Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-03-10
E. A. Dunn Purchases Pecan Grove
Expects to Locate There

From Wausau Pilot
1t might be interesting to the read
ers of the Pilot to get Whit of Flo
rida air as waited northward by one
who is taking a winter trip to this,
aptly termed, the playground Of the
United States at this season of the
year.
Wausau was in the inf1exible grip
Of King Ice when we left. Three hum
dred miles below the old man of the
north was frantically endeavoring to
maintain his hold but he couldn't
the ice and snow had disappeared but
there was a raw, penetrating edge to
the wind AS a choice, the ice and
snow is preferable Travelling several
hundred miles further south, we ran
into spring floods of Tennessee, Ken
lucky and Georgia. Everything was
overhowed, except the Tennessee
mountains and whole sections of land
were covered with a sea of yellow
muddy water.
Great Change.
There was a drastic change in the
next few hundred miles and when we
crossed the line into Florida, we were
greeted by sunshine, gentle zephyrs
tempered as we'll by the ocean cur
rents: bright colored flowers, birds,
singing their tuneful songs just as
we'll as in Wausau in the summer
time This wonderful weather has
continued during the few weeks We
have beer here, there having been but
one rain. During the winter months
rain comes only occasionally, to wash
off the accumulated dust from every
/ ing cut of doors. Later in the spring
time they have what is known as the
"rai- v season" and which no doubt,
IS needed to keep down the heat Of
thef tropical climate.
Wisconsin in the summertime riding
through the country which is covered
with southern pine and looks very
much like our Norway pine. The
.undergrowth resembles our own only
that instead of ferns, hazel-brush, ETC.,
there are found palmettes and brush
e'-other kinds. The state to it's central
part is as level as floor; beyond it
is more hilly and picturesque, and in
land lakes are found frequently. We
have nothing like the beautiful live
caks covered with Spanish moss,
These oaks are up to. eight feet in
diameter and have a spread in some
instances of 100 feet. They certainly
look as if they had been ''fixed up" for
the special benefit of visitors. Then
there is the palm tree from the insig-
nificant size to the stately Royal
Palm, and this is by far the most pic
turesque and beautiful tree of the
southland. The trees when about six
teen inches high cost $500 and are
brought in from nurseries by the car
load.
Resemble Norways.
The pine trees which so much re-
semble our Norways are all about the
same size, eight to ten inches in dia-
meter and from fifty to sixty feet
high All OLD cotton plantations have
grown pine trees since the civil war.
The larger trees have been cut down
and manufactured into lumber, and
this system still continues. Whole
forests of these trees have been tapped
for turpentine about the same as we
tap maple trees for maple syrup. A
negro is given certain number of
trees to look after and an inspector
makes the rounds each day on horse
back, checking up and seeing that the
work is being attended to.
While there is much farming done
not see the large barns and stables
such as we have in Marathon county.
One passes through extensive forests,
hitting city, town or village here and
there surrounded by small farms of
only a few acres with only small
patches of strawberries, turnips, ru-
tabagas, onions, half acre planted to
potatoes, Irish or sweet. From a
small farm of five to six acres far
mer can make a fair living. On one
such farm located just outside of
Gainesville, owned by Mr.. Krueger,
and operated wholly by Mr. Kreuger
and his wife, there is a strawberry
patch which yields over $1,000 each
| season, two graperies, an acre in pc
can trees, and the rest in vegetables
Of all kinds. There was not foot of
ground uncultivated. They had a
small barn in which five cows and
team were housed and neat little
| home set up on brick piers.
The trip through central Florida is
| one often lost by the tourist who takes
| through railway service. Travelling
| through the central part a very diff
ferent impression is gained than could
be obtained by taking coast railways,
| which run through the most bleak and
barren part of the commonwealth.
The natives inland have not been cor
rupted by Yankee dollars" and they
have to depend upon the tilling of the