The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-17
GREAT IS FLORIDA.

From the time that Ponce Deleon.
with his band OF adventurous cava-
liers landed al st. Augustine four
hundred years ago. in search OF the
fountain oil youth, there seems TO
have been an air OF mystery, romance
and legend connected with this land
OF flowers and wonderful climate.
Ponce DeIeon failed to find the
wonderful spring which he sought.
but the people OF the Twentieth cen
fury have discovered that here, in its
magnificent climate, is to be found
a perpetual source OF health and en-
joyment OF life, and hither tens o.
thousands OF people from all sections
OF this great republic now gather, as
we'll as many from foreign lands, to
spend several months during the rig
Orous winter season and thus prOlong
their lives. as well as make life worth
the living. Like the birds OF passage,
when the chilling winds begin to
form the ice and bring the SHOWS to
the more northern climes, a steady
stream of humanity begins to move
down on Florida to remain till the
warm sunshine of spring melts the
SHOWS and again brings warmth,
when they return home for the sum-
mer.
Strange, that though having the
Oldest settlement and the earliest his
tory after the discovery by the white
man of this country, that Florida
should be among the very last to be
developed by the progressive COM
mercial spirit of the Twentieth CEN
fury.
There is no doubt now that this
spirit is thoroughly abroad in the
State from Jacksonville, the Queen
City and gateway from the north, to
Key West in the Southern sea and
from Fernandina and st. Augustine
ON the Atlantic coast, to Pensacola
and Tampa on the Gulf coast, devcl-
opment and growth are manifest cv-
crywherc
Thousands OF acres OF Lands arr
being sold to new citizens in ever!
part of the big State, pine lands, ham
mock. muck and even the ENrrsladcs,
about which so much has been said
cr late, and which caused il CON
srcssional Investigations. are being
brought into cultivation, and smiling
with harNcStS Of golden citrus fruits.
and other fruits and vegetables which
are bringing wealth to the owners
|, is said that Florida lands produce
more money to the acre than those
OF any other State in the Union. In
every county and in almost every
community in the State out door
crops will flourish in cYety month OF
the year.
II is probable that more kinds OF
fruits. vegetables aud lood crops OF
all varieties can be successfully
grown in Florida than any other SEQ
ton or State i'm the entire United
States New fruits and other pro-
duets are being CONSTANT! added to
the list that can be successfully
grown in Florida, but which had nol
been tried before
The State srieh in its annual pro
duction of its great citrus crops of
! 800 900 to G.o0o.0oo boxes OF iuirv
oranges, rich grapefruit and delicious
tangcrines The pineapple grows To
its highest type Of splendid flavor in
Florida. The Guata, pear. cherry the
lime, he lemon, the pecan and near
~ every kind of fruit grown Viii do
we'll in this State, when given proper
attention and CIVILIZATIONS All kinds
of vegetables flourish here. The CO.
reals do we'll. Sea Island and the
long cotton grow well here. and all