1888 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



431 



AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM 

 SOUTHERN FLORIDA. 



A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY; TRULY 

 THE ELUOKADO OF THE SOUTH. 



fHE short item in Gleanings of March 1st, 

 " Encouraging- lor Florida," on page 17H, 

 hrouglit us so many letters of inquiry that 

 it would be a task to answer all. It has been 

 suggested by one of the inquirers that an 

 article be written, giving more information ctm- 

 cerning this part of Florida, for Gleanings, which 

 I will do as briefly as I know how. 



NOT EXCESSIVELY HOT. 



Some have asked, "Don't you find the summers 

 excessively warm so far South? " I think it can be 

 truth^'ully said, the summer season is more pleas- 

 ant here than at the North. When out of doors in 

 summer, the heat of the sun is felt perhaps more 

 than there; but men work at all times of day in 

 summer, and do not complain any more of heat 

 than at the North, and it is always comfortable in 

 the shade. A neighbor of ours said their thermom- 

 ter hanging in the hall never went above 94° last 

 summer. 



THE FRUITS AND FAT OF THE LAND ; STRAW- 

 BERRIES FOR SIX MONTHS. 



It is asked by another, " What do you find to live 

 on?" We can have strawberries six months in the 

 year; blackberries in their season; figs, bananas, 

 pine-apples, guavas, which is one of the best of 

 fruits, and can be used in all the ways we use ap- 

 ples and peaches. They grow on bushes, and do 

 not re()uire any special care after planting out, as 

 do oranges; grapes, too, are grown here; also wild 

 grapes are plentiful in their season. It is thought 

 peaches will do well here, and are being tried. A 

 few persons have had them to bear. Pears, also, 

 are being tried. A great variety of fruits can be 

 grown very successfully here. Sweet potatoes, 

 and Irish, all have; also cabbage, tomatoes, let- 

 tuce, onions, egg-plant, okra, watermelons, sugar- 

 cane, rice, pumpkins, squashes, and peanuts. 

 Poultry can be raised the year around. Chickens 

 and eggs bring good prices. We can have fresh 

 milk and butter, and many things which I have 

 not time to mention; but, remember, it is by 

 grubbing and digging and cultivating and harvest- 

 ing that we have the good things of this land. 

 Those who like to hunt can find deer, turkey, rab- 

 bits, squirrels, and quails; but deer and turkey are 

 very shy and hard to get. We live half a mile from 

 the Caloosahatchee River, and from that and the 

 many creeks can be taken flsh, which are plentiful 

 and good. 



SHIPPING FACILITIES NOT THE BEST. 



Some ask, "Can you ship your honey anywhere 

 to sell without having transportation charges eat it 

 all up? " To ship by rail thi-ough Florida would 

 leave the shipper no large profits; but to ship to 

 New Orleans via gulf and thence northward, it is 

 probable that fair profits may be realized. Ves- 

 sels for New Orleans touch at different points on 

 the coast; and if the 125,000 is appropriated that is 

 asked of Congress to make our river safe for navi- 

 gation, we shall then be able to connect with those 

 steamers of the gulf. 



ORA NOE-GROWING. 



Another asks, " Does it take long for an orange- 

 grove to come into bearing?" We think it not the 

 best plan to depend on oranges alone, but a variety 



of fruits, which can be raised between the oranges. 

 I don't know about the profits of orange-raising. 

 It takes from seven to ten years for them to come 

 into bearing. 



SNAKES, MOSQUITOES, ETC., NOT TROUBLESOME. 



There are not many large poisonous snakes. 

 There are some, but not often seen. Mosquitoes 

 a7-e not very troublesome here, but on the coast 

 they are. Fleas will be plentiful if encouraged by 

 having hogs and dogs around; but we are troubled 

 very little by either. We are not much troubled 

 with flies, and we have a very few. Mosquitoes are 

 worst in the rainy season, which begins the first of 

 June and lasts till September— not a long drizzling 

 rain, but a lively thunder-shower, generally in the 

 afternoon, and then all is bright until the next 

 afternoon. 



THE TIMBER ; DRINKING-WATEH. 



The land is not rolling. The timber is principal- 

 ly pitch-pine, cypress, cabbage-palmetto, etc. 



Drinking-water is caught in cisterns; and if the 

 tank is put in a shady place, good water may be 

 ha<l all the year, and, in the rainy season, have it 

 fresh every day. 



COST OF HOUSES AND LAND. 



Dwelling-houses cost about the same as in some 

 parts of the North, and they can be made vermin 

 and insect proof by using screens in doors and win- 

 dows. We are more free from serious diseases 

 than at the North. Those who come here afflicted 

 with lung trouble or catarrh will find this climate a 

 help, as we know from experience. Our lands, 

 some of them, are good, and some parts will yield 

 fairly with fertilizer, which can be had at a reason- 

 nble price. Unimjjroved river-front land is from 10 

 to 25 dollars per acre. It costs from 15 to 25 dollars 

 to hire land cleared. Improved land, river front, 

 can be had at from .f35 and more per acre, and will 

 grow any thing that will grow in this clipiate. 



FLOWERS AND GftEEN LAWNS THE YEAR ROUND. 



Bees can be bought reasonably here at this time. 

 To the ladies, I would say here you can have flow- 

 ers blooming all the year outdoors. Our lawns are 

 bright with beautiful flowers, and our verandahs 

 are adorned with climbing roses, honeysuckles, or 

 some of the many other climbers we have here. It 

 is delightful to know, when we plant, we can have 

 things grow without trouble of protection from 

 frost; but sometimes we do have frost that kills 

 very tender flowers and vegetation. 



HOW TO GET HERE. 



Those wishing to reach this country can get tick- 

 ets to Punta Gorda. There take the steamer for 

 Myers, which is 25 miles by water and 18 by land; 

 then come up the river with the mail-carrier, or 

 perhaps And a boat coming up. We have no hotel. 

 Boax'd can be had at from $2.50 to $4.00 per week. 



A SCHOOL AND A CHURCH. 



At Alva is a schoolhouse, where there is preach- 

 ing twice a month by the Methodists, and a public 

 school. There are not many people here, but those 

 we have are good neighbors and citizens. 



I will close by hoping I have truthfully repre- 

 sented all that I have written about, and that some 

 good people will find it agreeable to come and live 

 among us, for we are anxious for more neighbors. 

 Ours is a newly formed county, and named Lee. 

 Myers is the county-seat. Mrs. David Hadley. 



Alva, Fla., Apr. 4, 1888. 



My good friend Mrs. II., we are indebted 

 to you for your very careful report in re- 



