The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1884-01-17
FLORIDA ORANGES.
A Glimpse of Green Orange Groves
I'm a Pineapple Orchard.

FLORIDA Times Union
In passing along the line of the South
Florida railroad one gets but occasional
glimpses of the many orange groves to be
seen, as the grove are older than the railroad
and the views from the train are for the
most part very poor. But when you arrive
at Maitland, here the whole face of nature
has undergone a change. Instead Of the
succession Of pine trees and other varieties Of
natural growth, you are at once struck with
the sudden Transformation. What has
been In former years a rolling hum
mock with its varied growth and high pine
land, now confronts you with one succession
OF orange groves. The rusty and dingy look
worn by the m-oss-covered oak has been re-
placed by the dark green, luxurious growth
of the citrus family. l passed through and
stopped at Orlando, but l was longing TO TO
turn TO Lake Maitland, the gem Of south
Florida, and to drink in the beauties OF its
landscape. Col Richard Patton, of Lake
Maitland, sent me word hat II l would ro-
turn on a certain day he would show me
through that section This Invitation was
at once accepted, and at the time appointed
found him at the depot with his spanking
team OF blacks, and in a few minutes we
were whirling away, viewing the orange and
lemon groves, drinking in the sweetness OF
the fine views Of Lake Maitland and other
smaller lakes.
We passed through a dozen groves, the
largest Of which had In it $500 orange trees,
a large part in full bearing. This Is on the
Bigelow place, which fronts beautifully upon
the south side OF Lake Maitland. with a large
frontage Right In the midst of this garden
OF Hesperides stands the Bigelow house, one
of the best hotels Of It's kind in south Florida.
Here we halted for a few moments to rest and
- al - II. ~
orange groves beyond. From the outlook at
the top of this building, 50 far as the eye
could sec, there was a continuous succession
Of grove after grove, and the fresh yerdant
look OF the green orange leaf, so grateful to
the eye upon a bright day, WINS Illuminated
by millions of the golden fruit itself in all its
glory.
After feasting the eye for a while upon
this rayishing scene we went below to inspect
a four-acre tract of pine-npples lying between
the hotel and the lake. To one who never
saw this delicious fruit growing these four
acres Of pine-apples are delightful thing to
look upon
One does not fully appreciate the remark
that the many lakes in this immediate yicin-
iy are pretty until he looks at them. Lake
Maitland is probably the largest and pretti-
est lake along the route of the South Flor
ida railroad from Sanford to Kissimmee
City. Near 1t are other smaller lakes, each
with a name as pretty AS the lake itself.
One feels almost as IL this was the work of
the enchantor's wand, and therefore lacking
in reality, but whom he is confronted with
such realistic characters us Gen. L. T.. Sturte-
want, Rev. G. w. Ward, Bishop Whipple,
James M. Wilcox, of Philadelphia; II. s..
Keney, Gen. Iverson, Of Georgia, and u host
Of others who have invested their thousands
right here, and nave beautiful residences and
remunerative orange groves to show for it,
he feels that he is dealing with an actual
reality.
Maitland seems to be an aggregation of
beautiful country seats, for there is little pre-
tense of u town. True, there are two or
three stores, II postofilce, five churches, In
GLIDING the Episcopal, Methodist, Catholic
Presbyterian and a colored church, and ont
OF the best schools in the county, but each
has plenty Of what the sailors call sea-room,
for there does not appear to be much shop
about the neighborhood, as everything has u
holiday look and everybody Is comfortable.
While all this is true, the neighborhood Is
being built up by the work of tho carpenter
and his fellow craft, also by the laborers.
Mr.. Ksdney's 800 bearing orange trees did
not grow there by themselves, and these
handsome villas didn't spring up In a night.
There has been hard work and plenty Of it,
but for many Of those people the working
day has about passed, and they now take life
easy.