February, 1908 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



IX 



It has been extremely interesting to me to 

 test some of the traditions of the country. One 

 of these denied the possibility of growing 

 apples in Florida. I did not believe the tradi- 

 tion, and am testing it. During the last two 

 summers, which have been unusually dry and 

 hot, I am able to grow successfully some 

 twenty or thirty varieties. Among these are 

 Grimes Golden, Jonathan, and other sorts 

 that are known to be fond of sandy soil. The 

 chief difficulty with growing such northern 

 fruits is the fact that during the middle of 

 the day the soil becomes heated six inches or 

 more in depth — hot enough to dry up the little 

 fibres of the roots. I prevent this by heavy 

 mulching. Just as soon as the tree is planted 

 I spread about it coarse grass or other loose 

 material, over which is spread a coating of 

 sand. You may run your hand into the soil 

 underneath this mulch, and, at the hottest 

 hour of the day, it remains cool. Most of 

 our cherries and plums will also do fairly well 

 with this same treatment. Quinces thrive 

 adimrably; also most of our northern grapes. 

 As for peaches, it seems better to adopt the 

 new stock which has developed from the 

 Chinese peento. These new peaches are 

 crossing with the old Persian sort quite 

 rapidly, and the South is being enriched with 

 a fruit which will be even better than our 

 Crawfords and Elbertas. 



Right along with these northern fruits I 

 am growing loquats, pomegranates, mulber- 

 ries, and all sorts of citrus fruits. Pineapple 

 growing will have to be a specialty, still 

 farther to the south. We are gradually elimi- 

 nating the more tender sorts, that can not 

 stand a bit of frost, and are evolving those 

 which are quite hardy. The Government ex- 

 pects to soon be able to supply orange stock 

 that will be hardy as far north as the Ohio 

 River. One of the grape fruits will stand 

 considerable frost, and remain entirely unin- 

 jured. The loquat is an evergreen small tree, 

 standing about twelve feet high and twelve 

 feet in diameter when full grown. It is 

 loaded with bunches of delicious flowers all 

 winter. These become bunches of pear-shaped 

 fruit, with a cherry flavor. I believe that 

 most Northerners consider this one of the 

 most delicious fruits in Florida. It stands an 

 occasional frost, and if the earlier blossoms 

 are cut off, the later manage to give us con- 

 siderable fruit. In March the whole country 

 is full of mulberries. They grow as large as 

 a man's finger, and are delicious. Birds eat 

 them, hens eat them, and the hogs are spe- 

 cially fond of them. They make the most 

 delicious preserves — which will sometime' be- 

 come a matter of commercial importance. 



I have only hinted at some ways in which 

 the northern farmer may make his winter 

 home in the South, and certainly not lose by 

 it. He had better buy his land at once, and 

 build his house — not a mere shack of a home, 

 but a tidy and comfortable house. Land is 

 going up steadily in price, and he can not 

 lose by securing at least fifty or a hundred 

 acres. It is generally sold in sections of eighty 

 acres, and quarter sections. Peaches find a 

 ready market near by. If my experiment with 

 apples succeeds, the fruit will be in great de- 

 mand. Potatoes always pay, both the Irish 

 and the sweet. Sweet potatoes are now bring- 

 ing one dollar a bushel. He will live most of 

 the time out of doors, and rarely need to wear 

 coat or vest. His house should, however, be 

 provided with one or more fireplaces, where, 

 at five o'clock in the evening, pine cones or 

 pine knots can give him a blaze. In the morn- 

 ing he may desire a little heat while bathing 

 and dressing. Broad verandas should look 

 out upon the lakes and orange groves and pine 

 woods. 



In other words, let the Northerner come 

 here to create a home as the first aim, and to 



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ALCOHOL 



Its Manufacture 

 Its Denaturization 

 Its Industrial Use 



The Cost of Manufacturing Denaturized Alcohol in Germany and 

 German Methods of Denaturization 



are discussed by Consul-General Frank H. Mason in Scientific American 

 Supplement 1550. 



The Use, Cost and Efficiency of Alcohol as a Fuel for Gas Engines 



are ably explained by H. Diederichs in Scientific American Supple- 

 ment 1596. Many clear diagrams accompany the text. The article con- 

 siders the fuel value and physical properties of alcohol, and gives details 

 of the alcohol engine wherever they may be different from those of a 

 gasoline or crude oil motor. 



The Production of Industrial Alcohol and 

 Its Use in Explosive Motors 



are treated at length in Scientific American Supplement 1581, valuable 

 statistics being given of the cost of manufacturing alcohol from farm products 

 and using it in engines. 



French Methods of Denaturization 



constitute the subject of a good article published in Scientific American 

 Supplement 1599. 



How Industrial Alcohol is Made and Used 



is told very fully and clearly in No. 3, Vol. 95, of the Scientific American. 



The Most Complete Treatise on the 

 Modern Manufacture of Alcohol 



explaining thoroughly the chemical principles which underlie the process, 

 without too many wearisome technical phrases, and describing and illustrating 

 all the apparatus required in an alcohol plant is published in Scientific Amer- 

 ican Supplements 1603, 1604 and 1605. The article is by L. Baudry de 

 Saunter, the well-known French authority. 



In Supplements 1607, 1608 and 1609 we publish a digest of the rules 

 and regulations under which the United States Internal Revenue will permit 

 the manufacture and denaturization of tax-free alcohol. 



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