Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-09-24


reiarding I he growth of the city. But
time and the natural advantages of To-
cation and climate will overcome all
obstacles and make Tampa at no very
distant day metropolis of the South
On Inc south lies the bay; on the west,
the river; to the east The land falls in
swamps and hammoeks; so the town
must grow in northerly direction, fol-
lowing up the river and onto the higher
ground, which rises in gentle slope
1 some forty feet about one-balf mile
north OF town, after spreading out into
q flat of considerable extent. This fiat,
formerly called the Scrub and coy
cred with a low. dense growth of great
variety. is now nearly all cleared and
laid off in lots. This low ground will
probably eventually be covered by the
business part of the city, whilo the
greater part of the residences will be
upon what is here called .sthe hill'':
though to one, the greater part of whose
life has been spent among the majestic
mountains Of The Rockies and the Coast
Range, il seems but poor apology.
just before came here, eight years
ago last March, two or three families
from Nebraska had made a settlement
two miles north of town. They found
the country in a wild, uncultiYated state,
Sparsely covered with stinted growth
OF lime trees ard Il few scattering oaks;
with perhaps half dozen settlers,
within range of ten miles from town,
scattered about hap-hazard and at wide
intervals. A stranger passing through
the country might easily fail TO notice
any signs Of habitation, as the houses
were poor and low and almost con
cealed by few clustering trees and
vines. There was only one orange
grove of any size and that young one
OF eight acres, not in very good con-
dition. 1t changed hands some four
Otsi 'inSo, iOi @t,OVo- ne present
owner, Connecticut man, who spends
his winters here, held it at $1,000 last
winter. The soil was sandy and poor
and altogether The outlook was dis
couraging for those who did not com
prehend the situation of affairs in gen
eral and foresee the growth of the coun-
try. Old inhabitants jeered and scoffed
at the idea of doing anything with "that
land" They wouldn't give % cents
an acre for it, But the newcomers,
all undaunted, went to work to clear
their lands, erect houses and put out
their orange groves; in the meantime,
doing all they could to encourage others
to come and help them. They laid out
an avenue. calling it ''Nebraska Ave-
nue. running from the east side of
town, due north to the crossing of the
Hillsboro river. People came from
nearly every part of the Union and now
many states are represented. One-half
mile west of Nebraska avenue and run
ming parallel with it. is Florida avenue.
Midway between the two, is Central
arenn". While crossing these at right
angle are Michigan, Buffalo and Madi-
son avenues and other streets. The
land is laid off IN lots of from five to-
ten acres generally, though there are
some larger tracts. Nearly all of these
lots are covered with young orange
trees, while in pretty contrast to the
bright, evergreen foliage. nestle many
snug cottages and some handsome resi-
dences. Uhimproved land sells at
500 an acre. There is a good school
house on Nebraska avenue, which is
also used as a church and for general
assemblies
Do not take 1T for granted that all
this prosperity came easily; on the CON
trary. it represents vast amount of
hard work, privaton and patience and
the investment of great deal of CAPT
tad But they will all bring their re-
ward. Though some of the trees, planted |
within the time of which | have been
speaking, are beginning to bear fruit.
it viii be several years yet before they
will yield enough TO more than pay for |
their cultivation. They must be fertil-
lied, washed and we'll cultivated or
they will not thrive. In other portions
of the state few Of the cereals and |
other fruits are grown, but this section I
is chiefly adapted to the cultivation of (
the citrous family. Some of the purely /
tropical fruits DO very well here, but I
are liable to be cut down By frost. Two
years ago even lemon aud lime trees |
and young budded orange trees were
much injured; but the two former grew |
up from the old roots and are now in /
full fruit again In favored spots on
river courses and in hamrlocks, or with I
the aid Of fertilizers and water supply, /
thrive almost the entire year
aud command good prices, now that
there are facilities for shipping 10 |
northern markets Tomatoes, cab
bages, Strawberries and cucumbers
bring almost fabulous prices in New
York in February and March
From ten to fifteen years are required
10 plant an orange grove and bring it
into profitable bearing years of hard
abor and considerable expenditure, but
from that time on, the profit is sure and
increasing. The trees live
% great age q do not know how old +
md never seem to exhaust themselves,
Dut improve With age. The average
number Of trees to the acre is fifty: the
average yield i. the tree, LOCO; the
average price, cent apiecs $40 to
he tree, $500 to the acre. 50 you eau
iguro it ont for Yourself that it wouldn't
'equire many acres to yield handsome
income for q moderate family.
Men have come here with 10 capital
out their own strong arms aud willing
lands, taken up land. cleared It. put
,ut their groves, taken care Of them,
md made their living IN the mean time
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