There is a class of people that comes down to Florida merely to escape from the cold and discomforts of winter. Whatever there may be of beauty here does not seem to appeal to such, or only in a small degree. They arrive in November or December and after spending a winter or two here they buy a piece of land and build. After completely clearing out all the native vegetation from the land they put up a cheap and nasty house of hideous design, - I say design, because their builders appear to have deliberately intended to make them unattractive. The final touch is perhaps added to the pile in the shape of a paper roof. Almost any kind of a shelter seems to be good enough, - though probably their owners are abundantly able to build decently, - and in this they remain until March or April and then flit north, leaving the place to look out for itself, to grow up with the vilest weeds which spread their seeds over the land of those who remain here.

I am not attempting to cast any slur on the tourist or winter resident in general. There are thousands of such who are charmed with the beauty of Florida, who fully appreciate its splendid climate and who are ready to join in any move to upbuild it and advance its interests. Neither am I wishing to say anything disrespectful about those who haven't the means to build expensive places. It is easily possible at a cost of seventy-five or a hundred dollars to construct of rough boards a house that will be attractive, and to surround it in a short time with inexpensive trees and plants in such a way that the whole will be a veritable bit of paradise. I am simply berating in my gentle way the man or woman who merely comes here for physical comfort, who cares nothing for the welfare of the state or its people, whose eyes are blind to beauty, whose ears are deaf to progress and the general welfare.

There are many thousands in the states to the north of us who are honest, willing to learn, energetic, who come here and are ready to help on with the glorious work of making Florida a beauty spot, and at the same time make for themselves pretty homes. It doesn't require much to make an attractive home; many a man wastes a hundred thousand on buildings and grounds which, in the end, are perfectly hideous. A little taste, a little good sense and judgment and a small amount of careful study will go a long way farther towards making an attractive home than a large sum of money without them. I think it is far better even to servilely copy after that which is beautiful than to originate that which is ugly. If you cannot design a tasteful house and grounds take your time and look around: in every neighborhood some one will be pretty sure to have an attractive home. Talk with the owners of such places, ask for suggestions. I am sure that almost any one in Florida with such a place would be willing to help others who are to be their neighbors to make nice homes. No one of taste wants a monstrosity of a house or grounds near him; therefore as a matter of self-defense he will be willing to help a newcomer in such matters.

Don't undertake to do too much; let the house be simple and adapted to the climate and surroundings; let your work outside be for a purpose. Don't make serpentine walks or drives merely in order to imitate the crawling of a snake. Every curve should be for a reason and a reasonable directness is best in all walks that are much frequented, in other words, business walks.

There are several grasses that make good lawns here; the St. Lucie grass, a variety of the Bermuda grass which does not produce underground runners; the St. Augustine grass, which is a strong grower, and some others make good covering.* In my own lawn,'if I can call it that, I let the native grasses and herbaceous plants grow at first, thinking to plant St. Lucie grass later. I cut this growth down once or twice a year and now I have become so attached to these beautiful and interesting plants that I have not the heart to destroy them. They make an open space in front of my home and I botanize out there and enjoy them and, on the whole, I am as well satisfied as if I had a smooth, velvety turf.

The ground for a lawn or grass plat should be cleared of roots or rock to the depth of half a foot and levelled; then, during a wet time if possible, plant pieces of grass in rows a foot or so apart; water well and when the ground is covered it should be mowed.

*Zoysia pungens, recently introduced, is a beautiful lawn grass.

Of course every one making a home in Florida is anxious to have a good showing from his plantings as soon as possible. It is a fine idea, when planting, to scatter rapid growing trees and shrubs quite freely about one's grounds, as they will soon make a big display. Such things as many species of Ficus (religiosa, nitida, aurea, populnea, elastica and glomerata), Paritium elatum and tiliaceum, Albizzia lebbek, most of the eucalypts, Adenan-thera, Terminalia catappa, Delonix regia, Eriodendrons, and Cassia fistula for the warmer parts of the state and Melia azeda-rach var. umbraculiformis, the maples and oaks for the cooler parts of Florida. Among the palms Cocos in variety, most of the dates, Archontophoenix, the Acrocomias, the Neowashing-tonias, the royal palms and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) grow to good size very quickly. Eugenia jambos, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Dombeyas, Crape myrtles, the Pittosporums, the Oleanders, Pandanus sanderiana and veitchi among shrubs and herbaceous plants soon get up and cover the ground as well as very many other things. The Giant Bamboos, Dendrocalamus latifiorus and D. strictus soon make very effective clumps.

If one is in a great hurry to cover his ground and make a showing he can plant the cheapest of these abundantly at first, mingling choicer things freely among them and later he can cut away the commoner things, if he has the heart to do it.

The settler may, perhaps, buy a place on which some improvements have already been made. There may be fruit and ornamental plants already growing and buildings erected. This has both advantages and disadvantages. It is a fine thing to have fruit trees bearing or under way, and whatever growth ornamentals have made saves time in getting a place in order. On the other hand, the planting may be badly done and the buildings are likely to be hideous and misplaced. However, one can generally utilize much of such work and recreate it into beauty by taking time and giving the subject plenty of study. Spare all the vegetation that is possible, remembering that one can destroy in a few minutes what it has taken nature years to produce.

Plans may often be changed so as to leave what is wrongly placed to grow and form part of a perfect whole.

Don't plant trees in rows unless they are put along a straight road or path and never under any circumstances alternate one species with another in a row along a road or anywhere else. It is the fashion in places to put out a California fan palm and a Chinese Hibiscus or a Coconut and some low growing shrub alternating in rows, and it seems to me that no greater atrocity in planting can be perpetrated. I can not conceive how the idea ever originated in the brain of any human being.

In laying out and planting a place of any considerable size it is often possible to make a vista, a view of some pleasing object at a distance such as a group of trees, a fine building, or water. This vista may be cut out through a forest or made by judicious planting of trees and shrubbery. Its borders should be irregular and of varied forms and foliage. Such views may open out upon a landscape that stretches for miles away or it may only extend for a few rods, and if they are managed right they will always be surprising and charming.

Notwithstanding the fact that one encounters many drawbacks and discouragements in laying out and developing a home in Florida the whole process is a delightful one. What can be pleasanter than daily contriving and making plans for buildings, walks and roads, for the disposal of one's trees and plants so that they shall produce the best effects? What a pleasure it is to put a rustic seat here, to open out for, or so to plant trees that he may have a lovely view there. Even one's mistakes are not so bad after all for they help to teach him useful lessons. What a joy it is to watch the plants grow and develop under one's loving care, to realize, that, as the years roll by his home is becoming more and more beautiful, more and more a part and parcel of his very life.