The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-12-30
Concerning Florida.

| Edlt0r OF Wutchnlun:-l was won
deiing '-l,y, ,s | "a, with do and
windows open tol in tn 0slmy air
and sunshine, y more V r onters
do not spend their winters IN FL ,rida.
In mauy instances, the st OF coming
here and living tor three or four
months through the coolest par of the
ar woul be but little more than o
! stay It home and try TO keep warm by
| burning wood and coal. Board is now
ute reasonable here, and there are
cottages which are partly furuished
that can be rented for from So To 800
month.
Winter Park is one of the pleasantest
places in Florida in which TO spend
few months. Many northern people
live here permane Mt y, and many more
come to spend the winter. We have
one of the best co leges (Ro llns) in the
state. Many come TO this place for it's
schools, the pubic school, also, being
of the first class. Rollins College is
acquiring high reputation as "a school.
1t has now over one hundred stu tents,
and they come from many states.
During the last year the college WAS 80
fortunate as to secure az president Rev.
G. M. Ward Lowell, Mass, an en- T.
getic man, and very much liked. TUT
ton, for a term of three months, $l2,
board at the college, So SO a week.
We have three fne churches, Con-
gregational, M rhodlst and Episcopal.
The Christian Endeavor Society and
Epworth League are doing good
work among the young people. There
are no saloo 8 or billiard rooms to en-
tice the young to tneir first wrong step,
but we have a good reading-room and a
fine free library.
There are two railroads affording
communication in all directions The
Park is only five hours by rail from
Jacksonvlll-. Orlando, the county
seat, a place of about three or four
thousand inhabitants is five miles south.
The past year the people of Orlando
and Winter Park have been making
great improvements in their roads.
Clay sidewalks make it very convenient
getting about.
Although the orange trees were
frozen to the ground two years ago,
there are few oranges this year, and
more in the southern part of the state.
Next year there will be quite an in
crease in the crop. Since the freeze
there has been a great advance 10 gen
eral farming, as it was found the soil
could produce almost everything need
ed. Formerly l,rge quantity of north
ern hay was sold 10 the farmers and
Granger growers; now there is hardly
any In September we start our win
ter gardens and now grow great va
riety of products. OF course we are
liable to have frosts in December or
January which will cut off the tender
vegetables, but if we do, we can plant
over ground again the next dav and in
few weeks have fresh supply. We
can grow rye and oats in the winter
and early spring. l have this fall
grown nice crop of Japan buckwheat
which l think is the best variety to
grow anywhere. We have the Florida
clover, or " beggar weed" which is at
fine for hay as your red clover, and il
grows very luxuriantly here. Dairy
ing here in the winter is very success
full, and milk is now sold in Winter
Park for six cents quart. A few years
ago, it was ten cents.
Now that the country has returned
from its wanderings, and elected fol
President man who will work for thu
interests of Americans first, trus
that new era of prosperity will dawr
upon the south, and that Florida's in
terests will be protected in the revision
of the tariff. We want a reasonable
duty on oranges and lemons, from No
vember until March at least. Their,
are lots of good democrats in this stat
that are glad Mckinley was elected
for they know it means better prosper
ily for Florida, as northern capital will
now be looking for good investment
and Florida can show many such oppor
tuniLies.
Strawberries are now blooming an,
if our friends will give us call any
time after New Years, we will be gla
to supply them with all they can eat
with genuine Jersey cream to go wit
them. @. II. WARD,
Winter Park, Fla, Nov. 1896.