The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-02-11

Il -
7 harvested from the grove was in l9l2
when $1,000 boxes were shipped. This
year they do not expect over 10000
| boxes. They are at present packing
three ears a day. They pack three
brands, the f. r. r., or "Floweree's Fin
est Fruit" the Flag brand and Sunbeam
| The work in the packinghOuse is very
| interesting. Loads are drawn from Tho
grove in the field boxes and deposited
! into large tank OF water. They are
! taken from this washer onto rollers iulec
with brushes which run alternately and
clean the fruit From there into the dry
er, thence onto endless belts, where the
fruit is graded. We were told that II
took man OF experience to fill this
Mace. He must be quick to notice any
imperfect fruit which is thrown aside as
culls, also to grade fruit into the sizes
to be packed. From these trays 1t goes
into the large bcnts, where the packers
begin their work. We were told that all
the fruit on the left OF the walk was
considered cuIls, and was used for feed
ing hogs, Of which they keep over 100
head.
II was indeed a beautiful sight to walk
through this grove, with nothing but
trees loaded with golden fruit visible in
every direction all very uniform in size
and shape. The trees are set p feet
apart each way so whatever way you
look you see the avenue between. The
grove il ploughed each year both ways,
then fertilizer applied and the harrows
and cutiyators kept working until the
spring rains begin, when the grass .
allowed to grow and is cut twice, being
left upon the ground to be ploughed IN
later.
am sure you will be interested in our
immediate surroundings.
We are two and One-half miles from
Alya, keeping house in the little cottage
Of G. RI. Northrop. He has eight acres
of good fruit land here, two OF which Is
set to trees Some of these are just be-
ginning to bear. | counted 80 grapefruit
ON one of the trees recently. So many
of the northern people say, i should not
think anything would ever grow in that
white sand" You do not need any bet
ter proof than to walk through the
groves of w. Il. Barney and b. 7. Elmer.
| wish / could describe their beauty,
laden with fruit so that many branches
are resting ON the ground and some have
broken under their weight. You often
see six and seven grapefruit OF good size
in a cluster on a slender stem no larger
than Il pencil, so you can judge the
strength of the wood. These people have
only been here Ia years and from wild
land have produced wonderful results in
building M a grove. In Mr.. Elmer's
home grove Of rs acres he expects 500
boxes Of fruit this year Fruit promises
10 be low this year for many reasons,
among which are the large crop OF apples
in the North, the European war, and
the scarcity of money with which to buy
luxuries. People are holding the fruit
hoping for better prices One character
istie OF citrus fruit is that it can remain
on the tree several months without in
Jury and not interfere with the bloom,
which usually comes in February. Some
OF the trees that have attained a won
derfnl growth in a few years are those
owned BY f. l.. Page of Barre. Mr. FL
mer has cared for this grove. The first
acre was set in the spring of 1907, most
" to grapefruit. A fruitgrower of cx-
perience estimated last mouth there
would be from l75 to 200 boxes OF fruit
on this acre alone.
When we read the Daily Times il Is
hard to realize that you are locked IN old
winters embrace. The wild flowers are
beginning to spring up everywhere nov
and later in the month the prairies will
be one huge flower garden. Nerbenas ia
several colors grow wild here. The clean
der trees viii soon be in bloom.
have been much interested in the
birds. We see few OF the northern birds.
with the exception OF the blueiay and
woodpecker They are very tame and
will come TO the back porch for crumbs.
One of the prettiest Is the cardinal, about
the size of our robins which are bright
red in color. with little. black cap.
One Of my friends asked me 10 write
about the snakes and alligators, but not
having seen any more of those than we
do in Vermont. ! will have TO wait until
/ can visit the Everglades.
People enjoy fruit here the entire year.
Besides oranges, grapefruit and tanger
ines, | counted nine varieties in Mr.. Bar
news grove near the house. They have
several kinds OF grapes persimmous, Rus
sian mulberry, figs, pineapples bananas.
the quaya, and Cattley quava. which rs
much like our strawberry in flavor.
They also raise japanese sorrcl. which
when cooked, is hard TO tell from our
cranberries
At II Myers you can take boat
down the river. via punta Rassa. 30 Ma
pies. 80 miles below. Here. hunting and
fishing are unexcelled deer. turkey.
quail. oyster, pompano, Spanish macker.
H. aud mangrove snapper. This county
has well been named the "Garden spot
Of Florida" ! know Of no better way
10 close my letter than 10 quote from
an article lately read n Golfers Week
lv which expresses orr sentiments bet
ter than could 90 with mr own pen
FLORIDA Il a miracle one night out FROM
New York pretty fairy tale which uo
one. 81 he j. able 10 b. carried aboard
Pullman car on litter. can afford o.
miss. Seriously. az its best. the Flori-
dnn climate il a thing 80 wonderful that
YOU can sometimes scarcely believe lt
the end ~ = month that you have really
had 80 such golden DAYS. Lying between
two sun. warmed seas. a. IL does fhr
peninsula is always famed - salt air.
One ~ the uuforgctahle adventures oi
life ~ whatever continent q is under
taken. is the fret vision 81 the south
The tuVeler should leave the North hard
bound aith frost under a lowering gray
skF ~ should arrive towards suus6i
perhaps when i has cleared after q soff