The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-07-09
SUCCESS ATTAINED BY
LAKELAND GROWERS; OTHERS
CAN Do THE SAME

Some time ago a visitor to Lake
land returned to his home in Man
kato, Mimi, and roasted Florida and
Lakeland. In answer thereto, Mr..
R. j. Straw, also Mankato man,
but satisfied resident of Lakeland,
writes the following interesting let
ter in reply to the Mankato Free
Press:
"Some time ago in the Free Press
under the heading, Conditions in
Florida" a "Kato" man told of how
he found thing in Florida, 1t put me
in mind of the spies sent to search
the land of Canaan who saw nothing
but giants and took back an "evil
report and "by bringing up SLAM
der upon the land" caused the chill
dren of Israel to wander forty years.
There are many Minnesota people
here who do not want their north
ern friends to conclude that this is
land that eateth up the inhabi-
tants thereof"
The "Kato" man came here Jan.
II and left Feb. %, being here five
weeks. He said in his article: 1T
rained one or two days every week
and nearly half the time it was
cloudy, cold and damp" 1t did once
get down to forty above but in some
of the northern and eastern States
it was 80 to 40 below zero and in
some of their cities the snow was
SO deep that it tied up all traffic.
In western coast States it was rain
ing every day and in California
floods were washing away houses and
railroads, so only one or two rainy
days a week for Florida sounds fine,
after all. 1t may be interesting to
know that since March | we have
used less than five dollars worth
Of fuel, most of which has been used
in the kitchen range for baking.
Also at no time during the winter,
here at Lakeland, has cold or frost
hurt strawberries, vegetables or flow
ars.
Thomas Edison anu thousands of
other prominent northern business
men have winter homes in Florida
and some of the wealthiest, includ-
ng John D. Rockefeller, come to this
land of flowers because of it's eli
mate.
We are now having fine summer
weather. During the hottest days we
nave had I have seen carpenters
on the roofs of houses, yet
10 one has been overcome with heat
to the government report
he highest point reached here Sat
lrday was sc while in northern
titles it ran from 80 to / TO- At noon
lere it was only 70. We have had no
lail or destructive wind storms. Mr..
Marion Hills, formerly of Mankato, |
old me the other day that there had |
lot been one hour that he would |
lave had any different.
Regarding farming and fruit
growing | will say: This is not a
wheat country and the land is not |
heavy like the black soil of south
IN Minnesota, but it is just the kind
With this climate to produce the best
ruit grown. The high pine and the
ammock sandy loan soil is especial
y adapted to the growing of citrus
ruit, while the low hammock, which
S black loan, is the very best for
II kinds of truck.
There may be some who make fail
res here, the same as everywhere
lse. The "Kato man. may have got
EN- some of his direct information"
rom this class of growers. However, 1
e might have mentioned some of
ne many fine grove and truck farms
'hich he saw and the information
'hich he got from these growers.
lie visited Mr.. Paul Gardner, who
anne here from Michigan twelve
ears ago, during which time he has
OF only fully regained his health
ut has developed fine home and
lade money He is highly rcsnect-
d by every one and his word is as
God as gold He informed the
Kato man" of his success and
howed one tree that last year pro-
uced forty-three boxes of grape
ruit, netting $3.50 per box. This
lace adioins the Hallam land near
he Club House where the "Kato" /
ian said most of the land will
row nothing but citrus fruit"
The price of fruit varies according
D quality, variety and time of year
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