The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-02-06
LAND OF FLOWERS.
Florida Letter Recently Received From Myron
j. Harrington.
peLaud, Fla, Jan. q, 1905.

Editor Banner and Reformer:-
Some time ago we promised you an
other letter from the "Land OF Sun
shine and Flowers. AS to the sun
shine 1t is certainly here in abundance;
during past two months we have had
but four days totally overcast for the
entire day and but few days OF this
period could be called partly cloudy.
While this Is not the season for bloom
in Florida, many plants are in bloom,
also peaches,
Since my previous letter Florida has
bad three cold waves, what they cal
here real winter. This winter consists
OF bracing sunny days, cool nights and
morning, with an occasional frost,
lowest temperature % degrees. Some
orange growers sire" -that is they
set on fire the little piles OF dry pine
wood all about in orange groves ready
for a cold night, however, no damage
was done In central Florida. The
orange crop is said to be two thirds
harvested, The total crop for the
state, season OF 10000 was 1000, 600
boxes; estimated total crop for 1901 o.
is 5000 600 boxes. In 1894 90 there
were 5000, 900 boxes harvested and the
following season oflS95-96 only 5000
This was due to the great freeze. !"
The above figures show you the gain
since then and the thrifty orange
groves all about us, now in boring,
represents growth of only ten years.
Here are The famous shielded groves,
the property of John b. Stetson of
Philadelphia He has so acres Of
orange groves enclosed in sheds 10
feet high, and besides above, has 100
acres OF thrifty orange groves. His
packi g house has capa"ity OF ten
carloads a week. Mr. Stetson built and
controls the College Arms hotel, also
made Stetson university what it i to-.
day, college with $50 students.
The tourist season is now at its
height. II is said that more people
are coming to Florida than ever before
in history. Jacksonville hotels are
crowded; proprietors say their business
is so per cent better than last season.
All railroad ana steamship lines en-
teriDg Florida are taxed 10 the limit.
Three New York and st Augustine
specials are now on; they are called
Palace Whirlwinds, and make the run
in 26 hours.
Deland has a little army OF northern
people. We have a Tourists club
with rooms furnished by the city,
where we read, visit and play games.
We have on our register prominent
businessmen from many states includ
ing Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia,
Alabama, Kentucky, Pennsylvania,
New York, New Jersey. New Hamp
shire, Massachusetts and Connecticut,
having the honor of representing
Vermont.
The Ormond Daytona Beach auto
races are now the chief topic. This
beach is said to be as hard as macad-
am, 30 miles long and at low tide 300
feet wide, making it the greatest nat.
ural racing ground Of America AL.
ready two90 horsepower Mercedes cars
have made a mile in 81 seconds. H.
L. Bowden has here a 20 horsepower
Mercedes and racing men are predict.
ing an official mile record being made
in 80 seconds or even better Barney
Oldfield, the famous chaffeur, visited
DeLand Saturday.
But little has been written regarding
the summers in Florida. We are told
by many northern people, now resi-
dents, that they like the summers much
better than the winters, and readers
may smile to be told that the east coas,
is 1aSt becoming u summer resort. AL
Daytona from last June to January,
we are told, the thermometer reached
80 degrees but once and that was on
October 3, and the nights are said to
be cool and comfortable.
AS winter resort there is no ques.
tion, as all the east coast will be taxed
to its utmost capacity to take care Of
the big crowds of tourists going to
that section of the state, aud also the
west coast is getting more tourists this
winter than for any previous season,
More in future.
Respectfully yours,
MyronJ. Harrington.