The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-12-26

| Editor Star:-Please have my paper
sent regularly to me here as do not
wish 10 lose sight of the weekly budg-
ct of news il always contains con-
corning Marion county occurrences.
! We have recently moved here from
Dunedin, on the West Coast, but some
years ago were residents of Marion
county, hence We feel a deep interest
in everything relating 10 our old home,
and the visits of the Star are like a
weekly letter from a voluminous cor
respondent, and hence, always well
come.
Having once served as a county cor
respondent OF the paper, a brief letter
stating some Of this regions good
points may not be out of place
This is the section where tomatoes
have been recently so satisfactory as
a money crop, although almost any
other vegetable can be grown success
fully here. likewise citrus fruits and
all kinds of tropical fruits, many
them new in name and taste to the
undersigned, so consult a Dade county
fruit catalogue for more definite men,
ton of them.
Before We saw what can be and is
grown here, our idea was that the
prevalence of rock everywhere except
in the glade" lands would bar south
Dade county from the production of
citrus fruits. Now. after looking at
fine groves, growing apparently in
rock; among others, Seeding grape
fruit trees bearing at five years; and
after seeing trees bending beneath
their burden of the finest glossy. gold
en- fruit we ever beheld, our doubts
have flown away and we believe this
is undoubtedly the home of the fruit
of fruits.
Peaches do finely too, and guavas
grow on trees, not bushes. Flowers.
the most luxuriant we ever saw, grow
just anywhere, if given a start, lit
tie commercial fertilizer being best.
The no fence law is a good feature
of this section, and saves great ex-
pense, as it would be difficult TO build
a good fence where so rocky surface
exists.
One not used to the sight finds it in
teresting to observe the tomatoes,
beans, egg plant, peppers and other
vegetables growing in the woods, by
the roadside, anywhere: also the
homes of the settlers with their groves
around them. built apparently wher-
ever the notion struck their owners to
put them.
mixed with fertilizer just grows any
thing you plant Ripe tomatoes are
plentiful. and the spring crop has just
been planted.
The forest growth is pine timber
nearly all heart, tall. straight and
mammoth in size, and so far. not
ruined by the turpentine industry
Sawmills are here. and busy. furnish
ing lumber for new houses being built
by settlers from everywhere, almost
Hard roads are the rule, and a small
horse can pull more over these thar
two mules would in a sandy region.
Insects? Well, so far as we have
have only been here two weeks, 81
will quote an old timer, concerning
them: Mosquitoes are rather baC
here for short while in the spring
but no worse than | have seen then
elsewhere: sand flies there are none
but horse flies are-once in a while
hi"
No one ever dies here they tell me
this being a most healthful country
full of the eternal zephyrs from OLE
ocean and gulf. and scented with tn
breath of the pines, cool, sweet, am
life giving.
Water is easily found by boring
little distance through the soft. porou
rock, and tastes "all right" thougl
slightly limy.
A large. two-story house is used 70
church and school purposes. and man
fine dwelling houses are being erected
Good hunters have venison an
quail on toast" when they care for il
Rural fdee delivery of mail is 500
to be granted this section. which Wi
go far toward making certain evil
due TO railway monopoly along tn
East Coast less burdens2me. Thi
subject would better. perhaps. not b
discussed. but if there is any wOrs
service anywhere, than the people @
the so-called extension route" belo'
Miami. have to endure. the resident
of that place have our hearty sympa
thy.
If you arrive at S a. m. in Man
(Which we did, you will find the trai
going south. already off. two hour
before. 50 that you must wait unit
daylight next morning before you ca
leave Miami Good for the hotels
Yes. bat how about the traveller