The National tribune., 1909-05-27
A COLONY IN FLORIDA.
Letter From q Comrade Living fin Il
Northern Part of the State.

n
Northern Part of the State.
The National Tribune is in receipt of
letter from Comrade G. H. Borges, of
| Lake City, Florida, dated Feb. "a. from
which the following is quoted:
| Il have often wondered why there has
never been an effort to settle q Soldier
Colony in Florida. There is still chance
to get cheap land, but the difficulty is
TO secure enough of the right kind in
large, bodies. Land varies much in value.
For example, an owner might want a
thousand dollars an acre for his place.
while nearby vacant land could be had for
few dollars. The difference is due to
brains and improvements. There is all
KIND OF land in Florida, and the poorest
Is susceptible to improvement with effort
and time.
to locate a Colony would be in South
Florida, at least south of Marion County,
where there is chance that fruit and
vegetables will not be killed in the Win
ter. Three weeks ago we had a drop of
the mercury from Summer to % degrees
above zero. Of course, all vegetables
lexcept onions and turnips) that were
the orange trees of this section look sick.
rms drop OF temperature covered all of
the northern part of the State and well
down into the peninsula.
For fruit and vegetables your Colony
should be located in South Florida; for
cattle cat raising, the clay lands west of
Madison County, along the northern boun-
dary of the State. That sectau is also
adapted to tobacco, and good deal of
money has been made growing that
weed Anywhere north of line drawn
from Cedar Keys on the Gulf side to st.
Augustine on the Atlantic coast, is really
outside OF the orange and vegetable belt, |
~.
line of the State, but not commercially.
one can have them for family use and
take his chances. The records show that |
about once a decade frost gets in its |
deadly work on the trees, and the hope |
of years vanshes.
Now. l take it that the old Soldier
wants to spend his declining years where
he will not have cold feet where he
can have beans, peas, and other vegeta-
bles growing all Winter; where he can
go fishing and cunning, and live easy
1t Is not far anywhere to fresh or salt
water, and nowhere is there a greater
variety of fish, and northern birds, ducks
and the like, come down here for the
Winter The birds know a good thing,
and some of the human family. more Of
them every year, are learning that Flor
ida is all right, and are coming down.
Il have at this writing white potatoes
six inches high, but 1 covered them with
1ai III SOupic OI Weeks Wneu the freeze
,ame, but this precaution is too costly.
have been here over 25 years, and my
-egret is that l did not locate further
'outh. We are in the Sea Island cotton
'ection,. and good deal of short staple
,Ott0n is grown in connection with corn.
But would not recommend the Northern
nan up in years to monkey with cotton.
logs fatten on peanuts and ,lvet beans
he latter grow luxuriantly, also fur
lish feed for cattle. When round they
make good feed, mixed with corn, for
orses.
Fruit and vegetables are what your
,olOny should locate for. If your loca-
ion is suitable. / will take stock myself"
The National Tribune is glad to assure
Berger that our Colony is south
f Marion County. 1t is in the orange
nd grapefruit and early vegetable belt,
iourishing groves and gardens is evi-
ence. Altogether our locality is one
here even lazy man can make a living
he half tries. Something can be
rown each month in the year. There
re no bills for coal and heavy clothing.
Wood for building and cooking purposes
abundant. Water in ''drive" wells is
ad at easy depth. Flowing artesian
ellis are found in every part of the State.
sultry night is rare, and sunstrokes are
The average annual range of
is from 95 in Summer to As
| Winter. The wind from the Atlantic
nd the Gulf combine to give Florida the
oss uniform climate in the United
tates. The mortality tables of the U. S.
ensus also give the State a most favor
Die standing from the standpoint of
saithfulness. The railroad facilities are
,excelled, for through car service is af-
rded the Stnte from both Chicago and
ew York.-Editor National Tribune.