The National tribune., 1909-07-08
SHAKERS COLONY IN FLORIDA.


After Fifteen Years of Experience They
Do Not Care to Sell Any of Theil
Colony Lands-A Fine All.lhc- aear
Round Climate-Remarkable Free.
dom From Insccts-Land Produces
All Kinds of Crops-Adjoins St
Cloud.
Dear Mr.. Editor: Some of your read
ers may perhaps be interested a. this time
to learn something of the experience OF
Shakers in Florida, on land adjoining thc
new soldiers town of st. Cloud, in Os
ceoia County
Some ID years ago the Shake. commun
lty, with headquarters at Mt. Lebanon
y. T., decided to establish branch OF
their organization in the South, and finally
selected a fine body of 1000 acres-tim
Der and muck land-situated on magnili.
cent chain, of lakes in osceola County
Florida, about two miles south of st
Cloud The Shakers had for years beer
desirous of locating a permanent home in
some healthfuI and salutrious section OF
the South, and it is with a go3d deal OF
pleasure that we report. after a decade
and half of continual residence ON our
Florida purchase, entire satisfaction with
the healthfui climatic conditions of this
section
Engaged almost exclusively IN outdoor
pursuits, general farming, fruit culture,
and stock-raising, necessitating being out
IN all kinds of weather, we have, never
theless, discovered that Florida even in
Summer affords a much more agreeable
residence than many localities North, es-
peclally the crowded cities.
Throughout this section-the Kissimmee
failey-the growing of citrus fruits, such
as the orange, grapefruit. tangerine, kum-
quat, and lemon, is an extensive and i'm
portant industry. The Shaker pinery has
for number of years produced pinea pples
which are said by those who are judges
of this fine fruit, to be the finest grown,
being awarded a gold medal at the James.
town Exposition. Sugarcane raised on
muck or sand land in this county attains
a marvellous growth, and, when made into
syrup, commands much higher price than
other syrups obtained from sections far
ther North
On the Shaker estate this year excellent
crops of vegetables are being raised, in
Guiding corn, tomatoes, Irish potatoes
peas, beans, cabbage, beets, lettuce okra
and turnips, besides watermelons, straw.
berries and sugarcane. Some three acres
of banana plants (Hart's choice variety
offer abundant evidence of soil fertility
One-fourth of an acre of bananas. planted
ID months ago, are now fruiting, ant
present wonderful growth of foliage, tn,
hight, with leaves two feet wide by six
feet long.
In fact. Osceola County, with its genial
climate, being famed almost continually
by cool breezes from ocean and gulf of.
fers exceptional advantages to people OF
moderate means who desire to establish
home where healthful outdoor condi
tons, combined with opportunity to raise
successive crops throughout the whole year
is an assured fact
As Is well known, Florida abOunds II
clean, fresh water lakes, both large and
small, but in no section, perhaps, is there
, so fine chain of lakes as that in Osceola
County. These waters, containing several
varieties of edible fish, constitute a yer
liable paradise for many confirmed an
gler The woods, too, abound with coveys
of shy, plump quail. making the woods re-
sound with their clear, high-pitcbed call
bob white "bob-white." In the hunting
season other game. including deer. crane
duck and many other water fowl, are q
source of no small pleasure to sportsmen
Connected by canals. the lakes of this
| region afford splendid facilities for the en-
Joyment of boating and water sports gen
terally. Steam and gasoline launches arc
employed by local fishermen in haulina
their seines and for rapid transit in con
veying fish TO market. Thousands of pounus
are used locally and shipped North.
''ohiS nave dnAIOuSiy inquired concern
| ing the prevalence of insects in these
parts, and we gladly answer that we arc
fortunate in being singularly free from
insect pests. AT times there are some mos.
quitoes and other insects, but nothing com
pared with many places in the Northern
and Eastern States.
Since settling here the Shakers have
often been approached by persons desir
Gus of purchasing the whole or a portion
OF their land, but the answer has Away.
been: I'VE do not desire to sell an acre
of our Florida property. having bought il
solely for a home place" Hence, / thought
Mr.. Editor, it might be interest;:s,,p Il
those of your readers contemr,,stfr,e n res
idence in the new town or ST. Cloud. tt
know the contentmept OF our people after
residence Of u years, Summer and Win
ter, IN Florida. The climate in this local
"; is all that any reasonable perAon coult
wish, and the chances for making a living
here. for persons Of some means, arr
vastly superior to those which obtain il
many places North where inhospitablt
climatic conditions prevail.
One might, indeed, continue indefinitely
Ito enumerate possibilities in the way o
/ agriculture. fruit and stock-raising now
being demonstrated in this locality: fol
instance. the many kinds of fodder crops