Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1911-09-29

In writing you relative to my recent In.
vestigation Of the Florida Fruit Farms
Compan2's lands in the Great Indian
Prairie country Of Florida, my only
excuse being that found deluRs of
correspondence and business affahs
that needed immediate attention.
To begin with: l inspected these
lands In my own interests as l could
not afford, and absolutely refused, to
identity myself with their sale unless
could be shown conolusively that
they are az good ss represented in the
company's literature. II they proved
to be as good as represented 1 would
not hesitate to buy contracts for my
self and l would invite my closest
friends to become joint owners Of this
rtch, beautiful tract of southern land.
In making this trip I did not want to
return homo merely able to mako my
friends see these lands as my word Of
mouth description would show them
to be 80 went In company with
capable photographer Who could take
views that would Of themselves tell the
story.
On the evening Of August 10th In
company with MIR. G. z. DeFord,
photographer of Lincoln, Nebraska,
and Mr. W. W. Marquis, secretary and
| fro ~
Company, left Kansas City arriving
ut Arcadia, Florida, August 10Th at
1890 q. m. The balance of that day
was spent in looking about the thriving
little city Of Arcadia and nearby
orange groves and other improved
lands. Arcadia boasts some twenty
Eve hundred inhabitants, with good
clean stocks Of merchandise, strong
banks, comfortable hotels end 10 the
largest citrus fruit shipping point In
the state of Florida.
Among the orange groves visited that
day was that Of the DeSoto Fruit
Company, which covers some 100 acres
Of ground. We we're shown over the
property of the DeSoto Fruit Company
by the local manager, Mr.. A. F. Shelter,
who gave as much valuable informa.
tion relative to orange and grape fruit
culture.
It was indeed Q treat to have the
privilege Of inspecting this beautiful
grove, some thirty yesrs old, and learn
Of the remarksbls returns that have
been realized from It under scientiic
management.
Mr.. Shelter showed US $50 Of the old
est Of these trees that had been trans.
planted two and half years ago with.
out the loss Of single tree. We also
inspected young fourty acre grove
owned by this company which Was
planted two and half yesrs ago on
new prairie land. These trees were
fourishing and between the rows was
splendid crop Of corn. Mr.. Shelter
informed us that large crop Of Irish
potatoes had been harvested from this
ground earlier in the year before the
corn was planted This and other
corn fields we SAW was sufficient evi
dence that our northern corn growers
would not have to worry about how to
make living In De Sots county IL they
did not want to grow fruit.
On the morning Of August Goth we
left Arcadia in autos to spend two
days on the company's lands. At ton
q. m. We entered the lands on the
west eide Of section 10, township 40,
range 30. As We stopped at the gate
and viewed for few moments the vast
stretch Of beautiful prairie land that
lay before us the thought came to me,
"What pity that the hard working
renters Of the Central States, who. in
seeking homes for their families, have
located in the arid districts of the west,
did not have the opportunity to buy
this land with its manifold blessings of
soil, climate. water and health"
1t seemed almost increditsble that
at this late date in the colonization Of
our country such lands, with their
wonderful crop possibilities were to be
In their virgin state.
From the entrance to the lands No
drove to the south and east towards
Fisheating Greek. We followed Ftsh-
eating Greek for several miles and In
the course of our drive passed an old
deserted cowboys camp. Here We
found orange trees loaded with fruit
which had grown uncared for, for years.
The little valley We were following had
dark rich soil and was covered with
lnxurisnt grass. Thousands Of cattle
and hogs were running at large over
the prairies. The quality was not ne
to the standard of our northern stock.