Evening star., 1877-12-28
UyraRSIsHED rALE OF FLoRIDA.
with Some Good Advice 60 Wssla-
be settlers.

Now that thedays of SHOWS and biting winds
are at hand. tales OF genial cline amid the
orange groves oi Florida are seductive rcaa-
ing to many people. There il widely preva-
lent, too. latent hankcring Tor the posses
sion ot orange groves and the luNuries of Al
imagined naradtScal. semi tropical home
This longing is stimulated aud fed by the
glowing accounts of transient SolournerS 10
The land OF flowers" and plausible stories ~
widely circulated papers devoted 10 the ~
tereSt of colonization schemes aud spectators
IN Florida lands. But while an orange grove
y certainly very profitable aud desirable
thing. aud the climate Of our southern Italy
exceedingly grateful Co weNk lungs and sen
SltiNe skins. yet no one I'm limited means
should launch out Tor this utopia of the south
without SObeTly sitting down and counting the
cost A geod indication OF what that II 10
contained In This extract from a private letter.
written by broad -chested hardy young MAJ
Who three years since penetrated the Florida
back built himself a cabin on the bor-
deIs oi httle lake, and there In bachelor
solitude set himself 10 the task of raising an
A. Ear a. my keeping up brave heart 10
concerned, Why, its natural. When I Once
make up my mind it's settled. and. as nay
mind has been set on an orange grove, unt0
the object i gained there viii he no thought
OF giving IL up. I have lived roughly ana
worked hard and steadily, and am perfectly
willing 10 thus continue until my end u gain
ed. The severe frost Of last winter Killed 20
the ground about 81 Of my orange trees. ana
a. was Obliged 10 cut them Oh, and LET root
shoot Irom each spring up, the grove lOokS'
viii soon ONeTtake the remainder again. NJ
largest tree measures ll2. inches arounf- AZ
tl1s bottom. and possibly may see a few bles-
SONS next spring. II not. the following spring
viii S,e quite number II trees in bloom.
When came To- Florida The country was IN
something the condition uf California In 40
and "a new ~ Dorado. and all that was
considered necessary was - plant a grove and
fortune Was insured. Hundreds have como
hcie aud invested their httie an iu this seduc-
tive business, and done t too. apparently
without stopping tor moment o. consider tho
Near> which must Vlap~e before returns cams
ln; tur though an Orange vi >pon bear. yet
The tt>i W. years crops are 81 no con
sequence MANY have '.pught places worked
hard, aud alter th' hard work vas done,
eilhrr become dl>cuufagrd ur compcllcd 10
sell Oui al a >dCTi1Ce aud gone home again In
curse Florida. The romance u pretty well
worn on 10y This time. and new arrivals have a
better opportunity 81 Sering things a. they
really are. u would pay man well % move
around among the people here foT a wear or 80
before buying ana settling. the experiences
gained would We'll repay the outlay. The
lu>h Tor Florida h..S ceased. OF rather settled
into a steady stream. aud an general. a better
class ot people come than formerly. Tho
country II better understood and those who
come have better knowledge of the state as
n H. For my part | like n merely as far as
necessary 10 have a grove. That IMant, aud
VIII have, but l never viii make II a perma-
neni home. The climate i all one can wish.
but don't consider a grove - much superior
To an orchard in the north as 10 induce me 10
leave all the comforts 0i lie behind me and
spend my best days in the woods. ! shall
sick 10 il now, but IL I We're beginning 4
would remain within the bonds of civilization.
Therefore, % all my friends who write TO
me, about coming. or aS In several cases offer
10 send money and have me buy place for
them, always reply come and see Tor your
sell, and look around before YOU buy. My
partner who lives in Tennessee, has sent me,
grapes, etc, 10 set out. and simply won't se1.
cut dRHthdtg but oranges. for neither Of u<
Will ever make this spot home (posSibly q
winter resort. and with grapes, peaches. pine
apples, etc. on the place, one 81 us mus re-
main here. or have no money return from
them, while an orange crop II soon transform
ed into cash and done with. 1 shall leave
room for a garden near the lake shore, and
the rest will be oranges, for nothing else wiz
pay 80 well