San Diego is an old Spanish town, and for many years has been neglected, and not till recently has it shown much signs of recuperation.  But, now that some Yankee pioneers have settled in the town and neighborhood, its prospects brighten.

Fruits of all kinds, such as peaches, oranges, figs, and plums flourish in the neighborhood, and in time must form one of the chief articles of commerce.  Few places offer so good an opportunity for stock-grazing as does this fertile region.

This old city is, ere long, to become the terminus of one of our great continental lines of railway, namely, the Southern Pacific.

Access is had, at the present time, either overland from San Jose, or by a monthly steamer from San Francisco, the distance being, by water, over three hundred and-fifty miles.

FLORIDA

is certainly the only State among all of those lying east of the Mississippi River to which invalids may resort with advantage, so far as the climate is concerned.  There are points in others of the Southern States, such as Aikin, where two years out of three, perhaps, consumptives, in certain stages, may go with benefit; yet there is no Atlantic or Gulf State with a climate and soil adapted to aid in the cure of bronchial and catarrh troubles and nervous prostration at all comparable to Florida in the winter season.

In cases of lung difficulties, where tubercles have begun to form, such would find a cool, dry, elastic air best, except when the disease has been induced by some mental or emotional shock:  such are benefitted most by a mild, sunny atmosphere, since the depressed spirits are, under these favoring circumstances, more easily rallied.

The St. John River is the section most visited, together with St. Augustine, on the Atlantic sea-coast; yet so soon as Tampa Bay and Key West possess accommodations, they will be found more favorable, since the equability is somewhat greater.[H]

There are several islands in the Atlantic Ocean to the south and eastward of us which have become somewhat celebrated as places of temporary residence for the consumptive.

That of

NASSAU (N.P.),

the nearest to our coast, has some claims upon our attention.  The temperature does not greatly vary from that of Southern Florida, except that it may have a shade more of equability.

The island of New Providence, of which Nassau is the capital, is one of the group constituting the Bahama Islands, lying directly east of the Florida coast, and about three hundred and fifty miles distant from it.  The town is regularly and well built, and during our “late unpleasantness” was the principal rendezvous of the scores of blockade-runners.  Since the war the place has resumed its calm and peaceful habits, and is again frequented, during the winter, by many invalids from the North and others who seek a temporary home in a genial clime.