The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-04-06

cost does not seem great, but all agree
that the average expense for the first
ten years is 81 ,00c per acre; so that a
ten-acre orange grove ten years old is
worth a clean $4,000 in cash. Supt.
Swoope, who had just sold grove for
$40, 900, told us that it was like getting
a house; cheaper to buy one already
built than to make one. AS the limit OF
an orange trees life is not known, and
the ability to bear increases with every
year, groves vary in value according to
age. We were told of one forty-year-
old tee that had borne as many as TO-
600 oranges in one year, and the five
acre grove containing it had been put
on the market for $4,000. 1t looks
queer to see blossoms, green fruit, and
ripened oranges all on the same branch,
and we were surprised to find the
boughs as thorDy as a rose bush; also to
learn that the fruit can be left hanging
on the tree with impunity several
months after the crop is ready to
gather.
Our Orlando friends having replen-
boxes, we took the F. o. Il A. division
of the Florida Central q Peninsular
Il. II. on which line our comfort was
most carefully looked after by General
Passenger Agent A. o. Mcdonnell.
At this point we were obliged to bid
adieu to Supt. Swoope and Mrs. FL
lott, who had thus far accompanied us
and had proven such agreeable COM
panions as to seem truly of "our own
folks"
Next morning found us at Ocala of
Farmers Alliance fame, where the cele-
brated "Ocala platform" was framed in
November, 1890. AS usual committee
met us with most hearty welcome,
taking us at once to the Ocala House,
from the corner of which a magnificent
arch of tropical foliage stretched diago-
nally across the street bearing the
words, "Ocala Welcomes the Michigan
EDITORS"
This city of 5000 people we found no
whit behind the other Florida towns in
enterprise, and disastrous fire that, in
1888 swept away nearly all the business
blocks, was met with such undaunted
pluck that to-day Ocalas many fine
brick structures have won for her the
title of the "Brick City" The Ocala
House is one of those elegant, well con-
Quoted hotels that make the South
tourists Paradise, and in the dining
room long table had been prepared
of sufficient dimensions to accommO-
date our entire party, together with the
large number of citizens who accom-
panied us, so that the breakfast menu
included a social feast as well as the
less ethereal viands.
We heard much said of the rich phos-
plate region hereabouts, and by cOur-
tesy of the Silver Springs, Ocala and
Gulf Il. r., special train had been
prepared to take us out TO the great
Dunellon mines; SO after breakfast we
all proceeded thither, and were much in
terested in comparing the two kinds of
fertilizers known as crock" and "peb-
BILE" phosphate, and in watching the
cages as they ran over the wire cables
carrying their load to the mills where
it could be washed and separated from
foreign ingredients. Eighteen of these
phosphate companies have been formed
in Ocala within the past two years,
representing capital of nearly $780,
600 900.
Five miles from Ocala we stopped at
the beautiful "Silver Springs" which
have depth of from 60 to 80 feet, the
water being of such extraordinary
transparency that, as our boat flOated
over its surface, we looked down upon
its subaqueous vegetation and various
finny denizens as though gazing only
through clear atmosphere. In this
respect it reminded us strongly of the
crystal pools of Yellowstone Park. A
beautiful Indian legend adds a weird
interest to this spring, telling of the
faithful "Wenonah" who plunged into
its waters that she might the sooner
join her murdered lover in the spirit
land. On the white sands at the bot
tom, long filaments of fresh-water algae
wave to and fro, rejecting the sun
light like shining strands of hair; and
these, we were told, are the loOsened
braids of Wenonah's luxuriant tresses.
Silver Springs Run conducts the water
into the Ocklawaha river, which in turn
empties into the st. Johns. A line of
tourist steamers runs from Palatka to
the Springs, and when Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stowe made this trip, she
called it "a visit to Fairy-land." This
property has recently been purchased
by the Ocala & Silver Springs Co. who
contemplate the erection of grand
modern Casino there, and hope to make
it popular outing place and day resort
| for tourists stoppipp at Ocala