Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-16
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
To the Free Press:

The inhabitants of this remarkably
pleasant place call it 1.-The Athens of
Florida" They also say that there is
no place in the whole world just like
DeLand." This statement is true beyond
question. There are no two places jus
alike in the whole world. 1t is also true
that few, if any, Of the smaller Florida
cities possess as many attractions as
DeL.and. 1t has about 900 inhabitants,
including several hundred visitors. The
streets are finely shaded with evcrsro en-
oaks There are many comfortable and
wall-kept residences. 1t possesses one
of the best hotels in the State. 1t has Il
college. 1.-THE John b. Stetson Unvcr-
sity." which has some cXcellen. build
ings, and some $50 students about half
girls and half boys) in its various de-
partments: classical scientific, law, fitting
and primary schools etc. 1t is in an
eleyated-elevated. that is. for Florida,
say from 100 to 40 feet above the ocean,
and a comparatively dry region. The
main forest growth outside of the "han-
mocks' in which a great variety of semi
tropical trees, shrubs vines and plants
abound, is of the Southern pine. tall
without branches for from 60 To 100 feet
of straight trunks. and without under
growth. The latter is prevented by semi
annual burnings of the wire grass which
covers the ground with sparse crop
tough as wire, and rejected by the cat
tie except in its young growth. The
farmers accordingly touch fire to the
dry grass which yields to nothing but
| fire, and after it is burned off growth
| of green grass comes up which affords
pasture for the cattle for time. Tho
collecting ard dstillng of turpentine Is
n considerable branch OF industry ir
the sc pine woods. a "box." as it il
called. or pocket, is chopped into the
trunk of the tree n foot or two above
the ground and the bark cut Off fol
several feet above it. The gum" OF
crude turpentine. trckles slowly dowI
into the box, and twice q month is dipped
out and taken to the stills. in which the
spirit of turpentinc is distilled. The pro
cess kills the trees in time; but a large
tree will survive it for a number o.
years.
This region was once the heart Of thu
great orange belt of Florida. and orang,
culture was the main business of tn
region; but the great freeze of eleven O.
twelve years ago destroyed orange tree
by the million and cost the growers mil
lions of dollars Orange culture, however
has been by no means abandoned. Orang
orchards arc abundant and are con
slant source of anxiety to their owners
In many of them you see hundreds o
piles OF pitch-pine wood between the row
OF trees. to be set on fire when a fros
comes and thus ward off calamity b.
the heat and smoke. In the unprOtecte
orchards the trees have been despOile
of leaves and fruit by two severe freeze
during the past winter. and the groun
under them is yellow with spoiled an
rotting oranges. The trees have not bee
killed, however. They are now putin
out green leaves, and will blossom an
bear fruit later and the owners hop
} for better luck and milder winter mex
time. On the place OF Mr.. John r. stet
son, n mile or more outside this city
many acres of orange orchards and pine
apple patches are protected by hg
sheds. rooted with movable Stats an
warmed. when artificial heat IL needed
by numerous iron furnaces burning sol
coal. / saw there. the other day. thou
, sands Of pineapples In all stages q
growth from the small green fruI
to superb sise and ripeness. and hun
|dreds OF trees loaded with ripa oranSei
This Mr.. stetson 10 the rich hat make
Of PhiIadelphia. He came to peLan
/ many yeyrs ago ana has. In large par
, made the place what it Is. Mr.. Stetso
has. as understand. done much fc
your city" ! said to n citizen. Don
, everything was the reply. He gave
-, the University which bears his namc II
, main building, "A large and well appointe