FLORIDA.


land, forming a peninsula which reaches out into the
harbor. It is a lovely spot of about seventy-five acres,
quite like a park, with rolling surface, covered with good
sod of native grasses, while clumps of low-growth bushes
and gigantic oaks and hard-wood trees are scattered about.
The view, looking out over the harbor, is very beautiful.
The barracks, officers' quarters, cavalry-stables, hospital,
and other military buildings, are scattered about the
ground, and are all old, and have a neglected, dilapi-
dated appearance. No troops are permanently stationed
here now; but occasional detachments are sent here for
a few months for sanitary benefit. A walk over these
grounds is quite pleasant, and is one of the "proper
things for the visitor to do.
 Large tracts of land in the suburbs have been cleared
of their pine-woods, laid out into long, wide avenues,
and named after Northern States, the plots comprising
ten or more acres each. Many of these lots have been
sold, and the purchasers have evidently spent much
money and time in improving them. The residences are
unusually well built, tastefully ornamented, and brightly
painted, while neat barns, out-houses, fences, sidewalks,
and the civilized improvements usual in Northern pro-
gressive communities, are everywhere seen-the reason,


perhaps, being that the settlers are
people. In spite of all this labor, ta
however, there is a very noticeable
houses, showing signs of abandonment.
 The appearance of the greater
in the vicinity of Tampa is sandy,
ashy-gray color, that promises little
There are occasional tracts of dark,
are scarce, and very seldom for sale.
in that region lvint along the coast


''0b"' -a, C~ -


nearly all Northern
ate, and enterprise,


number


of vacant


portion of the soil.
with an unhealthy,
for productiveness.
rich soil, but these
There is good soil
and on the islands,


but in the immediate neighborhood of Tampa I think it