Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-03-15
From the Land of Sunshine and
Flowers

From the Land of Sunshine ana
Flowers
SAFETY HARBoR, FLA, Mar. B.
DEAR GAZETTE Our old friend
from Pensacola, Florida, in your
last issue, writes rather discour-
ageingly about things in that sec
ton. He is chilled with the cold
waves. and grows weary waiting
for sunshine and heat. He thinks
the town of Pensacola would fur
nish suitable material for first
class fire, and might be improved
thereby. The only comfort that l
can offer him is to come South,
"where the orange blossoms grow"
where the sweet singing birds de-
light to make melody to gladden.
the heart of man.
This peninsula has suffered as
little perhaps as any part OF the
orange section of the State In
two thirds of the State the regis
ter was as low as ID degrees. In
this neighborhood 20 degrees was
the lowest. At Tampa it was
playing around "a degrees. The
orange and lemon trees were In
rather q dormant condition. The
Young growth had not put out,
and consequently were uninjurea,
I know of many groves which still
carry their fruit. The oranges
were at their best about the time
the cold wave struck us. When
the sac of the trees force out the
new shoots, which are now full OF
bloom, the effect is to render the
oranges on the trees dry and pithy'
The outlook here foi a good crop
this year is good. ] have never
seen so much bloom. You may
look for a good bloom on the fruit
trees in Rockbridge. A cold win
ter is ia sorable to good bloom
Hope my prediction may hoio
good.
The inflow of Northern anc
Western tourists to Florida hal
been greater than heretofore. I'M
| towns are literally filled up wall
| health and pleasure seekers: Inc
Jews and Gentilee, the rich ane
poor, the quick moving Yankee
| the slow talking westerner, are q
be found here. A strange mixture
but every one seems satisfied an'
contented, unless it be some poo
| invalid, who, as a last resort, ma
come here. expecting or hoping To-
relief. =.
1 have received letters. asklni
for information as to CONDITION
and prospects here, in the way o
making a living, etc. Labor l
scarce, and good men command
good salary or price. A poor
slovenly, eye-servant of a fellow
worth little here, and less in Rock
bridge. A live, active, honest lab
| orer is in demand and can Away
| get good wages. A young marie
couple with proper industry an
saving. with small capita
can live we'll and start a bushes
| in fruit or vegetable culture whic
in a few years would BE- product
live, if not of wealth. at least Of
competency. l have in mind man
Instances in this section similar
those 1 have spoken Of.
/ Last week, an old friend nes
Largo" a native of Georgia, sen
fos a part of my family and myse
| to visit him. He told me ne cam
here after the war. without any
thing but energy and has youn
wife. started in the woods, stsrte
la grove, 800 trees. Has raise
seven boys, educated the most {
thsm, one of whom took law
Washington and Lee a few yea
since. | visited on tEis trip foi
of his sons, All in good aondltio'
and we'll TO do. Last year he sol
!, from two grapefruit trees, one AZ
crates, the other 494 at $3.50 O
the tree. This year. oranges D.
ing lower, he sold his crop frol
the little grove Of 800 trees fe
$4,000. Easier made than cor
and wheat.
MY time and space are up,
will CLOSE. w. B. f. l..