The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-03-11
WITH THE TILLERS OF THE SOIL
By Mrs. K. S Lawson
PINEAPPLE RIVER GROVES
Some Interesting Features About
The Dewey and Hickman
Holdings

When the citrus bloom begins
to appear it is very hardened
groveman or woman who does not
feel enthusiastic over the event,
The bloom is holding in bud rath-
er longer than usual but in all the
groves are certain trees noted for
their early burden of blossoms.
The Dewey grove which is the
property of Capt. A. f. Dewey
now is distinguished as the oldest
grove ON the creek according to
all authorities on dates. 1t was
the first grove made by Mr.. Tai
bot Morgan. The seeding orange
trees he planted are mammoth
things now. When the nerve of
the man is taken into consider
alton who thirtyFyears ago chose
the banks of so-called Alligator
creek for an orange grove site and
the present value of grove proper-
ty all along the creek is con-
sidered it is evident Mr.. Morgan
was full of wise foresight in his
choice of the location.
The property has had a number
OF owners and care takers and no
well defined plan has been follow
ed in its handling. There are
now about $50 trees including
seeding and budded oranges,
grapefruit, lemons and tangerines,
and Capt. Dewey is preparing to
have more land set out probably
with Pineapple and late Valencias,
This land is now in truck, and in
deed all of the grove and cleared
land that possibly can be handled
this season, is under cultivation.
A. G. Caldwell and his father, who
are living ON the grove this year,
have put in two acres of tomatoes,
seven Of watermelons and two
acres of beans. In the grove
wherever the trees are not too
close together beans are planted.
Some of them have been blooming
for two weeks and Caldwell
should soon be shipping.
A discovery was made since the
Caldwells have been on the place
that is very interesting. Two
large trees near the bank Of the
creek have been found to be pc
cans, and one Of them bore quite a
few nuts. No one seems to know
when these trees were put out or
who set them or indeed that they
were of any interest. AS bearing
pecans are rather scarce about
here, these trees have attracted
attention since the nuts were
found.
An old story links possible pi-
rates with this spot according to
local tradition. Formerly there
was another house on the proper
ty beside the present structure.
1t is said that on the day one of
the former caretakerS was to
move into the old place, on his
way out to the property he met a
buggy bound toward Punta Cor
da. When he reached the grove,
he found near the old house a
place newly dug over and around
the spot were bits of iron rust
bearing every sign of having been
knocked from some long buried
container. 1t was always believed
that a man then living in Punta
Gorda who claimed to have di-
Ivining rod had visited the place
and welded it successfully.
Some Of the trees are already
showing bloom and bud, and it
looks as if this grove would furn-
ish its share of the immense crop
predicted for the state. Every
grove has some curiosity and one
in this grove isj a sweet orange
growth which has shot up in the
midst of a fine tangerine. AT
present the tangerine is bare of
fruit but the orange top is full and
the effect is curious. Some of
the oldest trees will be taken out
this year and in every respect the
grove begins to show many i'm
provements as well as a deter
mination to bring the grove up to
its rightful standard.
The Hickman grove is one of
the groves to which critical visi-
tors to Punta Gorda are taken.
There was a time not long ago
when Mr.. Hickman jokingly beg
ged to be spared any more des-
criptions Of the grove, as his cor
Irespondence had assumed such
proportions and the visiting list
Lad groan Sc lClg .La.. : Lttla 1at