Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-02-01

| Being weary, 1t was fully a. N. before
sleep DE- parted. Looking out of the hotel
window, no tongue can tell the sensation
which ran through me. Jan. 81, cattle
grszing in the fields; orange trees loaded
with their golden fruit; the SUI shining
SO beautifully; il was like the most beauti-
iul day 10 Vermont In June.
Breakfast eaten, we took a stroll around
the city. Arcadia Is tie oasis OF Florida,
he heart of the orange belt, which | had
been looking for. The freezes OF 81 and
'95 killed nearly all the orange groves for
more than 200 miles south OF Jacksonville,
which leaves about rs miles OF the range
belt TO the great state OF Florida.
South OF here (save a few fertile spots
called the evergladesl, tbs land is given up
To Il dams, rattlesnakes, alligators, Wild
cats, panthers, etc.
The people here are in fiourishing con-
dition. Oranges, cattle, rice, sweet pota-
toes, all kinds OF vegetables are the farm
ers' CT ps. The orange Industry is at
white heat. Oranges as rule are sold to
New York buyers on the trees at about =
per box. Grape fruit, which resembles
he orange, only much larger, sells from
81 to 90 per box. A few years ago grape
fruit could not be sold and the trees we're
chopped down, but they are now sold at
fabulous prices They are claimed TO be
valusb BILE for sick p ople. | saw trees that
have been sold T. 300 per tree. Orange
groves sell from $500 up, on the trees. 1t
Is no uncommon thing to hear OF ssle OF
81 900 to s. 900. The largest sale of a single
grove on tue trees was for ga 500. II was
worth a long trip to see this beautiful
grove.
Trees commence to bear at from three
TO five years, according to the care they
receive. Trees bloom in February.
Oranges are ready to pick in October and
ats tn mi the
until March or even later until the sap OF
the orange goes back into the tree. Pack
ing. houses here run all winter, II winter
you call it. Bruised oranges are free to all
to eat or carry away. Young groves are
being set out every year, but every cold
wave people hold their breath for fear
Jack Frost will again move south. Wood
is piled up bstween every row OF trees to
he set on fire in case freeze should occur.
No grove is complete without drive wells
10 irrigate 1t, steam engines being used
for that purpose. April and MAY are the
months of droutb, lille the young fruit
is setting. Slight frosts do no harm to
orange trees; il is the hard freeze that ts
disastrous. Even in this section, good
many young orchards have been kilNd by
adding fertilizer in the fall, which pro-
duced mid winter growth which WAS too
tender to survive cold waves. Nature
seems to be at low ebb in winter months,
even IL the weather is suitable to plant
growth. Three frosts have occurred in
mild form Jan. lst, ID and 18th, but did
no damage. Save in July snd August
there are bnt few storms. Nearly every
day has beautiful sunshine, with the Their
mometer not below 707 nor above So.
But, Gear readers, what more could
Grand Army man ask for to make him
hRpny han oranges, ripe tomatoes, string
beans, lettuce, cooked by order OF a Con-
federate capt lin, also a notorious Confed-
srate spy who, with a Union pass in his
pocket betrayed the Union forces and
saved the capture OF a portion OF the army
under Johnston, to pray for you in
church, What would satisfy him II that
would not
ITO be continued.l
G.. w. FLAGG, Arcadia, Florida.
1915 miles south of Jaeksonville.)