140 FLORIDA.

the St. Sebastian into the Atlantic (there being eight feet
of water in the river, and a steep shore on the Atlantic,
which will prevent its ever being filled with sand), admit-
ting large-class steamers and increasing the turtle interest.
 With these connections, the Indian River will come
 into repute for vegetables. It can supply even New York
 in the months of January, February, and March, with the
 most delicate varieties-tomatoes, peas, beans, green corn,
 cabbages, melons, etc. I have reason to believe that varie-
 ties of grapes can be grown here with success-the Scup-
 pernong to perfection. The base of all Southern Florida is
 limestone ; this it is that prevents miasma, and it is this de-
 composed limestone that makes the soils of that region so
 fertile.
 In describing this Indian River region it is appropriate
 to include the regions about Lake Worth and Key Biscayne
 Bay, both places being in fact a continuation of that special
 class of soil and products. It is hardly necessary to men-
 tion that all this region, including the Indian River, is en-
 .tirely below the frost-line. The thermometer throughout
 the year shows a temperature of about 750, the extremes
 being 490 and 92.

 THE INLAND LAKES.
 Another delightful variety of country found in Florida
is the central lake region. There are no mountains in the
State, and but few hills worthy of mention, and these few
are usually in more or less unfavorable localities; but the
absence of these pleasant topographical. features is com-
pensated by the great number of lakes, scattered thickly all
through the central regions away from the seacoasts and
large rivers. They are of all shapes and sizes, from ponds
of an acre area in extent to spacious lakes of thirty by fifty
miles dimensions, with flat, pine-clad shores, or bold bluffs,
or rolling banks, or jungle-clad outlines, all pretty, and