Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-04-13
THE ORANGL STATE.
A Winter State Fair in Florida-The
OrangslLords Wild Specuaations.

The fifth and Vst day of III Florida
State fair closed with this eva ing. II
mas been n of the most successful ofthe
eight annual exhibitions, both as to the
display and the attendance.
The fair grounds, which are spacious
and we'll kept, are located a little less
than two miles from the city, and easily
accessible by a drive over an excellent
roal, or by steamboat, which makes
hourly trips between the landing. The
members OF the Legislature came down
from Tallahassee in a special train on
Thursday to visit the fair. Several
members of the governors cabinet and
other high state officials we're also of the
party. There were also large delega-
lions from Savannah and other Georgia
towns and the entire military staff of
Gov. Stephens, composed of fifteen col
onels, all in full uniform, The Jack
sonville militia, consisting of two COM
panies, turned out in snowy uniforms
and made quite an imposin appearance.
The thousands OF strangers i'll town all
went one or more days, and the turnout
OF public and private equipageS, some of
them quite handsome, was very large.
The tarmers from the surrounding II
try mostly had straw hats on, while
their wives and daughters wore calico
dresses and looked lieat and comfortable.
AS a matter of course the general fea-
ture of the Florida fair in the matter Of
machinery, agricultural implements,
needlework, canned goods, preserves,
embroidery, household articles, &c, are
similar to those Of agricultural fairs else
where. The main points of interested
strangers and to those who contem-
plate settling i'll the state the exhibition
of the varied products native to the soil
and climate, or capable of transplant
ing and cultivation. Jute, of which In
dia has heretofore had the monopoly,
has been cultivated in Florida with
marked success. Some specimens were
on exhibition in the crude state and with
the fibre stripped, and claimed to be of
fine quality. Beautiful samples of Sea
Island cotton, from Levy county, were
much admired, also specimens of up
and rice. From this country there
were also remarkable rich specimens of
iron ore. Forty different varieties of
Florida wood repaid close examination.
In the fruit department there was a
magnificent display of oranges, %citrons,
bonanas, pincapples, lines, lemons,
grapes, shadocks, mandarins, making
the mouth water to look at them. Some
of the lemons were of immense size, but
the oranges were the beauties. Florida
claims to produce the largest and the
the claim cannot be disputed. Such piles
of rich golden fruit looked indeed like
the apples of paradise. The exhibit of
cereals was very slim; in tact, as stated
by a large fruit-grower, it would be folly
for any extensive attempt at grain rails
ing in florida, eve If the soil and
climate were adapted to it, as SO
much more can be made by the %cultiva-
ton of fruit and vegetables. Sumac
grows up to the height Of twenty-five or
thirty feet in Sumter, and a specimen
was on exhibition from that county as
thick sa mans leg. The trunk of a
grapevine as thick as the body of an
ordinary man, and grown in Sumter
county, was constantly surrounded with
a curious throng. Florida grasses and
feathers We're grouped in tempting ar
ray. The Florida hog of which there
were several fine specimens must not, be
forgotten. The Florida porker has a
merit peculiarly his own. He grows to
a very good size; he gets round and Jolly.
He grunts his satisfaction when he is
roofing his nose into a particularly fra
grant heap of odal just as his brethrenall
over the world do, but when you put him
to death and nj cutting him up
you discover that he is.alllean and no fat.
The people who constantly ask for Il
lean piece of ham, and can't bear" fat
experience no trouble in procuring
what they want when they strike the
Florida article. Another product of
which Florida brags very much is the
peanut crop, and bags and bags Of
them from all quarters of the state,
were on exhibition.
If the half of what is told is to be re-
lied upontheorange lords of Florida will
at no distant day leave far in the shade
those famous cotton lords of the south of
Evolutionary wealth and splendor, and
the small farmers will find a nine of
~meNhaustlblc wealth in supplying
the teeming and populous NORTH
with fresh winter vegetables. Push, en-
ergy n competition are the order of
the day. Railroads are stretching their
tentacles OF iron and steel into the fast.
ne sses of the interior, steamboats, are
gliding further and further through uI-
known waters, towns, settlements and
cabins spring up, the tide of immigra.
ton is constantly on the increase, and
the birds of passage who fit hither and
thlther through the winter monthsleave
behind them hundreds of thousands of
dollars, all of which contribute to the
development and growth of the state.
The demand for lands this winter has
been great. There is DO question that
Florida presents a most promising field
to persons of small or of large means.
but it is very foolish for any one to come
here with the expectation of making a
fortune in one year or five years. Money
does mot grow on the trees in Florida
any more than it does elsewhere. Take
the orange culture, forinstance, to which
80 many are directing their attention,
Alter a grove las commenced to bear il
is all right for many years to come, bnt
it is from five to ten years alter the
trees are set out before they. weld frl1it
in sufficient quantities to paw. While
it is the fact that riches come not in
a day, a man must be very worthless
and INDECENT who cannot make s,lbsist.
ence in a land so beautifully blessed bv
God and nature.
Real estate and personal property are
according to custom. as q rule only an.
praised officially in Florida in default Of
the owners returning their ownes Inmates
as to the value of their property. II
may very well be imagined, therefore
that the assessment is not excessive. X
is said that the average of the agsess.
inent is about one.tifth of the actual
value.
TOadying q Titled Row