The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1902-10-30
OUR FLoRAHoME LETTER.
Editor PALATKA NEWS:

~ lCSOih VI thSlJS IdpptlliuS 1T
our little colony, tracing from time
to time its progress and embarrass-
ments is perhaps the best index to
It's character that could be made.
Florida, ever conspicuous among the
states of our union for its salubrity
of climate, has in other respects had
II name for barrennesS in, that which
meets the needs as well as wants Of
its people, viewing these needs and
wants from northern rather than
the southern standpoint hence your
correspondent has frequently been
asked would you advise me to come
to Florida?"
You are well aware Mr.. Editor
that to answer the question positive
ly in the affirmative to pessimistic
enquirer is to elicit the response, 80
yes, the fox which had his tail taken
off in the trap-yOu are there and
want company" To the op tImist
the answer while convinced of its
honesty would further lead to the
question. Why? If the answer to
such one were because Florida
affords the best of everything desi-
rable, many published reasons to the
contrary could be produced to prove
a doubt of the fact.
To say that we can have strawber-
ries from January to July, peaches
from June to October, melons four
months of the twelve, potatoes
both the white and the sweet every
day in the year with eggs, milk and
other luXuries, besides those COM
prised in list given in our last letter,
is to court the response earnestly
emphasized, ais that So"
Yet tits fact--the writer had bush
els of as fine peaches as ever grew
on Maryland or Michigan tree on
trees only 10 months old from the
nursery and some plums on trees set
q months from nursery stock. So
have ever said and truthfully that a
home can be made quicker, better
and with less labor and more COM
forts in Florida than any other state
in the union, but that none should
come here empty handed and expect
to find paradise ready made, nor is
it best to come here and put up n
mere shanty for a permanent abid-
ing place and expect wife and
daughter coming from a northern
house that has been constructed to
keep out the cold of winter to be
content in the shell, simply because
of the mildness of the climate-not
that large house is a necessity. OF
course big house with large rooms
is nice, but it takes lots of cash to
put up such house and furnish
such rooms.
A small house with moderate
sized r. Oms is comfortable in this
climate where we live so much out
of doors.
A bed room SKIP or even smaller
with good sized window in it
screened on the outside to keep out
mosquitoes and other vermin and the
upper sash lowered part or all the
way will give sleeping room as de-
sirable as most persons would wish
in this climate where no sultry
nights are known and be far health
Ter than those of the northern home
closed in winter to keep out the cold
or open in summer to allow posi-
BILE draft of air that would be so well
come during the many intensely
sultry nights so we'll remembered.
Such a house with or rooms
would cost but little in excess, if any,
of $3.50, nicely built and plastered.
Winter in Florida is winter and
though the thermometer may regis
ter as high as 60o above zero vet the
chill of the atmosphere from mid
night till sunrise is such as to de-
mand more than temporary protec-
ton.
To come here to heap up use
less bank account will meet disap-
pOintment.. Nature never made pro-
vision for such an institution, but the
home-that spot made sacred by its
surroundings, its pleasures, its sor-
rows, its joys, its pains-if that be
the object it can be established here
quicker and better than anywhere
else.
The old soldier with his little pen
sion has perpetual spring from
whence to draw supply, and some
tradesmen could prOfitably come,
but none, not one, except to own at
least five-acre piece of good land
and it can be had-on which to grow
a greater part of his living and spend
his otherwise idle hours. Independ-
ence is mighty lever to bring con-
tentmont and he only who is in con-
ditiOn to be so, and is determined
likewise, will make the successful
and contented resident. Association
is also great necessity. I'm the
of counsel there is safety"
is trueism often needing repetition,
and in community of action, in COM
only, is found safety.
The ladies of our community under
stand this fully and have or
ganiZed the Ladies' Aid Society with
a present membership of 20. Also
Union, Farmers EX-
change and frequent other gather
ings, basket picnics, fish frys and
excursions are made aids to secure
the cOntentment that isolation never
brings. The Sabbath is observed by
most of cur people as a day of rest
and worship. Our Sunday school,
with an average attendance of about
30, church service. the Young Peoples !
Society of Christian EndeavOr all |
point to the moral tone of our peo-
pie. Books, papers, magazines and |
other like literature are a prominent |
feature of the home, and they
abound among us.
But" asks one, "can't / make |
'ome money there ?" Most assured |
Y you can. One of our people netted |
Isl from One-fourth acre of cabbage. |
sell well, peaches can
,e and are sent north. Early string |
BEANS, onions, lettuce and other like |
oh in III