The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-02-11
FLORIDA FRUITS
DESCRIBED
Barre Sojourner in Southern States
Writes Of Great Har-
vest.
Dear friends in Vermont;

Dear friends in Vermont;
had several letters in answer to mine
written for The Times Dec. % and all
asked that | write again, and as ! nave
been so interested in this county ! think
] will share it with you.
Florida, as you know, is the largest
state east Of the Mississippi river ~
has the longest coast line and with the
exception of Louisiana the lowest eleya-
ton above the sea.
Considering the fact that it was sought
in the Spanish days as III Dorado, II Is
amusing that it is the only state in the
union in which no metal has ever been
found.
II has however, more nearly rewarded
hope as regards the search for the toun-
tain of youth, for its genial climate has
brought back health to many who have
sought it here.
Lee county has well been called "Thc
borderland of the tropics" 1t has an
area of 403l square miles. 1t is the
largest county in the state, The county
seat, f. Myers, is beautiful little city
OF 1000, and is the terminus of the At
lantic coast line With one exception
every postoflice in the county is served
by water transportation.
Alva is situated on the Caloosahatchee
river (meaning beautifully. This is the
most tropical river of Florida, rightly
named, with its respondent scenery.
Along its shores are cypress trees COW
cred with the Spanish moss, cabbage
palmetto, bamboo trees, waving their
feathery plumes in the breeze; water oak
and many other, kinds of trees and
shrubs.
The new school building has just been
completed at cost of $4,000 Alva has
three churches. Methodist, Baptist, and
the chapel at 0wanita where Rev. G. +.
RAYMOND breaches each Sunday after
noon. 1t has fine library, with large
collection of books and magazines and Is
the only library building in Lee county
Perhaps. 90 per cent, of homeseekers
who come to Florida are induced to do 50
because of its Incompatible climate. Cir
mate is the one friend or foe which stays
by "a hours out of the day. During the
year 1918 the highest temperature re-
corded at TT. Myers was 93 degrees. The
lowest As degrees. This has been very
UNUSUAL NlittI blitD Aals iNHANNiiND 'Ntt
ms. We have had good deal Of cloudy
weather and much more rain than usual.
The highest mark of the thermometer
was Christmas day, when it registered
~ degrees. and the lowest Jan. IA, 81
degrees at O'Clock in the morning. No,
the weather is not always perfect, even
in Florida; but what if it is sometimes
chilly. 1t don't look so; roses and
oranges are everywhere present whatever
the mercury may say! The average
temperature for the month of January
has been So degrees at a. M. and ~
degrees at noon.
Fisheries form an important industry
in the state. In addition to mullet and
other fish taken from salt waters, 5000
tons of cat fish taken from Lake Okee-
chobee were shipped through Fl Myers
in 1918. The catfish are very fine eating,
resembling somewhat our horned-pout,
except the meat is iirmer and pure white
in color. We have caught a number Of
these of good size in the river near the
landing. We have some disappointments.
Mr.. Smart arrived the other evening with
a nice.looking specimen, two feet long,
only TO find by dressing the meat soft
and not good to eat. We have plenty OF
rabbit, quail, and fish for the table. The
quail is especially good meat, very sweet
and much in taste like Vermont brook
trout. Mr.. Northrop shot into a flock
the other morning and picked up four.
Pretty good for one shotl
The cattle industry is one of great
importance. The county tax assessors
estimate there are at present 10000 cat
tie on the ranges of Lee county. Both
Mr.. Barney and Mr.. Elmer have some
fine cattle on the range The expense
of raising this stock is very little, as
the cattle stay ON the range through the
entire year.
Sugar cane Is raised extensively in
this county. A crop win spring up year