The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-08-10
WHAT A NEWCOMER
THINKS OF FLORIDA


The following from the MINNIE
apolis News shows how well a for
mer resident of that city was please,
with Florida:
Charts "A. WEIGH is visiting hi
daughter. Mrs. ]. R. Stewart. at 23Ol
Pleasant avenue, after an absence O
eighteen months. In the winter o.
1910 he accompanied his cousin, Mrs
George J. Backus, and her family t
their new home on the st. Lucie In.
let.
His intention vas to remain only
until Mr.. Backus could adjust his
business and join them, but he liked
the country So well and was So great
" benefited in health that he stayed
on. and now only slipped away to
Minneapolis for a visit, and will re-
turn the last of August.
HE declares the summers in that
part of Florida are really more de-
lightful than the winters; that they
have no malaria, and that in general
health and feeling he is fully twenty
years younger than when he wen.
away. Speaking of the general
healthfulness, he related how a Nor
thern doctor opened an Office in a
town five miles from them, because
there was no physician there. and
waited six months for patient and
then left. A few items from his
daily experience may be of interest
He found dewberries growing wild
along the river, indicating that they
were indigenous, so he sent for choice
varieties, and now has plants with
vines Is feet long. They are proli-
nc and bring better prices than straw
berries.
Persimmons Profitable
He also found wild persimmon
trees. On this stock he budded fine
Japanese varieties. from which he ex-
poets great results. He regards per-
simmons as one of the most profit
able fruits that can be grown. He
was enthusiastic over sugar cane 4
small patch was planted near the
house and it had grown without fer
or cultivation until it was
over II feet high. Cane natures one
Iolnt at a time. In Louisiana about
I'VE foot stalk is the limit, but in
Florida they get an eight or nine
loot stalk and this means so tons to
he acre or from 500 to see gallons
# syrup.
IN poultry he had had experience
n several States. but said that Flor
da beat them all Lice are unknown
The eggs sell for rs cents in sum-
ner and 40 cents in winter. with
strong local demand, broilers. q
'ents a pound, and fowls 90 cents
pound. He introduced Indian Run
Ter ducks. These begin to lay at five
months and will average 800 eggs a
ear. He sold all his eggs at 10
ents each for breeding purposes.
Vegetables Still High
lie regarded string beans as
taple crop; said they we're good for
rs hampers per acre. He sold at So
er hamper, although the price at
ines reached much higher. He har
ONE green peppers and the yield was
t the rate of 500 crates per acre. The
rice was from 81 to SO per crate. |
ie staked his tomatoes and thew
rev over 10 feet tall. If properly |
AIRED for in like manner an acre of
should yield $1,000. If |
lanted in rotation they will produce
very month In the year. Head let
lce was winner. He only had a
cry small bed, yet sold $40 worth.
Ie made successful experiments with
sparagus, and said he could sell all
c could raise for s12 dozen bunch
S.
Regarding his future plans. Mr..
selch said he had made none except
hat he would return to Florida in
bout a month