FLORIDA.


Here are a number of the best orange-groves in the State.
The residents exhibit much good taste in the construction
of their homes, and their gardens, lawns, flowers, and fences
are noticeably neat. Nearly opposite Welaka is the mouth
of the famous Ocklawaha River.
 Norwalk is three miles above, on the western shore, the
settlement being located about a mile back from the river,
in a region of good soil and attractive surroundings. It
hasachools, churches, stores, etc., and is noted for the ex-
cellence of its society and the great amount of vegetables
and garden-fruits produced, annually shipping large quan-
tities. It contains many fine orange-groves.
 Just below this landing the character of the St. John's
River changes. Here the lower St. John's practically ends,
and the middle St. John's begins; the broad, cledr-water,
bay-like form abruptly terminates, and the steamer passes
into a narrow channel, fifty to three hundred feet in width,
and remarkably crooked. The water is darker, with a cof-
fee-colored appearance which is attributed to the rank veg-
etation of the region. This is the tropical jungle region of
the river, and continues, with occasional exceptions in the
shape of pine or high-soil clearings, on up to Lake Monroe,


eighty miles abo
very little above
spreads out over
and forms vast,


ve Norwalk. The
the surface of the
the low boundaries
shallow lakelets,


shores are mostly flat,
river, which frequently
of the -channel proper,
where game resorts in


great numbers. Everywhere the shores are covered with a
dense growth of oaks, cypress, sweet-gum, willow, and the
like, all interlaced with gigantic vines in greatest abun-
dance; great clusters of gray Spanish moss hang from the
branches,,and -the igund is covered to the water's edge
with an impenetrable jungle of tropical grasses, reeds,
brambles, and bushes. Brilliant-hued flowers-some varie-
ties are very large-are everywhere, in the water, on the
bushes, the vines, and the trees, and add a novel beauty to