The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-07-10
A BIG BOOST
Marion County the Great Cantaoupe and Melon Section
Finest Lands IN Florida.
(Staff Correspondence

Ocala, Fla. July ;, The capital of
old Marion county is located to be
the capital OF the state, is always one
Of the most interesting places to visit
in the most tropical state in the I'm
ion Ocala is thoroughly metropolitan
and up-tO-date and the Improvements
Of the past year make this little city
second 10 none OF any size or location
in the south. All its business streets
are brick paved and its residence
streets have the best of macadam and
cement walks throughout. Ocala has
two daily and weekly newspapers. the
Banner and the Evening Star, up-to-
date and progressive publications, also
fine hotels and some OF the best mer-
camille stores in the state.
Everyone knows the land in old
Marion county is of the best in F.ori-
la and as a result some Of the best
growers in the state live here. Many
OF The Packer readers are no doubt
interested in this state and its prod
ucts and while Florida is generally
credited with the production of tropi-
cal and semi-tropical products. yet
many staples are grown here with en-
tire success.
For example, Munroe & Chambliss
are the leading bankers here, but z.
&C.. Chambliss & Co. are no doubt the
most extensive and up-tO-date farmers
in Florida, owning the Palmetto Park
farms here of 1000 acres, c. B. Strick-
land manager. and 1900 acres at Mar
tin, Fla, c. B. Howell manager These
farms are a combination of fruits, veg
etables and live stock. ShOrthOrn cat
tie are the leaders to the number of
100, with grade stock of 800 to 400 and
many scrub or native cattle to breed
up from. also hundreds of sheep and
goats for purposes quite necessary on
3 ranch of this kind. This vast farm
produces plenty of feed for all the
stock and a surplus of corn and other
grain for market. While baby beef
and spring lamb are specialties from
the live StOC.. department. the canta-
lOupe crop this season was no doubt
the largest of record in the state. Pal
metto Park farms, Ocala. having 80
acres. from which were shipped %,137
crates of fancy sizes; the Martin farms
of IS acres in cantalOupes shipped
S,156 crates, also large fancy sizes;
very few ponies shipped from either
place. These shipments are exclusive
from other fields operated by troopers
of which there we're many on this vast
plantation. The Wilson Produce Co
of Pittsburg handled the bulk OF this
crop and satisfactory results is the
pronounced verdict here. The writer
had the pleasure of the season in an
afternoon carriage ride with Z: c.
Chambliss over this. the finest planta-
ton of its kind in Florida. the Palmet-
to Park farms.
Other interested growers and Lusi-
ness people here who read The Pack
CT and appreciate its value include J.
! H. LivigstOn & Son. real estate deal
ers in farm and vegetable lands. or
ange grove properties and everything
else in the real estate line. J. H.
/ Livingston & Son are no doubt one OF
/ the most reliable real estate compan-
/ les in the Fl0wery state.
Martin & earn are seed and pro
duce dealers VINO supply most of the
growers in this vicinity with seeds for
! all crops and seasons.
l. y. Virgins grows vegetables for
market, reads The Packer and will
| have beans for fall and winter ship
ment
J. D. McDuTy is one of the large