The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-23
Letter from Florida.

ORANGE LAKE. FLA, Oct Is, 1886.
MEssIs. EDIToRs:-In looking over your papers
notice the usual amount of THE melancholy days
have come" etc. and it reminds me that this is fall
of the year. but weeds are still growing in fact
sirs they grow about thirteen months in year
down here, and man has plenty of fertilizer who
keeps them plowed down. AT the present tine ]
have fine patch of Irish potatoes Just worked LOT
CROP they pay well TO raise for home market during
the winter season. generally selling at about " per
bushel, and know they are great addition to the
harder of one raised north. cracker can exist on
potatoes 1.-THE term here means sweet potatoes OF
course) and corn, but a northerner has to become
naturalized first .
NV orange trees have put on such a fine growth
this summer that can scarcely realize that we had
a freeze last winter and many of them are bearing
a few oranges enough for our own use, and probably
a box or two to spare. Expect by another season 10
have enough of q crop to ship and pay running
expenses After that the grove will pay its own ex-
penses but at present. like every thing else IN us IN
fancy it has to be cared for Our section has about
become disheartened at vegetable growing and
short A number of truckers who planted largely
last year will not plant at all next and others VIII
Strawberries are receiving more attention just
than anything else. The plants are set in Septem-
beginning in February and continuing until May
We have fine patch that are growing nicely.
They are needing second WORKING nov nov
and have made great many runners which Will
have to be cut off. have made two failures in get
ting stand in the past two years, SO you see it has
to be learned as well as many other things: We
plant about 5000 to 5000 per acre, and II Wei
cultivated will make as many as thousand or
twelve hundred quarts per acre, But don't you tell
any body that said raising Strawberries was easy
work, Come down next spring and will give you
some as fine berries as you ever saw, but you VIII
have to bring Jersey along in your vest pocket as
we have nothing but "tin cows" during the winter
season at this ranch. Some of our neighbors who
have Bermuda pastures and good cattle can afford
cream the year round but not so with beginner
who pastures his COWS ON the range, but pasture
is to be my next effort soon as my ship gets into
port, but fear she h as struck rock some where.
don't know any snakestories to tell you this time
except that / killed monster the other day-a
black one about II inches long.
We are enjoying good health in this land OF
"Break bone-fever." Have not had days sickness
in the family this summer Last spring had lit
tie chill. which made my knees knock for few
hours, and that was all But just elassed that
among the small worries of life. Here We are at
the close of as pleasant a summer as ever spent
neighbor had peaches almost regularly from the
LIST of May until late in September How is that for
a peach season?
We see W. S. Myers brand on q flour barrel ocea-
sonally and smoke one of your manufacturers
cigars and think of old Maryland. There yet a
few vacant lots in the town Of Mcintosh, at price
little below 500 per front foot but come soon or
they will all be taken up. Our railroads are all
being changed to the standard and the F. s.. will
soon follow suit, and then we can take a Pullman
car and ride into New York So you see we are not
out of the world If we are just tackled on to one
corner. w. NJ. G.