Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-12
sEMl.TR0PictL WINTER.

fThe Entire RaanfDti Ofthe N0rthwes
transferred to FIortda-Workfng
Presumption Claim.
Orlando, Florida, Feb, 10, lSS9-Te
the Press and Dakotaian: The Who'll,
northern country boasts OF its wonder
fully mild winter and abseEc, of snow
It would not appear SO strange if they
could realize the amount of rain In Flori.
dc. Winter 10 usually our dsyest season
but an old weather observer in this coun
try d. elares that since October We have
hsd forty four inches OF rainfall. HI
reports the average annual rainfall fol
many years at about fifty inches, while
1 have seen it given by others at sixty
two. There are usually only five or ten
inches of winter rains, in place OF the
present immense amount. So you may
we'll believe our streams and lakes ar
high, and our low lands sadly overflow
ed. There is the explanation of the lacs
of snow up north and consequent mild
ness. There is not enough moisture in
the country to Ego around" after Florida
has gobb.el so large q share.
These rains usually fall gently and
steadily. soaking into the sandy soil day
by day, aud helping the growth of most
trees and plants, except those inundated,
With all the foods there are no wash
outs, no bridges swept away, no fatal
collisions or ssoppage of trains. Wagon
roads are passsbly good and in mosi
places improved by the rains. There
were two frosis early IN the winter.
enough 20 freeze and kill the leaves oil
bananas only but since that time the
weather has been above the irosting
point. Vegetables and fruit trees haye
grown nicely oil winter.
Last summer I took up o presumption
claim of 160 acres ard after clearing five
acres and building a small house, the
whole family took up there abode therein.
Many long stories could be told of on,
wild wood home on the margin OF Turkey
creek, and our intimate relations with
alithe wild birds, beasts and fishes OF this
remote corner among the lakes and
cypress swamps. The children have
enjoyed it greatly. and every one of the
family except myself shows o marked
Improvement in health. One induce
ment TO thus exile ourselves last summer
was the supposed danger of yellow fever
getting into Orlando. But our city
remained free from the plague, and has
enjoyed q more perfect degree of general
health throughout than any northern
place I ever lived in.
In August and the fall months
planted about four acres OF orange trees
Owing to the wit season and good care
not @ tree died. 1 clipped off nearly ell
the tops and picked off every leaf. This
Is the surest means of causing the tree
to bud out promptly and grow veil
Every leaf left on Of the time of trans
/! planting IS &c eysresating surface
draining the life and sap OF the tree.
We follow the same plan in putting out
banana plants, guavas, 50. The young
shoots on my orange and lemon trees
mstured In December, the trees stood
dormant q few weeks making roots
rapidly; then in January they felt the
awakening thtill of spring end budded
out psofnsely for another full crop o!
twiRs. The bearing orchards that were
full of oranges, stimulated by the
warmth and rain, began dropping their
oranges by wholesale The fruit was
pushed off, so TO speak, by the swelling
buds, and to-day we see trees covered
with new foliage and clusters of white
buds, giving promise Of next winters
crop of oranges
About Thanksgiving day I planted q
small grove Of young peach trees, which
were planted last spring as peach stones
then the young plants budded IN June
They we're dug up IN November "a tall
thrifty, we'll branehed trees, four to Sly
feet high, and an inch through at the
ground. | out back the swigs and plant
ed the trees in holes filled with rich
muck. They sooa put forth buds all
over, and q part OF them bloomed. To-
day L saw the young peaches adheriDa
as the blossoms fall off. and if there is nc
hard frost we shall taste their ripe fruit
in May.
There is something very attractive
about seeing the steady growth OF 300
young orange trees, twensy.fye bananas,
twenty-five pineapples, thirty peaches
and hosts OF ornamental plants and
vines, all Though the winter months,
on land which last July was covered
with tall pines and young oaks. We
have lately procured eight young fig
trees OF the choicest variety. We cut
them off nea the ground and cut up the
heavy stalk into cuttiuge eight inches
long and ss thick as o walking cane
Each outing, planted in the sand AND
kept waterei, will within q year make {
fig tree larger than the three year old
apple trees in q northern nursery, sut
Twill even begin bearing figs. Thus from
eight srees bought I. have thirty-tws
planted 10 the grove among the orange
trees; and after being out three week.
they have not only budded but expand
ed their leaves finely.
Another piece Of new cleared land o
one half acre was planted January 16,l
with grape vines from an exteasiv,
grape raiser. our nearest neigh
tI--a-a