The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-05-13

MT. w -. nlIiIps, vi tuul III III, h"S u hoot VI
Y Ottawa friends who babe HIM farewell with
). regret and the conviction that what might
G prove his gam was certainly the city's loss.
@ lie seeks in Florida the health which he lost
5 by his too great devotion to business, and has
purchased 81 acres of pine land, of which five
l are already covered with young trees we'll adj.
vanced on the road to bearing. His friends
in this city Will certainly wish that he who
proved himself the housekeeper's staunch
friend may reap his reward in the iulciest and
finest of oranges.
Over the way from Mr.. Norris's roomy
0 home Is the white building which bears the
3 misnomer of hotel, and is in reality the tempo.
rary abode of Messrs. Tollman Libby and Geo.
Caldwell, names very familiar to many read
ers of the FREE TRADER. The hotel is limo
cent of carpets, and is only partially furnished
Fl Mrs Libby did not come south TO undertake
the care and responsibility OF boarding
house, though she kindly permits few of her
La Sale county friends to avail themselves OF
her hospitable roof. Almost daily, however
strangers walk up to the supposed hotel and
-, seek to become It's inmates while they lnvesti
gate the advantages and disadvantages OF
Spring Garden Center Finding neither there
nor elsewhere IN the little hamlet a lodging for
return to DeLand, which possesses two good
hotels, and pleased with their reception they
locate near that town. Those who are &C.
: ouainted with Mrs Libby know, that where
she goes the sunshine of good feeling usually
follows and our wagon rides brimmed over
) with mirthful enjoyment though they were
!; very staid affairs indeed, Emma and Dick
never varying the uniform monotony OF their
walk. Messrs. Libby and Caldwell have
found that their saw mill opens the way to
extensive business which promises to be very
profitable in the future. They are completely
equipped for making the different varieties of
lumber and shingles, and as the country Is rap.
idly settling up houses are in demand. Per
sons who are clearing up their lands as pre-
paration for future groves are glad to have the
timber removed, and the lumber once sawed
commands a price little inferior to what is
paid in this city. Messrs. Libby and Cald.
well have found constant employment. From
early morning to late evening the saw receives
the fallen trunks of once lofty pines and deity
converts them into the prosalc materials for
dwelling houses.
Among the pleasant and always goOd,natur-
ed people who gathered at the hotel table was
Mr.. Enoch Hagenbaugh, of Utica, Illinois.
Mr. H. had used the many weeks Of his stay
at Spring Garden Center very effectively. He
knew Its geography completely; he was a
good Judge of orange land he had gathered
manifold memorials Of the Land of Flowers,
from air plants to shells He was an excellent
pilot when the way was doubtful and was al.
ways ready to throw CLEAN of sunshlny fun
lover the novel ways of lite IN the Lazy Mans
| Land.
! These persons Just described constituted the
group most interesting to Ottawa readers, hut
other cities had sent to Spring Garuen Center
,hnrp Of oh pit
genial Mr.. c., of Wisconsin, had grove
whose beautiful trees were the open letter read
of all men bearing testimony to the owners
science and skill Mr.. and Mrs. s., of ChIca-
90, evidently lived at home The open.handed
kindly Mr.. and Mrs. H., of Springfield, Hi
nols, had a fine bearing grove in excellent
condition. The old hotel would have lost half
its brightness with the departure of young
Mr. and Mrs. A., of Michigan, and we hope
they will remember certain Sabbath ride to
church through the pine woods as long and AZ
pleasantly as we shall.
We have fingered so tardlly in the sandy
avenue that it Is useless to ask you reader, TO
accompany us through the woods to our TEN.
pOrary resting place or listen TO the details OF
succeeding days But to satisfy your natural
curiosity we Will give you few facts and fig.
ures First of all, the orange tree IS 10 Florida
what corn is to Illinois, Its first greatest pro
duction and its staff. The soil can be coaxed
to weld corn in small quantities and produces
with sufficient care an abundance of lemons,
figs, guavas, pineapples, bananas, peaches,
strawberries, mulberries, blackberrles and veg
etables, but the orange is its pride and glory.
The circle of gentlemen on the hotel porch in
the evening forgot politics completely and
eagerly discussed orange culture, comparing
ways and methods with an interest that never
grew weary Their example should be fol-
lowed by every settler who hopes to make his
grove success.
Don't 90 to Florida to invest your surplus
means if you are too impatient to ndH tor re-
suits An orange tree does not usually bear
before lis eighth or ninth year, though as u
compensation its productive powers increase
with every added year and 1t will outlive two
or three generations of men. Your land, ac-
cordng to its location and quality, will cost
you from ten or fifteen to twenty or twenty five
dollars an acre 1t must be cleared, and thel
clearing cannot cost you less than twenty dol.
lars. Your orange trees, II they are OF good
quality, three or four years old and properly
budded, will cost fifty cents per tree, with f.
teen cents additional for setting them out
Each acre will afford room tor about sixty
trees. They must be fertilzed, ii on pine
land twice year and kept free from weeds
by blowing. Meanwhile you must possess
your soul with patience. The day will come
when you shall reap in golden fruit the result
of your long waiting, and the acre over which
you have toiled will yield It's revenue of hun
dreds of dollars.
! Don't rush away to Spring Garden Center
under the Impression that 1t is fashionable
watering place, tor if you do you will be grle-
vously disappointed. You will seek for a
{ gay whir III VAN. Life glIdes on smoothly
under the tranquil skies, but one day is very
much like every other day. Hops are I'M
known, the roller skating has not penetrated
with its thundeIous roll to the depths of the
pines The Florida belle often wears a sun
bonnet and sometimes rides in cracker car
riage, whose ponderous wheel, broad tired,
and long lever rising like partially erect
, flagpole behind, are picturesquely unconycn-
uona Again, the absence OF our beautiful