Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/289

 FLORIDA 281 the pervading moisture as to cover the surface with perennial verdure. The prairies afford excellent pasture. Cattle require little care from their owners, and no housing in winter ; and in most parts of the state hogs fatten with- out any other support than that which they de- rive from the roots and mast of the forests. Deer of various kinds abound, and smaller game is found in all parts of the country. The coast waters produce the finest fish, including the sheepshead, grouper, redfish, and mullet, be- sides green turtle and oysters; and the numer- ous lakes and rivers of the interior teem with fresh-water species. On many parts of the coast sponge is found, and the trade in it is constantly increasing. Among the mineral pro- ductions are amethysts, turquoises, lapis lazuli, ochre, coal, and rich iron ore. Among the most remarkable natural curiosities are the hollows called u sinks," worn in the soft limestone by subterranean streams, and varying in size from a few yards to several acres. The great sink of Alachua county, by which the waters of the Alachua savanna are supposed to flow into Orange lake, is a large basin almost surrounded by hills, into which the drainage of the savanna is conveyed by several conduits, uniting before they reach the basin in a single stream. From the basin the waters descend slowly by three great vent holes into the earth, and are carried by underground channels to other basins. Nu- merous springs, bursting from great depths, some of them with sufficient force to turn a mill, are found in different parts of the state, and have led to the supposition that the parts of the country in which they exist may be un- dermined by vast caverns through whose roofs the springs well up wherever an opening can be found. About 12 miles from Tallahassee is a lake of icy cold transparent water, which is fed by a subterranean source of this kind. The climate of Florida is one of the finest in the world. The following meteorological sum- mary from observations made at Jacksonville, lat. 30 15', is reported by the chief signal officer of the United States : YEAR. Month. Mean barometer. Mean thermom- eter. Total rainfall, inches. Prevailing wind. 1871.. 1872. October. November December (January 80-181 80-091 80-226 30-174 73-5 65-4 55-4 52-7 8-62 3-63 2-65 8-44 Northeast. Northeast. N'thwest. N'thwest. February March April . . . Mav 29-993 80-102 30-113 80-089 53-9' 59-1 73-5 78-3 2-70 7-32 2-39 1-25 S'thwest. Northeast. Northeast. S'thwest. June July August September . . . 30-072 80-089 30-062 30-065 81-0 83-4 81-4 77-7 6-97 2-92 6-41 10-65 S'thwest. Southeast. Northeast. Northeast. Annual mean. 30-101 69-6 53-95 Northeast. In the south the temperature scarcely changes the year round, and summer is only dis- tinguished by the copiousness of its showers. The average mean temperature of the state is about 73 F., and the difference between sum- mer and winter does not generally exceed 25, while at Key West it is not more than 11. The thermometer seldom rises above 90 in summer, and rarely falls below 30 in winter. Frost is unknown in southern Florida, and very little ice is formed in the northern part of the state. The atmosphere is generally dry and clear. Owing to the evenness and salubrity of its climate, Florida has long been a popular resort for invalids, and especially those afflicted with pulmonary complaints. Of the total deaths from all causes in Florida in 1870, as reported by the federal census, only 131 were from con- sumption. There were 17'3 deaths from all causes to one from consumption. The advan- tages of the climate in this respect are further shown by a comparison of the statistics rela- ting to consumption as reported by the census of 1870, from which it appears that the ratio of deaths from consumption to those from all causes was less in Florida than in any other state except Nevada ; and this advantage be- comes still greater when it is considered that Florida being a popular resort for consump- tives, a large proportion of those who die there from that cause came with the disease from other states. According to the census of 1870, the state contained in farms 736,172 acres of improved land, 1,425,786 of woodland, and 211,583 of other unimproved land. The total number of farms was 10,241 ; cash value of farms, $9,947,920 ; of farming implements and machinery, $505,074 ; total amount of wages paid during the year, including value of board, $1,537,060 ; total (estimated) value of all farm productions, including betterments and addi- tions to stock, $8,909,746 ; value of orchard products, $53,639 ; of produce of market gar- dens, $31,983 ; of forest products, $7,965 ; of home manufactures, $131,693 ; of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter, $520,966 ; of all live stock, $5,212,157. There were on farms 11,902 horses, 8,835 mules and asses, 61,922 milch cows, 6,292 working oxen, 322,- 701 other cattle, 26,599 sheep, and 158,908 swine. The chief productions were 2,225,056 bushels of Indian corn, 114,204 of oats, 64,- 846 of peas and beans, 10,218 of Irish and 789,456 of sweet potatoes, 39,789 bales of cot- ton, 401,687 Ibs. of rice, 157,405 of tobacco, 37,562 of wool, 100,984 of butter, 50,884 of honey, 6,052 of wax, 952 hogsheads of sugar, and 344,339 gallons of molasses. The total number of manufacturing establishments in 1870 was 659, having 126 steam engines of 3,172 horse power and 79 water wheels of 528 horse power, and employing 2,749 hands, of whom 2,670 were males above the age of 16. The capital invested amounted to $1,679,930; wages paid during the year, $989,592 ; value of materials used, $2,330,873 ; of products, $4,- 685,403. The leading industries were 138 flour- ing and grist mills, which had $119,075 capital invested, and from $411,857 of materials yield- ed products valued at $508,388 ; 104 establish-