The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-06-06
ALONG FLORIDA WAYS
Interesting Observations of Saranae
Lake Visitor
To the Enterprise:

NV daughter, Miss Emma Wash
burn, and |, returned recently from a
+ visit to friends in Eustis and Lees
burg. and saw some things that were
new to us. A short account of our
trim NAV prove of interest to our Sar-
amaze Lake friends.
In Leesburg. as We drove along the
street. We could hear honey bees busy,
so we stopped under an Australian
oak. the first | had ever seen. The
/ foliage somewhat resembles a cedar,
but it is filled with great lunches OF
orange-colored flowers OF peculiar
shape. On examining the flowers,
found they were filled with sweet.
sticky substance. somewhat resem-
bling syrup.
| thought that if Leesburg bees
knew what makes good honey, per-
haps Ocala bees would like similar
chance, so 1 secured three little trees
and sent them to Mr. Washburn by
parcels post, to be set out at once.
We have about thirty swarms of bees
| and sometimes the honey material in
the city runs low, and we fail to get a
satisfactory crop
Another day we visited brick yard
at Whitney. BY the way, / have seen
! shingles in Saranac Lake with ~.
Spinks. Whitney, Fla stamped on
them. but l never thought to see their
mills and the name on their products
/ here.
When the NIL. or n:ortar. or what
ever IL is callel, IS prepared for the
bricks, it is run into a funnel shaped
advancement. forced out through a
2x4-inch opening. and run on belt to
cutter, which consists of a steel star
on each side of the belt with a strong
wire from each point to correspond
ing point on the opposite star. When
the star revolves it cuts the mortar
into pieces of the right length as it
passes under il. on the revolving belt.
This mandatory is large and en-
ploys a great mary men
Another day on our return We Wis
tied a fernery. and it is wonderful
sight. where ten and one-half acres
are under cover and full of the most
beautiful ferns one can imagine The
cover or roof which is about eight
feet high, consists of stats two inches
wide and an inch apart, which allows
both light and shade. We saw ferns
varying in size from the little seed
lings to the great vines or branches
fifteen feet or more in length. These
were of the asparagus fern family, but
the emerald feather" variety seems
to be equally valuable. for that is the
| kind they were gathering when we
were there. Three men came in vi h
their arms as full, as they could carry
like great loads of hay. They kindly
stopped a moment with their loads so
| could take a snap shot of them. We
sent the picture to the Adirondack
Art Store to be developed.
In the room where the ferns were
being prepared for shipment, were
100 or more pals of water the most
of which were filled with punches of
the fern tied with about twelve sprays
| in each bunch and these are later
packed into crates, to be shipped to
the northern markets where, if you
want to buy enough to decorate your
house for a wedding or any grand az
fair, you will think they cost a-plenty
We saw no sign of shipping the
plants. only the sprays for decorating
purposes. I cannot give you 2 good
idea of the wonderfulness of it all
without you thinking I exaggerate, so
/ will have to leave the subject.
Ii l had thought then of writing
this I would have asked more Ques
lions, so l could be more accurate in
my statements. suppose they
thought l asked questions enough as
it was.
Another day We drove to Yalaha
and Okahumpkee. Near the latter
tplace We visited a kaolin works, which
was very interesting to us. The kao
: lin is a kind of clay that is dug here
6by electricity, and has to be thorough
: ly washed. for, as it comes from the
1 ground, it is 80 per cent. sand. After
) the san is all removed the kaolin is
allowed to settle in great cement watts
? or tanks. Then the water is drawn
off and the kaolin is forced between
iron moulds or plates, which are first
} covered with cloth. It is partly dried
there. and next is laid on hot pipes tc
finish drying, and is then shipped to
potteries all over the country, to be
used in the manufacture of dishes.
> The owner of the works showed us