The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-02-10
TWO DECADES
OF IMPROVEMENT

Mr.. c. H. Waite, a prominent
business man of Acton, Mass, being
in Florida to look at the country.
and visiting Ocala on the way, was
taken by Mr.. T. T. Munroe in his
car to look over some of the farm
ing land near the city. Mr.. Munroe
is one of a group Of public-spirited
autoists who are always ready to
give their time and gasoline to
showing visitors the beauties and
advantages of. Marion county. They
do this pro bono publico, for they
are themselves buying land instead
of trying to sell it, but wisely argue
that every time they induce a good
man to settle here they with the
rest of the community are that much
better off,
Mr.. Munroe came around by the
Star office and carried off one of the
reporters, telling him that he would
come in handy to open the gates.
Opening gates out in the country is
a much pleasanter job than pressing
brick in town, so he didn't have to
ask twice.
The party first went down the
Dunnellon road few miles and then
thru the woods to Waldo cave. This
hole in the ground does not receive
the attention it deserves. 1t is in a
hammock about four miles out of
town, and midway between the Dun
mellon and Shady Grove roads, about
a quarter of mile from each. The
cave has been formed by the earth
. dropping away from a limestone
ledge. There is very steep and
face, and about forty feet down it
opens into a good-sized cave. Sew
eral passages lead out into the rock
from this room, one running west
ward and upward for over hundred
feet, and ending probably close to
the surface. There is good road
by the mouth of the cave, and if the
road was widened and steps cut
down into the cavern, so getting in
and out of it would be easy, it would
make a rather attractive resort for
auto parties. There are thousands
of tons of good lime rock in it, and
ii is a safe bet that it will be a big
a quarry at not a distant day.
8lr. Munroe didn't bring the party
out. however, to show them the cave,
but big field of cabbage nearby
One wouldn't have thought a few
years ago that. Florida could raise
such cabbage. There were many
acres, and the solid heads with the
spreading leaves covered the ground
from sight. The field is being work
ed on shares by one of the colored
farmers that Munroe & Chambliss
give a place on their plantations. He
is putting in his ticks in the. right
places and making a good living He
is bemoaning the fact, however, that
ne only put 500 pounds of fertilizer
per acre on most of his cabbage patch
this season. He put 1900 pounds on
about a third of it and the result en-
courages him to keep that proper
ton up in the future.
Leaving this field, Mr. Munroe
took his party back up the road to
the fork, where Mr.. c. B. Strick-
lands handsome residence oyerlooks
the spreading acres of another fine
II nla n1n 4oS
timonial to farming in Florida. The
handsome residence, we'll kept farm
buildings and broad, well-tilled acres
would look good in any northern
state.
A few hundred yards down the
Shady Grove road, and the party
went out into the plantation and
took a look at another big field OF
cabbage set out by Mr.. Strickland
Some of the plants were set out in
dry weather, but they all look good
couldn't have found anything
Ike them in Marion county twenty
years ago.
On the way back, after an inspec
EIUn of some more of the fine farms
down that road, Mr. Munroe gave
the visitor an idea of farming anC
stock raising here. Mr. Waite sale
ne had been around the state a goot
deal. looking at the good and seek
ing the best, and he thought he hat
f2and it,
There has indeed been a march o
Improvement along that route in
score of years. Twenty years ago
Ehere was no road, but only a sand,
truck thru the trees There wa