The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-02-13
BILL ARP IN FLORIDA,

''' mos re" Oranges and Many Rare
Birds-An Old Castle Conc TO Ruin.
RI. l. ! had Resg! doIwil2 WI 70 0'MNa.tanee and
3eTGuentown to SEQ what the great
freeze Of last winter had done to the
| oranges. | found that most of the crop
| had bcen gathered and marketed, but
the boats still take on u few moro boxes
cVcry day. The crop was not u full one,
but brought about live times as much
per box rs it did tho year before. The
| lruit was never finer in size or more
| luxurious In llavor. Ono orange was
given mo that measured lS inches in
circum ference, and it was not puffy or
| or overly thick liz tho rind. The grow
ors realized about ~. rs por box, and
those that have been held back are now
bringing So AS u rule tho best groves
| belong to residents. NOn-rcsdents got
discouraged last year at SO cents u box
and quit fcrtilizing and quit paying q
| man to look aftcr their property. Con-
,cQucntly, you will see many groves
| that have been practically abandoned,
but right alongside you will sec Il grove
tn perfect anu vigorous condition. "An
orange grove" said Shcrir Watson,
"rcqurcs rs much nursing as Il baby,
but it will reward you II you care fo.
it," Tho clcvor sh, riff took mo out to
see tho Royal Palm nurseries that arc
conducted by Mr.. Itcusoncr and SON
Ihc young man was kind and courte-
)uS and | wondered at his enthusiasm
rs he explained everything and dis
;ourscd OF the beautiful tropical plants.
ana talked botany and Horticulture,
much OF which was all Greek to me.
Hc gave mo clippings Of colTce and tea
| and rubber and CamphOr and cinnamon
and other cxotics, and showed mo or.
doris from the north and west and from
across the water. If was u young man
would pursue this busincs for one
| rcason If for 10 other. | have observed
| that all florists arc enthusiasts about
| their calling. They love il and arc
| lappy. Look at Mr.. Berckmans, OF
| AuguSta--what " noble, earnest man
~ is. Just think how much plcasur,
lis fruits and IlOwcrs have given tie
people, especially the wives aud daugh-
5ers all over this Southland of ours
How intensely ho studies nature and
how extensively he ditluscs knowledge
over his adopted country He has
ncithcr time nor inclination for poll
tics. nc bankers after no Office, he has
| 40 quarrols wish mankind, but is hap
Oy in communing with natur, and ma
turc's God. | would rather know what
| he knows than to be learned in any
ticulturc is IL profitable business and
| brings It's sure rewards. These Rcas-
Oncrs began on a small scale and from
year to year have enlarged their plant
and now arc financially independents
| looked into tho depot at Bradcntown
and saw boxes OF their trees and plants
waiting for the boat, and some Of them
we're marked to Nebraska and Michi-
gan. Their palms and ferns and aca-
clas so to Boston anC, New York, where
they arc wanted for funerals and fctcs
and weddings. They can get $50 for
tho leaves OF II single plant.
| In company with Judge COrnwcll
visited Manatcc, which is only three
| miles from I'radcnJown and is the old
est town on the river. The country
between the two is thickly settled and
is ornamenLcd with orange groves and
date palms and other tropical trees
It tho beautiful home Of Mr.. Adams,
OF boston, | saw more beautiful brda
Z tan | have ever seen in all my life.
Inc veranda was full Of cages-large
cages. six feet square and six feet high,
and in them he had pairs Of most every
fancy kind to be found in the world.
Strange to say they were Il happy fam
| lily from the t:nicst linnots to tho paro-
qucts. In other cages he had rabbits
and Quails and pigeons and pheasants
from South America and Honolulu and
the islcs OF the sea. He has been a
great tr,., eler and has brought treas
ures frC :. very country. never saw
ut any (. / such beautiful fowls, nor 80
many OF item as those that grace his
grounds. There was only one thing
lacking to make his home complete,
and that was childrcn--little girls and
boys to brighten up the picture Not
far away from Manateo is the old cas-
tic, the tumbling walls Of Il once stately
mansion that was built of concrete
away back In the los. Spacious halls
and spacious rooms up stairs and down,
broad veandas without floors and win
dows without sash, wild orange trees
and palmcttos crowdng the walls and
" wilderness almost impcnetrable
around. Surely this must bo the place
where Hood wrote "Tho Haunted
all there hung shad-
ow and fear" Mr.. Bradcn, for whom
the town and river Is named, lived in
1T like prince until the Indians drove
him from it. For long time he and
his family and his slaves successfully
defended it by firing from every win
dow, but they carried of everything |
no had outside, and he was forced to |
abandon his beautiful and costly home
stead. How little 90 we know OF the
brave deeds, the surerings and perils
OF the pioneers OF Florida ! If tradi-
ton Is to be believed, there is not O.
county or ownship in all this region,
rom Pensacola to Charlotte harbor,
that ls not consecrated by the blood OF
tho early settlers. 1t took thirty mil
lions OF money and twenty thousand
soldiers first and last to sublime G,OOO
Indians, under the lead Of Osccola and.
other chiefs.
But | must leave fair Florida for q
time and go homo to comfort the bet
ter half Of the family. 1t is hard on us
oid people to have to run after tho
children, but it won't last much long
cr-our time Is almost out, our Jour
noys will soon be ended, and we viii
have to trust them to the keeping OF O.
parent who doeth all things we'll.
BILL ARP.
How to Caro All Skin Diseases.
Simply apply SwAYNE's ONT
.k,x.s III.