The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-12-17
! NoRTHERNER DOWN SOUTH.
A Former Resident of lola Gives a Pleasing
Picture of Life In the Lone Star State.

EDITOR RBGISTER-Perhaps a COM
munication from "way down South in
Dixie" would interest some of your
readers, as we have received numbers
of letters since living here enquirIng
all about the resources of the country,
climate, etc.
1t is difficult to make nOrtherner
comprehend the conditions here. TIE
portion of the state bordering on the
Gulf is very sparsely settled. The
Old-time southerner settled along the
wooded streams, but along the several
lines of railroad there have sprung up.
during the last five or six years, small
towns every few miles, and these are
composed, almost exclusively. of
northern people who have set out to
raise fruit and vegetables instead of
Texas "long HORNS" which had 80
long held undisputed sway. The eli
mate is far superior to that of Kansas.
| True, our summers are warm but no
| AnOAO OO Aloh Aukuol NCothOA Guy
where in the North, and then e have
almost continually the gulf breeze
from the southeast, which is always
cool and moist. Those of US living
directly on the bay have delightful
bathing during the long summer; and
fishing parties aid boating excursions
to some distant headland or light
house are frequent and delightful
events. Any place in close proximity
to salt water is considered healthfnl
locality; indeed the South as a whole
ia not the pestilential place, teeming
with deadly reptiles and insects,
which it is generally supposed to be.
The change of seasons is not clearly
defined. Like Rudyard Kipling's
descriptions in the jungle Stories"
"they glide one into another almost
imperceptibly." There are so many
green shrubs, and several sorts of
vegetation that remain green all win
ter, and the days are mostly su pleas
ant that one does not note the coming
offspring; and as the beautiful wealth.
er continues until late i'm December
we are not aware that winter is here
until "nOrther" comes along and
stirs things up. Our winters are
about like Kansas October without
the wind) with few days of NOvem-
Der thrown in, when ice forms for sew
ersl nights. perhaps. Cabbage, cele-
ry, beets, turnips, lettuce. radishes,
etc. grow all winter, indeed there is
not month in the year but what
some fresh vegetables may be had
from the garden. Peach blossoms
may be seen any month during the
winter. Strawberries begin ripening
the first of March and continue three
months and are followed closely by
black berries and dewberries which
ale also plentiful. Figs put forth
their leaves in February and continue
to set and ripen until December
Pears are just beginning to bear as it
| is only fe " years since Northern
men came in and began planting pear
trees. Spring gardens ARE matured
by June; then comes dry spell that
lasts perhaps until some time in
August, when planting is again be-
gun. We are now enjoying the sec
Ond crop of butter beans, asparagus,
cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, potatoes,
lettuce, etc. Onions are planted in
September and harvested in May and
June, and the growing of them is be-
coming quite an industry. Sweet pO-
tatoes and peanuts planted in March
are now being harvested and Iare
plentiful crops. The various water
fowl, in great flOcks, are returning
from their summer home along the
northern lakes and the bay resounds
with their continued chatter. The
sportsman is in his glory, and goose
and duck are often on the bill of fare
along with oysters, which are now
getting in fine condition and, at low
tide. can be had for the picking up.
The perfect days of the year are now
with us, and will probably continue
until Christmas. The landscape is
all aglOw with goldenrOd and "cloth
of gold" the bay is smooth as glass, a
purple haze hangs over all and blends
the sea and sky into one, until the
far-off sails seem floating in the clouds
This seems to be the home of the rose,
and the gardens are now gay with
this queen of flowers, creamy, pink
and variegated and fragrant with the
/ hOneysuckles and white lilies and
oceans" of chrysanthemums.
And yet, have heard no one
express the belief that this is the
original site of the Garden of Eden, or
is ever likely to resemble that ancient
! EldOTadO. 1t calls TO mind some
lines in "Lalla ROOkh." "SOme flow
of EGan Va Sf;n a.