The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-04-25

pened to meet him just as we APP
preached his broad acres. He enjoys
the reputation of being one OF the
most practical and up-to-date farm
ers in the county, and his growing
crops bear witness that he has not
won his honors undeseryedly.
He is removing every stump from
his fields, and his crops are as clean
OF grass as flower garden. His
beans watermelons and cantaloupes
are all showing up we'll. His crops
in the remotest part OF his fields are
just as we'll cultivated as those along
the roadside, and look just as well,
and in some instances a great deal
better.
One Of the things which struck US
most forcibly was the appearance of
his horses and mules. He has forty
Oh the farm, and he raised every one
OF them. He is proud of them, and
has a right to be
He came to Florida from Michigan
seeking his fortune, and in word and
in deed has been the architect of his
own fortune.
He is one of our biggest operators
and wealthiest citizens, He operates
several big farms, almost controls the
lime output, and is engaged in other
enterprises. If his hands were made
Of the same material as those of the
ancient alchemists, things which they
,ouch could nj turn more swiftly
into gold.
After passing the magnificent or
ange grove property Of the Wetumpka
ErDit Company which is under the
management Of Mr.. Foster Rou. and
embraces many acres OF as fine trees
as there are in the state, we next
came to the farm Of Nessrs. Cham
Bliss and Howell It formerly contain
ed tbirfy-niue hundred acres. 1t was
3rjc.naHy owned by Colonel J. Foster
Marshall who, before and during the
civil war. was known as the sugar
king OF Florida He helped largely
20 supply the Confederate armies
"irh SUGAR and syrup, made partly
from this place, but more largely from
Ills place on the O&lawaha river.
1t is notably one Of the finest farms
IN the county, 1t finally fell into the
hands Of the Easterling Brothers, and
was the groundwork of the fortune
" hjch they afterwards accumulated.
Mr.. MeTart took it over from them
AZ bargain and Mr. ChambIlss
BOUGHT it from Mr. Meffert. Mr..
Gnanbliss AYERS that its purchase
WAS the best Gays work he ever did.
t'e offered MIR. Menert SIS. GOO for il.
Al that time Rand values were not
So high a. they are now. and the
prize was &lluing. The offer was
accepted. Mr. Chamhljss says that
ia three months he had sold the tur-
pe0 He privileges on ID for $4,000 and
Tie l.ne timber for 100000, and at the
end Of The year had cleared $4,000 on
his caataloupe crop lie had paid for
his thrty-nine hundred acres within
one var, ana had several thousand
dollars profit in the bank to his cred
it, Sllce that time the farm has
made him many thousands more. He
says that there is more money to DC
made 81 FLORIDA farming than in
banking.
After leaying the Howell and Cham
bliss farm we passed the magnificent
possessions of Colonel John ~ Mar
TN, now being farmed principally by
his son, Mr. Waldo Martin. It COP
Jains four thousand acres. but, of
course. nothing like this amount is I'M
der cultivation On this farm we saw
the finest bean crop that we had seen
en- our entire tour. Mr. Martins prin-
cipal crop is beans, and it is rare that
he does not secure a success.
Colonel Martin. though old enough
during the clvil war to have been en-
trusted with a colonel's commission,
and afterwards was a member of the
Confederate congress, was on horse
back riding over his farm, which is
his favOrte mode OF travel.
When We reached Ocala, as we had
a few hours 10 our credit, concluded
20 make day Of it. so We went on out
to Mr. Chambliss' Palmetto Farm,
southwest of the city.
We got there just at feeding time
for the pigs. And such pigs, Mr..
Chambliss has visited the most IA
nous stock farms of this country
and says that he viii defy any of
them to show prettier pictures than
he can either of pigs or calves. He
is certainly there with the goods. His
calves and his pigs are perfect crack
IL bo T1rro blood tho