The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-20
A FRUITFUL PART OF FLORIDA.
A Trip Through the Orange ant
strawberry Sections.

Starke Fla, Dec. 17-Leaving Ocala at
Il a. m. over the Florida Central and
Peninsular railroad, we are carried
through the best portion of Marion coun-
ty, that part from Ocala north to the
borders of Orange lake. This is a most
excellent section of country, being the
fertile oak and hickory or mixed lands of
which there is great deal in Florida,
and which is a soil practically inexhaustl-
BILE The first point of interest is the
thriving town of Anthony, which is nice
~ laid out and well built, surrounded
by fine farming lands. Years ago this
section of Marion county produced large
crops of sea island cotton, but the orange
fever prevailed here and the cotton fields
We're converted into orange groves. The
frozen down groves will be rehabilitated,
but the orange growers in future will pro-
duce their living at home. A place of in
terest is far-famed Citra on the shores of
orange lake, and in the heart of the
greatest orange producing section in the
state. Around Citra were hundreds of
acres of wild orange groves at one time
and they were growing on the richest
hammocks In the whole state. These were
converted into groves of the sweet or
auge at very small expense and were the
wonder OF the whole country. The trees
have sprouted out from the old trunks
from the ground up to a hight of ten
feet and have made a most wonderful
growth this season. If the winter does
not prove too severe they viii very soon
be in bearing again. The rich soil under
favorable conditions will very soon re-
store to Citra her magnificent groves and
the town will again be busy in the pack
ing season. Citra is holding up well and
the town is full of life and many improve
ments can be seen. From Citra to Haw-
thorne the road skirts Lock Loosa lake.
which is a beautiful sheet of water, and
from whose waters large quantities of
the large towns. 1t is quite a business
with the people. Hawthorne has had
quite recently severe loss by fire. 1t
is pleasant and attractive place, popu-
lated by a very enterprising people and
has a good farming country to back 1T
up. A few miles north of Hawthorne is
Campville, where the Camp Bros. oper-
ate one among the largest saw mills in
the state, and are also manufacturing a
county clay.
Waldo another place of interest. is en-
goying great prosperity. Several new
buildings have just been completed and
several more are in course of construc-
ton, The people of Waldo were hurt last
winter by the loss of their orange groves
but other fruits and farm product have
kept the people in very good shape A
newspaper has been started by Mr.. d. L.
Brannng, the Waldo Advertiser and is
Well worthy OF patronage. Leaving Wal
do we pass Hampton and reach Starke,
the county seat of Bradford county.
strawberry growing is the leading indus
try of this section. Everybody plants
strawberries and talks, strawberries. The
itiNo VI TINS AuSClOus lIull are a pleasant
sight TO behold. The land is kept i'm a
nigh state of cultivation. The lands seem
to be especially adapted to the growth and
production Of the strawberry The fruit
reaches state of perfection. The straw
berry patches are from one-fourth of an
acre to ten acres in size. The Starke
Fruit Growers Association operates a
large packing establishment where the
berries are prepared for market. The
Morning News is a favorite with the peo-
pie of Starke, and the local agents.
Messrs. Morgan Bros, news dealers. are
wards pushing its circulation. Among
the leading business men of Starke are
y. j. Jones, who is a constant reader of
and the members of the Starke Drug
Company Starke and Bradford county
have an able exponent in the telegraph.