The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-07-17

>
of the more northern counties suf-
fered considerably.
At present the orange business
is the all-absorbing theme. The
greatest deSideratum in the mat
ter of realizing handsome fortune
from this businessSis sufficiently
stiff backbone ''to labor and to
wait" several years and then "suc
cess is as certain as taxes, as the
Florida revenue collector never fails
to pay his annual respects"
The southern people, though, as a
general thing, are so desirous OF
making their fortunes IN a shorter
time that although they undertake
the orange business here with con
siderable enthusiasm yet they be
come "weary in well doing" after
laboring four or five years and over
coming all the greatest difficulties
in the way of making a grove, and
then it is seldom that they have the
courage to resist the offers Of the
ingenious yankees of perhaps one
thousand dollars or more per acre
for their groves, whereas had they
held them a few years longer their
annual income would have been
more than one thousand dollars per
acre.
This was somewhat verified in an
instance of my nearest neighbor
who was recently offered three hun
dred dollars per acre for land that
he bought two years ago at one dol
lar and twenty five cents. 1t was
with some difficulty that his friends
influenced him not to sell. His land
no doubt will be worth more than
two thousand dollars per acre in
a few years. The above is not
the general price of land. Some
are very cheap. The lake frontage
determines the value of land, infu-
enced, however, by its proximity to
railroads. Lands increase in value
here at the rate of one hundred to
one thousand per cent a year. The
majority of the settlers here are
from Tennessee; several from old
Giles, who exhibit their spirit ofen-
terprise by taking the lead in rear
ing schools and churches.
The health of the people is re
markable. 1 really believe if all
the practice in the country were
given to one physician ard he paid
literally for his services he would
not make enough for decent sup
port. This climate is especially
adapted to weak lungs and to rheu-
matte subjects. Those coming here
when in the first stage of consump-
tion and remaining here seldom suf-
fer further inconvenience from sore
lungs. Many defer coming here
until upon the very verge of death
when the best climate in the world
together with the best skill Of the
medical profession could not save
them. The result is they die soon
after their arrival, expedited some
what perhaps by the fatigueing jour
ney, and their friends frequently de-
light in denouncing the climate of
Florida. Such is human nature.
The climate here is remarkably
pleasant. From the first of last
September to the first of this month
there had not been so much as one
whole day that person could not
labor out OF doors without incOn-
venience on account of disagreea-
ble weather. What is known here
as ''rainy season. begins about the
first of June of every year and con-
tinues till about the first of Septem-
Der. During this time it rains near
ly every day in showers similar to
the spring showers common to Ten
nessee. The seasons here are the
reverse of Tennessee. Here the cold
and dry Lseasons. come by modify
ing the temperature considerably.
Last winter the thermometer fell to
29o: this summer it has not gone
higher than zoe and never goes
higher than 900.
Before closing my article l wish
to say a word relative to the disad-
vantages some persons bring upon
themselves by the selection of
homes in this state. There are
those who come here with limited
means and purchase in a densely
settled community where land is
very high, rather than to seJtle in a
new, enterprising place or communi-
tv where land is much cheaper.
This arises from the custom Of hav-
ing lived in a densely settled COM
munity. Florida is unlike The old
er states; a scope of county here
will begin to settle up and in one
or two years it will be well populat-
ed. A man of limited means should
seek such a place, for the advanta-
ges are patent to a thinking mind.
| admit there are many advanta-
ges in settling in an older commu-
nifty, but it seems to me that they
are counteracted by the disadvan-
ges. By locating in what may de-
nominate a new community, that is
in a settlement recently established,
one will have an advantage in the
selection of location which subse-
duently will enhance the value of
his grove considerably, for the Gin
genious yankee" will pay a much
higher price for place advantage
ously situated. Moreover, the set
tier can buy more land with less
money and have the advantage of
the increase in value of the land
oftentimes one thousand per cent or
more per annum-which he would
not were he to settle in a eommuni-
ty where unimproved land had
reached its maximum value. But
the most important feature of ones
settling at a new, enterprising place
is that he will be at the front of
the orange business as regards his
neighborhood instead of at the
rear; his grove, therefore, will pre-
sent a much better appearance than
it would were it where it would be
contrasted with older and more
beautiful groves. The grove would
thereby commond better price it
the owner should desire to sell it.
The consolation of being near the
front or in the lead has considera-