.* -".


*4 ,I


crystal lakes.


A study of most of the works on Florida,


from


that of Le


Moyne,


who


visited the territory as artist to


French


Bartrams,


expedition


who


under


Laudonniire


visited it as naturalists


in 1564, and the
1772, to the latest


publications,


ificluding periodicals,


pamphlets,


newspa-


pers; access to all the records bearing upon the subject in the
possession of the War Department, the library of the Surgeon-


General, and other .depositories in


Washington;


a careful col-


nation of


the various meteorological and other tables included


in these records


personal interviews with distinguished medi-


cal officers of the army,


who have served in all parts of


Flor-


ida, and


with


many of the scientific and medical residents of


State,


with some of 'her representatives in Congress; and,


lastly, the opportunity for consulting a considerable


number


thousands


intelligent


visitors


and invalids,


who


passed through, or located for the season at the writer's winter


residence, have afforded
the intricacies of the


him unusual facilities for unraveling


subject


so graphically


described


Scoresby Jackson.


the relative


The last source of information, as regards


merits of various climates, he considers of more


value than all the others, more so than even an extended


sonal


observation.


For invalids are by far the best judges of


climate; they are living barometers and hygroneters.


Here,


you have


the. opportunity


to question and cross-question the


reporters, and not only


thus to arrive at the truth, but,


what


books


seldom


give, the


whole


truth.


All of these indi-


viduals


were intelligent and


educated


people, most of them


invalids who had traveled the world over in search of health,
and tested its renowned sanitary resorts, some of them winter
after winter. Few of them had any *particular prejudice for
or against any special locality, save from its actual effect, but


were, from self-interest, in search of


the best.


The evidence of those who have tested the climate of Flor-


ida by sufficient personal
nation of the data furnish
favortble character. The


a few aeke to roamning from one
 I AI -- -


observation, or by a careful exami-
ed by others, has been of the most
opinion of those who have devoted


locality to oanber, or who


_ A-% u l..- ...