
provements made in the track and motive
power of the road. There are some seven or
eight steam saw mills along the line, and these
require the turning of log trains. Heavier
rails and stronger locomotives are needed for
this kind of business. The first engine uur
chased for the road has already been succeeded
by a larger one. and that in turn will soon give
place to a still stronger ergine. All these
THE SAVANNAH WEEKLY NEWS, SATURDAY. MAY 14, 1881.
changes and improvements show that the road
was not built any too soqu for the demands of
the country.
RUSH OP NEW SETTLERS.
The completion of the railroad has given a
new impetus to the growth of Maitland and
vicinity, and large lots of land are being cut
up into smaller sections and sold to new set
tlers, while more extensive investments are
changing hands.
General S. G. French, of Columbus, Ga„ has
just purchased a valuable grove on Lake Vir
ginia, and other parties are also negotiating
for lands in that desirable locality, some of
which are owned by Mr. B R. Snioope, and
which will be quite attractive when properly
improved.
Judge Dennis F. Hammond, a prominent
lawyer of Atlanta, has recently purchased an
orange grove on Lake Jesup and a building
lot at Orlando, where he will probably open a
law office next fall, having formed a partner
ship with John C. .Ton- s, Esq., of Maitland. He
will be a valuable addition to the Orange coun
ty bar.
Mr. Benny Taliaferro, of Atlanta, has pur
chased several valuable lots in front of his
residence, which he has fenced and improved
so as to add to the attractions of the business
portion of the town. New stores and residences
are springing up all about the neighborhood,
and the building boom promises to keep up
the year round. Dr. J. P, Logan, of Atlanta,
with Captain Grant and Dr. Stanford, owns a
large and valuable tract of land running from
Lake Minnehaha to the business portion of
Maitland, and whenever he consents to sell off
building lots there will be a rapid and desira
ble development at that end of the town.
No man is better posted in regard to the
growth and development of Orange county
than Mr. B. R. Swoope, who, for years past,
has been closely identified with the" growth of
that section of the State. In addition to his
own groves and lands for sale, he has had
charge of the investments of men of capital,
who have been attracted to Florida. Capt.
Swoope is now in negotiation with wealthy
parties who propose to make some large pur
chases near Maitland, and he predicts a big
real estate boom this fall. As an expe
rienced railroad manager, he is putting
the South Florida Railroad into
such shape that it can meet the
demands upon it incident to such a boom.
What is true of Orange county can be . ; aid of
many other portions of Florida. There is and
will continue to be an immense and steady in
crease of settlers and land purchasers. It is
in view of this fact that Commodore Wm. B.
Watson, in charge of the Merchants’ Line of
steamers, is urging Mr. de Bary to build a com
panion steamer to the elegant Fred de Bary.
Already the need of such a boat is felt, and
the people are calling for its speedy construc
tion.
PERSONAL MENTION.
Capt. J. A. Richardson, formerly a promi
nent educator of Atlanta, and at one time can
didate for Mayor of the city, has a One school
for boys and girls at Maitland. He is also Jus
tice of the Peace for criminal business.
John C. Jones, Esq., who came from Atlanta
to Maitland a few weeks ago and opened a law
office, made his maiden Florida speech in court
last week, and his first effort was quite a suc
cess in all respects.
Mr. E. Van Deman, who was purser of the
steamer Geo. M. Bird last season, is now local
agent at Sanford for the Merchants’ Line of
steamers owned by Mr. Fred de Bary. As this
is a daily line and does a large freight business,
it requires an act ive and experienced manager.
Bishop Whipple has arranged to erect a
handsome church edifice at Maitland as a
memorial to his deceased son, who formerly
resided here. The services of the Protestant
Episcopal Church are now held id the Town
Hall, and are conducted by Rev. C. W. Ward, a
taleuted preacher and amiable pastor.
J. M. Willcox, Esq., of Philadelphia, who
has some large investments in real estate and
has made many valuable improvements at
Maitland, proposes to build a handsome chu'-ch
edifice for the Roman Catholic residents of
that vicinity. This will attract a desirable
class of settlers that would otherwise go else
where.
Lewis Lawrence, Esq., of Utica, N. Y., who
has a very fine fancy orange grove,iwat-the
Park Hotel, has laid out a small settlement for
industrious and worthy colored people, which
he thinks wi 1 help to supply Maitland fam.lies
with good help. Comfortable houses will be
provided and a neat church buildirg erected.
FINAL PARAGRAIHS.
The train from Jacksonville last night car
ried away the remains of two consumptives,
and also two who will scarcely live to reach
their homes. One was a young lady, traveling
alone to far off Kansas City, Mo., who said to
my wife: “I do not expect to reach there
alive.” And yet such hopeless cases conn ‘to
Florida every winter to die there, or worss, to
die on the cars homeward bound. It is hard,
however, to convince consumptives that hey
are beyond the reach of relief or cure. - —L. _
I had the pleasure of meeting on the trainjjiis
morning Col. Hugh Dempsey, the well knbwn
and übiquitous Division Superintendent oi the
Southern Express Company. He exprisses
himself both surprised and pleased at the
opening up of so many and sucii desirable rail
road lines in Florida. The Express Comjany
has heretofore done a large business in carry
ing fruit and early vegetables, but the Vay
cross Line and the narrow gauge i&ads
up the river will largely increase this brjnch
of business, With his usual foresight and en
ergy, he is preparing to fully meejaft'
increased demands in that direction.^^^aß
Jacksonville loses her steam ship.iijßSßßßaaK
York, and the opening of the Ferns tßgfiig
l ine lias also taken away some of MM
steamers to Savannah, as they no
Fernandina. But the city■gai’m*sgj||SMlp
rnads what •-<)>«.JoaMjHfjMMPJ?...
cross
all. Arv, •
speedy iiimV.
from Jacksonviin&igS
an extension of the
see no good reason, therefore, B 9
villo should not be satisfied wilh'^SßH
make her a great railroad ce;itn',{oljßMffi
lively steamboat city. tH|ippßMßi
FROM J>RADFORD + COUNwi
The Production ol Lime— Deisils
tile Late Terrific Holler Explosh
at Temple’s Mills—Fair of the R
Men—Tlie Early Fruit autl Ve*>
table Huslncss—Execrable
road Schedule. -jf’/Y m
Temple’s Mills, Fla., May 2.-Agg3HKSHk
tiuues to develop her untried resoqriS.
again, as usual, quite successful./ Mr.
Thompson, mentioned in a former letter\Si
having come from Pennsylvania to test '/f-isS
capacity of cur rock for producing
succeeded fully in proving 1
quality of that material can
Florida lime stone. lie has
Arredondo, and will shortly
pie’s Mills.
The explosion at Temple’s Mills -rSfeA
ult, a short sketch < f which Went you.Y«~.
one of the most terrible in appearance that
has ever been seen in this part of the State, 1
and the wreck leads one to wonder how any
person near by could have escaped alive Mr.
Temple uses three large cylinder boilers. On
the day mentioned, at about half past one p.
m., the hands were all at their posts ready for
the mill to start, when a small escape of steam
was noticed. It rapidly increased in volume,
and instant y, as it were, the largest
boiler—the one nearest the mid—ex
ploded with terrific force; &, ontp
end of the boiler—nearly half—forclsßßß|
way through au old boiler
and through the slab-pit almost to the
smith shop, distant nearly two hundred jjjH
The other end of the boiler was buried filtSBS
feet among slabs and sawdust. The Jpoiltili
home was completely demolished, some of the
timbers having been thrown several hundred
feet. The other boilers were thrown some dis
tance from their piece. Among the injured
Mr. Leonard White and Mr. McCarl received
several severe bruises, but both are now able
to be up and will soon be at work again. Be
fore the debris had ceased falling, Mr. Hall, the
gentlemanly' clerk of Mr. Temple, dispatched
a messenger for Dr. Gaskins, of Starke, to at
tend the wounded, which at that time were
supposed to be numerous. Fortunately, how
ever, the supposition proved to be unfounded.
Among the many miraculous escapes was
that of Mr. Meacliam, the lumoer inspector.
When he came out of the wreck he was only
known by his voice, so completely was he cov
ered by smoke, dust and mud.
Mr. Temple was absent at the time at Fer
nandina, and did not get back uutil-the next
day, when he at once went to work to remove
the wreck, and expects to be again at work in
a few days. The theories as to the origin of
the explosion are many and different, but Mr.
Temple’s is that it was caused by excessive
steam.
The last fair of the Red Men of Starke proved
quite a success as usual, and the tribe have
now advertised for sealed proposals for build
ing their wigwam. Among thsejiiany dona
tions to the fair was a magnificent pair of bed
spreads from Mohr Brothers, of J-our city.
Our market gardeners at Kingsley are now
shipping early vegetables and realizing good
prices. Mr. Miller, who is among the fore
most, after many set backs, caused by the late
cold spring, has succeeded well, and will ship
more thau usual. Buell a man as Mr. Miller is
a valuable acquisition to any locality. He
will soon have ripe peaches, having had some
in March that, by* actual measurement, were
four inches in circumference.
The Transit Railroad has now one of the
most execrable time schedules for its freight
trains that couid be conceived, as far as the
convenience of the people along ihe line of
the road is concerned, as the largest portion
of the road i 3 passed over after night. We
hope this will soon be changed, for, no doubt,
the able executive ability of Col. Maxwell will
enable him to provide for a more convenient
arrangement.
Professer F. Seeger, Ph. D., M. D., of
New York city, Physician and Surgeon in
Chief of the New York State Infirmary for
Diseases of the Throat,Chest and Heart,llon
orary Member Imperial Medical Societies of
St. Petersburg, Russia, and Athens, Greece,
etc., etc., gives the sanction of his name to
the Liebig Co.’s Coca Beef Tonic. Dr. Seeger
counts amoDg his patients such people of
note as Prince Nicolas Tsherbatov, Count de
Sivera, Sir William Mac Arthur (the present
Lord Mayor of London), and other eminent
foreigners who, while in America, availed
themselves of his professional aid.. It may
therefore be readily understood that the
Liebig Co.’s Coca Beef Tonic possesses real
meiit, and is an honest preparation, or Dr.
Seeger would not permit his name to be used
in connection with it. — Editorial iu Scientific
Simplement of El Ranchero .
FROM TALLAHASSEE.
Decoration Day—Tolu Rock and
Rye no Medicine-The Peach Crop
—A Small Farm Movement—Warm
Weather— Miscellaneous Matter,
Tallahassee, Fla., May s. —“ Decoration
Day ’ passed by quietly and solemnly, and as
our city papers have already given full ac
counts of the manner in which it was observed
it is useless for me to do so.
The Attonery General has decided that
“Tolu, Rock and Rye” does come under the
head of alcoholic compounds and cannot be
sold without a liquor license. So it is “Good
bye John” with it, unless the barkeepers take
hold of it, and, as it is more popular as a bev
erage than as medicine, I guess they will.
I have been inquiring into the condition of
the peach crop this week, and find that the
trees are loaded down with fruit, and that
there is no sign of worms on them at ali. Old
farmers say that they will have the finest
peach crop this year that w as ever raised in
Leon county.
There is a new move on foot among our
land owners. They propose cutting up their
land into small forty-acre farms, and selling
every alternate lot to settlers at a very small
price, so as to encourage live young farmers
to come here, thus increasing the population
and, likewise, the value of the other lots.
We have been having our share, if not more,
of warm weather for the past week, and I
think that last Friday must have been the most
uncomfortable day felt here for years. The
thermometer registered 88 degrees Fahrenheit
in the shade, with nipt a breath of air stirring.
It is still warm, but is moderated considerably
by the delightful Gulf breeze to-day.
Bream, trout, perch and other toothsome,
sweet and juicy lake fish are becoming plen
tiful.
o 9? r .barrooms, etc., are all kept open on the
Sabbath, both night and day, and transact even
more business on this day than through the
week. If our city government would copy
some after the Jacksonville officials, it would
help our city, morally, more than anything
else. I hope they will begin to follow suit at
an early day.
The roseola, which very near every one here
has had during the past month, has about died
out for want of material to work on.
There is general dissatisfaction among our
business men on account of the new schedule
which goes into effect to day on the Jackson
ville, Pensacola and Mobile Railroad. The
mails have been arriving heretofore at 8:25 a.
m. and leaving at 5:15 p. m., thus allowing
plenty of time to answer letters on the day of
arrival. Now, by the new schedule, the mails
will leave early in the morning and get in
about half-past eight at night, and as we have
such a slow set of officials, Postmaster, clerks
and all combined—(why. it actually takes them
over an hour to open the little handful
of mail which we receive daily),
it will make it too late to answer let
ters at night, and the train will leave in the
morning before more than one or two could
be written, so you see we will be somewhere
between twenty-four and forty-eight hours be
hind with our mail, unless we sit up half the
night to write, which would go mightily
against the grain these short nights. Another
bad feature of it is that there will be no Sun
day train. I don’t see how they are to do this
though, for if lam rightly informed, the rail
road company have a regular contract with
the Post Office Department to can v the mails
every day. ' Disco.
SURIYEN COURT.
Damages Against Ike Central Rail
road—General tlie Coun
ty—lts Financial Condition, Etc.
Editor Morning News: Last week the writer
made a visit to Scriven to attend court, and
talk with the people. The most important case
before the Superior Court, and one that ex
cited some interest, was the case of Hon. Wm.
M. Henderson vs. the Central Railroad, suing
the road for fifty thousand dollars damages on
account of a serious hurt he received at No.
5)6 Station. The points were these: Mr.
Henderson lived at or near No. 5)6; he was at
the time he received his hurt a member of the
Georgia Legislature. October 17, 1879. There
was at NdT»)6 an old dry well, about fear feet
deep, left open, as one witness testified, at the
request of Mr. H.. as he thought of making a
bathing place of it. He, however, did not use
it. In time the place grew up in bushes in and
around about the well. During Mr. H.’s at
tendance upon the Legislature the road cut
away the bushes so as to have a clean opening,
cutting off the tops of the bushes that grew iu
the well, leaving the stumps with sharp points
on a level with the ground.
L Mr Henderson, in returning home, took the
I night train and requested the conductor to put
him off at 5)6 At No. 6 the conductor awoke
Mr. H. and told him he would soon be at No.
5)6, and did put him off there. It being dark,
and the appearance of the place changed
from the clearing away of the bushes, Mr. H.
walked into the dry well, or rather fell, and
one.of the sharp pointed sticks,one and a quar-
MSPPfa'S thick, ran into himJiniis and, a Juali
fine health, man
agnt and walk to a npgio house not
HMHBWierson was laid up four and a half
he could leave his house, and
from the effects of his wound.
!gj£> J there was cor flictingtestimony as to
to blame, or whether the accident
Hffould be simply put down as an accident and
who one was to-blame, and that it was a misfor
tune, and should so be considered. The jury,
however, gave Mr. 11. $13,000 damages. The
case will be carried to the Supreme Court by
the attorneys, Messrs. Lawton, of Savannah,
with Messrs. Singleton & Wade, of Syivania,
for the road; and Messrs. Black, Dell, and Oli
ver for Mr. Henderson.
The corn crop is small, but looking well;
cott >n looking well, but a good deal as yet un
| planted; spring oats good. The v inter freeze
L£urt the fall oats.
From the bad seasons la t year farmers who
never bought corn, are now compelled to buy,
not only corn, but meat, and many are buying
hay, something never before bought by them.
•The farmers of the country will in time learn
Wan important and pseful !e-son; and that is,
Pchat the first great principle of true domestic
economy is to be sure to make enough provi
-1 sions. no matter what may be the season. 1 hat
I nothing short of a three or four months
(drought, or a flood such as Noah experienced,
could rob them of a provision crop. The farm
er must live at home, and experience will so
teach him in time, against all theories and
cotton calculations, to the contrary notwith
standing.
More fertitgers have been bought than ever
if they are put on the corn
in t .e end, but nut otherwise.
J&R HKSS ; . people are distressed, and
will have their hands lull, and
taxed to tlie utmost.lto help tt.e
this
some seem to have money for we
a good deal < f building was
That speaks well for tlie dotelup
ggy ru of t he county in general.
Bkhere is a very good school at Syivania, tin
ier the management of Mr. Titos. M. Hazle-
Eurst, and ho reports some sixty-five scholars.
B’wo very neat and pretty little churches are
■a the place-Methodist and Baptist.
■ The peach crop from what we saw, will be
Siilly half if not more. A fine county for fruit
Ks the people will only give the subject atten
tion and cultivation, and, we believe, they are
Spraying tume attention to fruit culture, as we
saw an agent of a Norm Carolina nursery
taking orders for the sand pear and other fruit
trees.
We cannot too pointedly urge upon the
farmers of Georgia, in every section, the abso
lute importance and necessity of liviDg at
,homo and buying only such articles of con
sumption as they cannot raise; as to corn
uf.h meat, that should be the first great con
sideration and all calculations based first upon
a full larder at home and cotton as clear
money. Calculate arcl work as tlie New Eng
land farmer does. aDd we will be the richest
people in the world in twenty years.
R. M. O.
Tea Culture in South Carolina.
The pet tea growing scheme of the
Commissioner of Agricultnre i§ now in
a fairway of fruition unless the official
axe sends the official head into the basket
in the meantime. A venerable gentle
man named Henry A. Middleton, living
about twenty miles from Charleston,
S. C., believes with the Commissioner
that the tea plant can be suc
cessfully cultivated in the United States.
No money has been appropriated
for the purchase of land on which to
establish a tea farm, but Mr. Middleton
has leased to the Commissioner a tract of
two hundred acres on his estate for
twenty years, in consideration of the
small sum of one dollar. Appropriate
buildings for carrying out the experi
ment will be constructed, and John
.Jackson, who has been engaged in the
tea culture in India for sixteen years,
will have charge of the plantation.
About 17,500 tea plants will be set this
spring, and the Commissioner avers
that in three years’ time he will have as
fine a crop of lea as ever was raised in
the world.
It is well understood in Washington
that Mahone is afraid of Conkling, and
he truckles to the New York Senator in
such an obvious way as to be very notice
able. Conkling, who usually only con
descends to address his conversation to
the older and more pretentious Senators,
is flattered by the diminutive Virginian,
and he sometimes permits a shake of
the hands, and occasionally, but very
seldom, a confidential chat. —Baltimore
Gazette.
A Safe and-Sure means of restoring the
youthful color of the hair Is furnished by
Parker’s Hair Balsam, which is deservedly
popular from its superior cleanliness.
layT-wlm
THE FIELD, FARM AND GARDEN.
We cordially solicit articles for this de
partment, and will always eladly receive
and publish all communications from
our friends on the subject of agriculture
as are likely to prove of interest and in
struction to those of our readers specially
interested therein.
To Destroy Slack Ants.
Mr. D. W. Langdon, of Mobile, with
abundant experience, recommends strong
tobacco water or soapsuds to destroy the
small black ants which so often take
possession of and nest around the roots
of our plants. In the garden it will thus
destroy vegetables, and in the flower gar
den it delights in a bed of handsome
pinks. In these various situations, care
must be taken to sprinkle and drown out
the ants, not the vegetables or flowers.
The nest may be pierced all over with a
stick, or dragged down and scattered,
when myriads of the little ants will ap
pear bristling in high dudgeon prepared
for war. If tobacco water and soap
suds prove inefficient weapons you may
try a solution of carbolic acid in the
same way, with the same caution, and if
this fails there is a third application that
never fails. Claw them out from beneath
the roots and scald with hot water. If
they remain they will kill the plant, per
haps others also, and it is practicable
with a little patience and perseverance
to work them out and save the plant. Es
pecially would we work patiently to
save a fine bed of pinks or verbenas.
Tomato Vines.
For the best and most continuous bear
ing, as well as for the best preservation of
the fruit against shade and damp rot,
the vines should be trellised or supported
against their habit of falling and spread
ing out upon the ground. Well sup
ported, they can and should be mulched
against dry hot weather, after first stir
ing the soil as deep as practicable with
out injury to their roots.
Onions.
Keep the surface well stirrechmd clean
off all grass and weeds, removing the
earth from above the bulbs as they begin
to be about half grown. If dry, water
them, and if not well fertilized, water
with the drain from the compost heap.
If you have no such drain, throw the
compost (cow or horse lot) into a barrel
placed above ground on boards and pour
in water, old ash hopper fashion.
Cucumbers.
A single cucumber vine can be forced
to yield fruit enough for a family, but
it must have an abundance, say a barrel
or two of rich compost, deeply imbedded
in the soil, in a porous or open state, and
abundant water. The vine may also be
made to climb. It can be easily man
aged if planted in a barrel.
Plant Lice.
Mr. Lawless, of Florida, writes us that
he recently destroyed the black aphis
from his scuppernong grape vines by
dusting them with lime. This is an easy
way to get at them, and those who see
their fruit trees black with them in the
eajjy spring should keep this simple,
remedy in mind. t 4
Strawberries. V
In our warm climate we are satisfied
that strawberries should be heavily
mulched, both for vigor of growth and
bearing, and for prevention of sand or
dust on the fruit. Without mulch, after
a heavy shower of rain, the berries are.
not marketable.
Pear Blight.
Mr. A. M. Purdy, in the- Fruit Re
corder, recommends common salt, scat
tered five or six feet broad around the
trees, as a preventive of pear blight.
This is an easy application to make, can
do no harm and should be tested by all
pear growers.
Chloride of Lime.
A French journal says insects will not
be found where chloride of lime.is
spread on the ground, and that a solu
tion of it sprinkled over trees will destroy
the insect plague.
Corn Forage.
It is still not too late to sow or drill for
corn forage. The prevailing forage
famine should be a lesson to farmers
and warn them to “make hay while the
sun shines.”
Earth Worms
Are often annoying in the flower pots
and boxes. A writer in Vick's Monthly
says put ten drops of carbolic acid to a
pint ot water and use for watering.
Ashes and Rone Dust
Are always valuable for the orchard, and
for many of the vegetables. Spread and*
work in lightly. For grape vines
leaf mould, nothing is better.
Rust
On plants, like lice on cattle, are gen-
result of debility. The main
tenancipf health and vigor will gener
ally prevent both.
bait for Plum Trees.
A writer in the fruit RecorderJtej uven
atqd a blighted plum orchard»by the use
of salt well sprinkled and worked into
the soil.
Loss oi Manorial Value in Cotton
Seed from Sprouting.
In planting cotton by hand, from three
to five bushels of seed are used to the
acre, while the actual stand requires a
peck or one half bushel at most; the rest
are chopped down. Do you know
whether all the manurial qualities of the
seed are lost by allowing them to sprout,
or what part of them is so destroyed ?
R. 11. 8. , Columbus, Miss., March, 1881.
Answer. —ln the germination of the
seed some of its carbon is lost, but its
nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potasn and
other mineral ingredients are ali retained
in the body of the resulting seedling. If
the latter was promptly buried in the
earth in proper position for the plants
left to appropriate the products of its de
composition, nothing would be lost. Un
fortunately the plants chopped out are
drawn into the middles and left on the
surface where its nitrogen may be lost.
The root' part left in position suffers no
loss, neither are the mineral elements of
the tops lost, hut being on the surface
in the middies, they may not be appro
priated by the crops till late in the sea
son, or possibly not at all, though subse
quent crops may get the benefit of them.
—Southern Cultivator.
Disinfectants.
Professor Beilstein, who has recently
studied the various substances used for
disinfection, arrives, in a communica-
tion made to the St. Petersburg Techni
cal Society, at the following conclusions:
Sulphuric acid would be the best disin
’ • fectant if it did not destroy the sides of the
tanks; the use of lime and of salts of
e . lime ought to be completely renounced,
as they but temporarily destroy bacteria,
and under some circumstances may con
-11 tribute to their development; nor does
:e sulphate of iron, even in a solution of 15
i- per cent., ultimately destroy bacteria,
as they revive when put into a conve
y nient medium. Therefore, Professor
Beilstein recommends sulphate of alumi
num, which is used in paper and printed
cotton manufactures. The best means
h for providing it is to make a mixture of
red clay with 4 per cent, of sulphuric
,g acid, and to add to this mixture some
ie carbolic acid for destroying the smell of
:e the matter which is to be disinfected,
ts
is The Insect Population.
r . In 1849 Alexander von Humboldt esti
mated the number of species of insects
1(3 preserved in collections to be between
.e 150,000 and 170,000, Europe alone being
it represented by more than three times as
g many species of insects as of phaneroga
mous plants. Ten years ago Dr. Ger
a stacker estimated the number of species
i, of insects to be 225,000, five times as
j- many as the known species of all the
j other classes of animals together. If we
assume that there exist in the whole
3 ' world only three times as many insects
y as there are phanerogamous plants—the
e latest estimation of which approaches
225,000—we arrive at the startling sum
of about 750,000. Bewildering as this
d estimate appears, it is probably too low.
h The oak alone gives shelter and support
f to 150 species of insects, and the pine to
more than 200, and one moth alone has
thirty-five different species of parasites.
.6 -
C A Good Cure for Hams.
i- For 100 pounds of meat take 7 pounds
0 of good salt, 24 pounds of brown sugar
(or one quart of molasses), 2 ounces of
saltpetre, 1 ounce of cayenne pepper,
and 2± ounces of cloves; 2 ounces of
black pepper may also be used, if it is
r not distasteful to those who are to eat
the hams. Pepper is used merely to
prevent attacks of flies. Boil all the in
’ gredients in sufficient water to cover the
d meat when closely packed in the cask.
1- Skim and cool before pouring over the
meat. The same ingredients can be
used for rubbing the hams, if this mode
d is preferred to a pickle. For rubbing,
r- however, it is better to add another
i- pound of salt and half a pound of
sugar to the above ingredient. This
pickle is equally good for hams, shoul
ders, bacon, corned beef and dried beef.
n Cotton Seed Meal for Manure.
ie J. T.: Cotton-seed is a very rich fer
n tilizer. It contains 4 per cent, of nitro
gen, equal to eighty pounds to the ton,
r ' and worth S2O at the current rate of
Jr nitrogen in artificial fertilizers. It con
i. tains also 2 per cent, of potash (worth
ie $2 40 to the ton) and 3 per cent, of
phosphoric acid (worth $6 to the ton.)
el The meal from the hulled seed, after
ir pressing out the oil, contains 7 per cent,
of nitrogen, which is as much as mo3t
of the best guanos now contain. The
meal would be an excellent mixture for
Southern rock phosphates, either raw or
made into superphosphates, or for com
it posting with swamp muck. If bone
q dust be added the compost would be a
", perfect fertilizer, and very active and
a valuable.
d
ie Cement for Rubber.
j. Powdered shellac is softened in ten
times its weight ot strong water of am
monia, whereby a transparent mass is
obtained, which becomes fluid after
keeping some little time without the use
it of hot water. In three or four weeks
a the mixture is perfectly liquid, and,
when applied, it will be found to soften
y the rubber. As soon as the ammonia
y evaporates the rubber hardens again—it
c is said quite firmly—and thus becomes
impervious both to gases aud to liquids.
For cementing sheet rubber, or rubber
\ material in any shape, to glass,
is*highly refcoinmuSWlaw *
Nitrate of Silver lbr Worms.
“ Dr. M. P. Green sword (Medical Sum
y mary) was accidental 1 y led to regard
d nitrate of silver as a remedy for worms.
r Furthertise of this drug has convinced
_ him that it is one of the most potent
* agents we have for the destruction and
c expulsion of worms. lie gives a tea
spoonful three times a day, of a solution
of five grains of nitrate silver in six
ounces of rain water.
Western Agricultural Prospects.
From seven columns of telegraphic re
e ports from the great cereal-growing
;. States of Illinois," Indiana, Ohio, Mis-
Q souri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota,
. Kansas and Kentucky, which represent all
parts of the Western winter wheat region,
the Chicago Times draws the following
conclusion* “While an immense amount
of damage was done to the crop by the
. severity of the past season, there is not
' the slightest danger of a general
s failure of the harvest on that ac
i- count, and while the information
y is that the crop is in a backward
condition, the. reports do not intimate a
total failure anywhere. The fact of the
large harvests and high prices of the
past two or three years has encouraged
r the planting of such a largely increased
e acreage in most localities as to offset, to
a great extent, the injury suffered. In a
3 great many sections the heavy snows of
e the winter furnished an invaluable pro
tection against the intense cold,
and the lateness of the spring
has continued the defense through
the critical period cs the al
-9 ternate thaws and frosts of March. On
y the whole, it appears that unless disas
a trous late frosts or other unfavorable
conditions materially impair the present
prospects, the yield is likely to be not
much less than that of last year. The
farmers of Illinois and Indiana, in some
d sections, seem to have suffered more se
el* verely than those of other States.” Ex
tended reports from the Western fruit
sections show that the peach or
chards of a portion of Illinois
are so badly damaged that little
or no fruit ean be expected, while in
L . other parts of the State the yield will be
only fair. The Michigan “peach belt”
has suffered severely. In some places
there is a total ruin of the buds. The
same is true of Ohio, and as far South as
Alabama and Texas the peach trees have
suffered from the winter’s severity. Re
ports from the bee keepers show that the
honey crop has been disastrously affect
e ed by the exceptionally long and cold
> winter.
Wiieie Gold Dollars Go To.
Director of the Mint Burchard, who
has lately returned from an official visit
to New Orleans and St. Louis, reports
3 the mint in good shape at New Orleans,
3 and the coinage is at the rate of 600,000
1 silver dollars per month. This is assiga
-1 ed as their share of the $2,000,000, ac
[ cording to -their facilities. The Phila
-3 delphia mint is exclusively at work on
’ gold at the rate of $5,000,000 a month.
' There are some inquiries as to where this
• money goes to. Every month now $5,-
3 000,000 of $5 and $lO gold pieces are
’ being coined, and there is more than
* enough bullion on hand to keep
•J the mint going a year as it has been kept
[ up for some months. Thi3 coin is paid
3 out to bullion owners, who bring their
3 gold for coinage, and then disappears.
Very little finds its way to the banks and
r the increase in Treasury stock is not
3 rapid. Mr. Burchard is inclined to the
3 opinion that it is absorbed by the work
• ing classes, who hoard small sums of
3 hard cash rather than place it in the sav
-1 ings banks, as they would do were they
3 only able to secure possession of the
- perishable paper. Ass or $lO gold piece
- put away once a month by a large pr.o
--' portion of artisans and laborers would
■ readily account for its mysterious disap
pearance, provided this is the true
theory.
.. ■
Canvassers make from $25 t 0.550 per week
’ selling goods for E. G. Hideout & Co., 10
l ' Barclay street, New York, Send for cata
i- logue and terms. aug3l-wly
Slgisfrtfrfg pgiiterg.
ifOSTETTER’c
CELEBRATED A
SITTERS
Why Suffer Needlessly
With the convulsing, spasmodic tortures of
fever and ague and bilious remittent, when
Hostetler’s Stomach Bitters, acknowledged to
be a real curative of malarial fevers, will
eradicate the cause of so much suffering. No
less effective is this benignant alterative in
cases of constipation, dyspepsia, liver com
plaint, rheumatism, and in general debility
and nervous weakness. For sale by all Drug
gists and Dealers generally.
my3-Tu,Th,B&wlm
PRESCRIBED BY PHYSICIANS.
Prepared tropical
9 fruit* 1/ aud plants-
A Etelicicms and R.e
fresliiaag IFruit
ILozenge, Wliicla
Serves tlie Purpose
of Pills and IMs«
agreeable Furgatb«*
Medicines-
TROPIC fRUIT LAXATIVE is the best
preparation In the woclrt for Constipation. Bili
ousness, Headache, Piles, and all kindred Com
plaints. It acts gently,, effectively, and is deli
cious to ta*ke. Cleansing the system thoroughly.
It imparts vigor tc mind and body, and dispels
Melancholy, Hypochondria, etc. One trial con
vinces. Packed in bronzed lioi boxes only.
PRICE 25 anti 60 CTS. SOLD Bl ALL DRUGGISTS.
feb3-Th,S,Tu&wly
ffioritla %£atcr.
TUB
IMPERISHABLE
PERFUME.
Murray & Lanman’s
FLORIDA WATER,
Best for TOILET. BATH,
and SICK ROOM.
A LARGE STOCK OF BUIST’S SELECTED
Eilisl Peas, Siaj Beans,
Improved Cabbage Seed, lltc ,
For sale by
J. T. SHUPTRINE,
Wholesale and Retail Druggist, I£s CONGRESS
t.THKLT. _ clt-c25-wtf
UNORETHS 1
17Qi SEEDSKSBEST 1001
1 f till If not sold in vour towiM you I flft g
I I I l*4- can S*t them by mail. Drop I 111
JLf vs Jt us a Postal Card for Cr.ta- •*-X/ V/ JL
logue and Prices. The Oldest and most extensive Seed
Grovers in the United States. _
DAVID LANDKETH & SONS,Philada.,Pa
novl3 weowly
Klimts,
BUSINESS OF ROSES. FIFTY LARCE
HOUSES for Roses alone. We deliver Strong
Pot Plants, suitable for immediate bloom, safely by
mail, postpaid, at all post-offices. S splendid varie
ties, yourchoice, all labeled, for8l; l2forS2:lo
for S 3; 23 for 84s 35f0r85: 75forg|0; 100
forg)3. WeCIVE AWAY, m Premiums and
Extras, more Roses than moot establishments
grow. Ocir NEW CUIDE, a complete Treatise
on the Rose —7O pages, elegantly illustrated de.
scribes 500 newest and choicest varieties. Free to all.
THE DiNCEE i COWARD CO.
Rasa Growers, West Grove, Chester Co„
mhs-weowl3t
fisend for our I.OW.PRICEO List (mailod |
■ free on application) and see the number of
E RARE PLANTS w^; ail sl.
1 Our Greenhouses (covering 3 acres in Glass)
|arc the largest in America.
j Peter Henderson & Co,
I 35 Cortlandt St., New York.
jan29-wl3t
gpettucits,
DIAMOND SPECTACLES.
THESE Spectacles are manufactured from
“MINUTE CRYSTAL PEBBLES” melted
together, and are called DIAMOND on account
of their hardness and brilliancy.
Having been tested with the poiariscope, the
diamond lenses have been found to admit fif
teen per cent, less heated l-ays than any other
pebbie. They are ground with grtet scientific
accuracy, are free from chromatic aberra
tions, and produce a brightness and distinctness
of vision not before attained in spectacles.
Manufactured by the Spencer Optical Manu
facturing Company, New York.
For sale by responsible agents in every city
in the Union. S. P. HAMILTON, Jeweler and
Optician, is Sole Agent for Savannah, Ga., from
whom they can only be obtained. No peddlers
employed. Do not buy a pair unless you see
the tr uie mark O CELLULOID EYE
GLASSES a specialty. mhlfi-Tu.Th,S&wlv
THE SUNBEAMr
AN 8-page, 43 column monthly paper, with
choice of 31 neatly bound (cloth) books,
post paid, ONLY ONE DOLLAR a year. Speci
men copy and list of premiums on receipt of
3 cent stamp. Money may be sent in closely
sealed envelopeat our risk.
SUNBEAM PUBLISHING CO.,
mys-3t&w3t Bethel, Conn.