Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-02-04
AMONGST COCOANUTS.
SOUTHERN FLORIDA WHERE TRoPl-
IcAL FRUITS AND FLOWERS RIPEN
AND BLOOM.
The Prettiest Resort In the Alligator State
stop at Jacksonville on the Return
Trip-A Home Run For Kentucky.

|
the prettiest spot in Florida. Farther
south than any other point we have
visited, it is more tropical and conse-
quently more interesting to those
from northern localities. The Royal
Poinciana, one of the finest hotels IN
this State of fine hotels, is the head
quarters while here. It is situated
on peninsula made by an arm of
the sea called Lake Worth, beauti-
full body of water 26 miles long. 1t
is about mile wide and the hotel is
reached by bridge across the lake.
It was about nine o'clock Sunday
night when we arrived here and the
Poinciana was brilliantly lighted in
every window and doomed up in a
blaze of glory across the waters. 1t
is six stories high and has room for
1000 guests. Our rooms had all been
assigned in advance and card fur
nished giving each his location. The
rate is quite reasonable, being only
$3.50 a day for all rooms, a greatly
reduced price to the editors.
Yesterday and to-day has been a
constant round of sightseeing and
pleasure. Excursions have been
made on the lake and many fishing
parties have gone out in steam
yachts and sail boats. Some had
fine success. On the peninsula it
self there is much to interest the tour
ist. On the OCEAN side less than a
mile distant is another large hotel
called The Inn, owned by the same
management as the Poinciana, A
lovely avenue of cocoanut trees with
a cement pavement, connects the two
hotels. At the Inn there is bathing
pool and during the two days we
have been here nearly everybody in
the party has taken plunge in the
pool or in the surf outside. The water
had temperature of II degrees and
the bathing was delightful. just
think of surf bathing in January,
while on every side the tenderest hot
house plants of Kentucky were
blooming in the open air. Every
where strange trees and plants con.
front the visitor. Cocoanut forests
are all around the hotels with the
young fruit just forming. Banana
plants with half-grown fruit; oranges,
lemons, lines and sapodillas With the
fruit just ripening, and gardens are
growing with all the advancement
and Insurance of May or June in
Kentucky. Fronting on the lake,
north and south of the hotel, there
are many handsome private residen-
ces, owned by rich people who come
here to spend their winters. The
grounds of some of these estates are
especially handsome. Visitors are
invited to use the paved walks and
avenues, but signs request them not
to pick the fruits and flowers. One
of the most elegant of all these, is
owned by aNwealthy railroad man
named Clark. His superintendent or
gardener is a young fman named &.
| W. Porter, from Trigg county, who
has been with him for six years. We
found him experimenting about a
dozen negro men in planting water
lilies in lovely little pond or arti-
fetal lake. A little island in the
center was reached by rustic bridges
and Mr.. Porter said the lilies in the
pond were valued at $3.50. They
will bloom in March and April. Mr..
Porter was delighted to meet some
BODY from his old home, which he
has not seen for several years. He
will be in Kentucky next summer to
see his relatives. -.
One of the curiosities of the Beach
is huge banyan tree two miles from
the hotel. 1t is reached by wind
ing path through the jungles and
swamps. The trip must be made on
foot, as the path is only wide enough
for one person to walk and leads
through dense forests of palms and
underground, with here and there a
swamp, in the tall grass of which the
alligator finds home. These swamps
are in reality a part of the everglades,
which are only few miles from the
swamp. The banyan or rubber tree
was a large tree on which about
twenty smaller trunks had sought the
earth from the lower limbs and taken
root. Some of these limbs or roots
were still forming and had not
reached the ground. While this tree
is the largest of the kind on the pen
insula, many smaller ones can be
seen all round and even in the orna-
mented grounds OF the hotel. 1t is a
curiosity seen only in tropical or
semi-tropical countries.
Palm Beach is unquestionably the
best place in Florida for those seek
ing warm climate in winter. We
have enjoyed every minute OF our
stay here and will leave the place
with genuine reluctance.
I.rvooSvtrrr Fra Ian 20-The