The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-05-24
-. 4 LAND OF oPPoRTU-
NIFTY
eating Grafton of Franklin
n-.wn Fessenden Academy

n.own. Fessenden Academy
,.olians have a song, dedicat-
! the fair peninsular OF Italy, In
,bev call it the land of beau
4 4 sunlight and song and a dear
the fairets of earth" But across
oxpanse of waters that sepa-
4 !. their land from us, is another
4 vet fairer, and with skies more
',.ndant in the golden MONDAY,
18th combinations at sunset that
.ho equal of an artists dream.
4 italy this gem of the new world
neninsula, and blest with a eli
4 = most equable, and with people
-,h fortunate and happy.
',rhree hundred years ago Ponce de
- with his braves, trod the shin
a sands of Florida and began the
..,,ng of this fair land from the
[,iaps who then were the monarchs
The realm we call home. SPANS
eoated here in triumph until she
y her claim to the United States.
ID. state. though one of the richest
natural gifts, has been tardily de
"A ond now the world turns it's
IL mon the prodigious gifts, nat
4. trinity. to be found below, upon
n beyond the soil. Surrounded al
III BY water, its fisheries are capa-
4 If feeding many times the popula-
~ If the state. Long since has
&orida been termed the fisherman
hgdom. as here may be taken the
&mest and largest denizens of the
H. tribes. Likewise, Florida has
In fortunate in being near Mexico,
&byinces of England, France and
+ain. Her population, thus, has ever
h. balanced number of men from
countries and climes. For this
<son she has ever had healthy
bic sentiment.
BECAUSE the range of temperature
&Only from 20 to 20 degrees, people
b. every part of the world came to
.end winters here and enjoy the SER
&e of magnificent hotels, which are
surpassed. In this land of sunshine
"A flowers, where the birds MARBLE
Air sweetest lays in January the
me as in June, and where the sweet
&grance of the rose is waited on the
htle breezes of winter, are promis-
i and opportunities that suggest a
.radise for Industrious men.
m parts of Florida there are nat
bl "jungles," just back of intricate
Eworks of civilization. On one side
the river may be seen palaces
ought by the most cunning skill OF
trkmen, while on the other side may
+ hunted the deer, the bear, the pan
N and every species of reptile. The
ricolored birds and the beautiful
.wers and woods show every hue
pm the richest deep green to the
icate white of the thistle bloom.
Fhe vegetable possibilities of Flor
are very great, as here grow in
piusion every variety of tropical
d semi-tropical plants. Coffee, tea,
B spices and the rubber tree, as well
the camphor tree, will grow profit
" and luxuriantly. Only the lack
teeming population has retarded
Z development of Florida along gil
ntic horticultural lines. Yet it is
Stlned to be Americas flower gar
and possibly the worlds botani-
garden The wealth of vegetation
the beauty of its plants have JUS
led the expression, FLORIDA is the
pa OF Flowers" The orange cul-
fe Is far-famed and from the state
Ere will be shipped yearly, in a
Pr time, twelve million boxes.
ne watermelon farms of Florida
i the largest in the world, and the
Prlua watermelon is a fruit of UNI
passed popularity, whether on the
Proughfares of the largest city or
inc cabins of the most humble.
iorlda beans, and tomatoes, can
pupes, kumquats, tangerines, ayo-
~ pears and guavas take posses
N OF the markets and appetites