CHAPTER XXII.

a word of friendly advice to new-comers.

One of the greatest sources.of perplexity to the new¬
comer is the vast amount of contradictory advice sure to be
tendered him. If he asks a settler for an opinion about a
certain piece of land, or how to select orange-trees, or when
to plant or how to plant, or about vegetables, or about
transportation, he is certain to receive a lengthy argument
completely exhaustive of the subject in question, and every
detail proved by the settler from his personal experience
and observation. This, of course, is encouraging, and the
new-comer goes on his way, rejoicing that he now knows
all about the matter, and prepared to follow the instructions
as given. Unfortunately, he happens to mention the sub¬
ject to another settler, a discussion ensues, and to the new¬
comer's profound astonishment he hears all the statements
made by his previous informant combated, overthrown,
demolished, and their absurdity demonstrated. Congratu¬
lating himself upon his lucky escape from the bad venture
he was about to make, he proceeds to follow the advice of
his last authority, when he meets a third, and the same re¬
sult ensues. The advice of the second informant is proved
all wrong, and an entirely new theory is positively asserted
to be the right and only true one.

So it goes : and, if the new-comer should consult a dozen
different people, he would probably receive from each an
explanation totally different and distinct, and each declared
by the relator to be the result of personal experience.    It