LETTERS FROM FLORIDA.


necessary to


carry


out their plans.


they took


with them a chest of tools, well stocked with all that
might be needed, and a good supply of farming uten-
sils. All this shows that they were smart, intelligent,


hopeful,


courageous


young


men.


None


other


should or would venture on such an experiment.


After the


locality


was


decided


upon,


their first


work was to build a lo
This was easily done.


g house for their own shelter.
[hen several acres were cleared,


fenced in, and a large number of sour-orange stumps
set out to be ready for grafting the next spring, or
when the roots were well established : and beside these


a large quantity of


sweet-orange seeds were


planted,


to start a seedling grove.


This is an impOrtant con-


sideration for all new-comers, as these young groves


should


growing while


and attention


the owners are giving


to immediately necessary


work.


time
The


grass started, corn, sweet and Irish potatoes, and other


important crops


were


then


planted,


to be ready for


early use when


those anxiously waiting at the North


should come to them.
 Having labored to get all these things safely under
way, and in a prosperous condition, the next step was
to build a more comfortable and commodious dwelling,
and make everything about thd place as home-like and
attractive as possible for the parents 'and sister. Um
deterred by lack of mechanical knowledge, and deter-


mined as far as possible to supply this


want


by good


common sense, and


that skill which is


born of


vering efforts, they prepared a plan of a house,
they developed with most encouraging success


perse-
which
:and