The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-01-29

THE EVENING
mems brows. Along about
Christmas eve of 1906, my good
wife and self had just returned
from Waukeshau and Bar Har-
Dor and New York to Ocala.
Then we met John Samuels, of
Chicago, who had been in other
years handling our fruit. He Of
fered me $4,000 cash for our
fruit on the trees, | asked $780,
900. for the reason that | felt
could live like a white man on
$4,000 a year and never deny a
needy man $500. My life long
friend and partner in phosphate
lands, was standing by and heard
Santuel's offer to me, calling me
/, off he said, Duke, you take it,
I sold my big citrus grove yes
terday to Mr.. Rockefeller for
$278,ooo in one check"
! 1t was Saturday, l wanted to
See Rosebank and our horses
and hounds and game chickens.
said, "Samuels, you and Jim
Harris come home with us for
Sunday. They came, anticipat-
ing our return after seven
months absence the house-keep-
err and attendants about Rose
bank had things all warm and
ready for us. That was a glad
home coming. My dogs knew
me, as did our horses and my
good wife with restored health
was briotous with joy to be Eat
home once more. Samuels and
4 got full. Inside the house
with its broad open fire places,
,all was warm. and heart gladden.
ing-outside the blizzard was
raging. We sat up over egg
nog, etc, until IL O'Clock, mid
night. Jim Harris kept going to
the verandale, reading the the
mometer, at go p. m. he said
;"Dhke, listen to me; take Sam
uel's offer"
| To feel his pulse, l said, Sam
my, old man, how much for the
fruit on my 10 acres at Ocala?'
He said $500. said, write me
your check. He did and we
took a might cap" and turned
in. Next morning when we
awakened at 9 o'clock, l called
my body servant, George, for
"Manhattans, all-round". He
brought them to our beds, and
with them a tray of oranges as
hard as bricks, and said to me,
"Old Master, deys solid ice. |
went into Samuel's room and
handed him back his check, but
he declined it. I sent him with
my own driving horses into Oca-
la He hired every available
man and picked and packed that
I6 acres of fruit in a days. The
freeze held on. He iced the cars
heavily, and rushed it to market
and netted $500. I lost the en-
tire balance of my crop. The
trees shed the leaves and fruit
I wired my friend Peter B. Brad
ley. Rush to me 4S tons of best
fruit and vine". 1t came quick
I worked out and applied it. in
a month my grove was mass OIL
white blossoms and delicate
green leaves. February 8, came
and with it DISASTER. Every
citrus tree north of Dade City
: was killed. ! quit and l knew
too that citrus fruit growing on
sane, safe business foundation
north of Township line I6, was
lost out. Those rich hammocks
} with their porous substratas Of
J carbonate of lime, was all right
} to grow wild orange trees, under
forest protection. but domes-
) ticated. and denuded of the nat
ural timber growths, they were
at any time liable to be the biz
yards spots, and the big nurser-
les and groves makers got equal,
) ly wise. and after careful inves'
tigation of every condition and
prospect, they located in the cen
ter of Polk county, and on these
"Jack" and small Live Oak
grapevine and sumac and per
simmon and hooppole hickory
lands.
Lots of people talk about
planting hens" the best place
|