The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-14
Waif from the Pine Woods.

the traveller wends his way from Hunt
ington, but on the road to Fruitland-
six miles distant-the monotony is re-
lieved by the superb magnolias and oaks
which are dotted along the way. There
are also many clearings for orange
groves. some of which are in splendid
condition, while others are just strug-
Cling for existence
The idea prevails very generally at the
North that oranges grow wild, that the
soil of Florida is so adapted to them
they will attain to a vigorous growth
with little care, and all he has to do is to
plant few hundred trees anywhere and
in twinkling he will reap rich har-
vest of oranges. Therefore, it is great
surprise when he learns that, though
native to the soil, they viii never grow
like weeds, but, on the contrary, they
require far more care and attention than
any fruit orchard at the North.
Nothing worth having can be obtained
without labor. and orange groves are no
exception to the rule, as is evident at
half glance, when one drives about the
country and observes the vast difference
in groves 1t is not unusual to see
healthy, magnificent grove side by side
with miserable, sickly looking one;
nothing but fence to separate them.
There is the same air and the same
sunshine and the same soil, yet on the
one side the trees are large and symmet-
rical, and brilliant with their green and
gold, the leaves shining like the polished
surface of mirror, and the fruit fair
and luscious; while on the other side,
the trees are stunted, the leaves faded,
and the fruit inferior and scanty; the
one showing the result of high degree
of cultivation; the other the result of an
equally high degree of negligence.
This rich and careful cultivation is re-
paid no. only by vastly increased harry
est, but by a much finer quality of fruit,
and the great variety of oranges in
Florida is another surprise to the North
erner. The oranges of this high pine
land have quite u different flavor from
those of the groves farther south, espe-
cially those upon the Indian River, and
many of them have a much closer and
finer grain, but the shades of difference
are exceedingly delicate and they are all
delicious. To find oranges in perfection,
however, one must eat them in Florida,
for much of their sweetness and juici-
ness is lost in transportation.
In the climate of Florida, its genial
warmth, its soft and soothing air, its
perpetual sunshine relieved by oc-
casional refreshing cloudiness and
showers, and in its ceaseless, untir-
ing verdure and bloom, there is
peculiar fascination, and to open out the
splendid resources of this .sLand of
Flowers" there are needed the energy,
the enterprise and the thrift of the first
settlers of the North.
The Pilgrim Fathers, pioneers in a
most inhospitable land, made springs of
water to flow out from the rocks, and
converted New England into great gar
den, not withstanding that for several
months in the year its rivers are ice
bound and its hills and meadows are
buried beneath the snow.
1t is not the palatial hotels like the
Ponce de Leon and the Casa Monica that
will populate and build up Florida, de-
sirable and delightful as these may be,
but it is the small householders who will
keep their houses, grounds and groves in
order. With little care every yard in
Florida might be rose bower, every
house like an Italian villa, with its
drapery of vines, its majestic shade
oak or palmetto. The labor would be
much lighter than that which trans
formed the wilds of New England, but it
would need to be equally persevering
and systematic.
A Florida home should be the very
perfection of a home, all nature here is
so gentle, so generous, SO bealthful and
so sympathetic, and as we write, we have
vision of its enchanting loneliness in
the coming future, when its now DESC
lated plains shall be converted into land
scape gardens, teeming orchards, and its
great forests shall be preserved for the
many uses, as well as for their marvel
Gus beauty.
Branching off from the Fruitland road
a mile or two is the Welaka sulphur
cnripo, paor tho Raocbar n ro,-a h,,f thara
are SO many cross roads, and without
guide posts or land marks of any kind,
that it is only by frequent inquiries,
much conjecture and good deal of
last in the vicinity of the place.
We fastened our horses to tree. and
very doubtfully and carefully made our
way through narrow path, putting out
long olfactories to catch the familiar
odor of the sulphur. When it unmis-
takably reached us, we fastened for
ward, until we came at last unexpectedly
upon a most exquisite little sheet of wa
ter, embosomed in shaded dell. 1t was
extremely picturesque, and its being so
entirely hidden gave it little charm of
mystery.
The water is living spring. clear as
crystal, pleasant and delicate to the
taste; not strong enough to be of any
great medicinal value, but We're it more
accessible, or near some large hotel. it
would doubtless prove mine of wealth.
The excursion train IN DaI apd laCf
week was detained about two hours in
the middle of the day at Huntington, be-
cause of some fault of the engine. 1t
was long train of nine cars, and as it
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