The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-04-03
MORE PRAISE FOR MARION


Florida continues to receive bou-
quets tossed at it by the farmers who
visited the state last December. Mr..
Robert w. Thomas of Centreville,
Nd, writes long and interesting let
ter regarding the visit TO his home
paper, the Centerville Observer, from
which we clip the following which re-
fers to this section:
Eve spent the night in Gainesville,
and Dec. 10th, $3.50 a. M, we found
automobiles waiting TO take us to Nc
Trtosh. On the way we visited some
OF the large hog farms. Here We saw
the big, slick fellows lying around in
the shade grunting from having eaten
too many sweet potatoes, velvet beans
and peanuts. The farmer plants the
crops and / think nature does the rest
except the harvesting, and that the
hogs do. Can you imagine an easier
way of making money?
1--WE reached Mcintosh at noon,
and were entertained by the ladies at
a fish fry. This noon-day meal was
served under a large spreading oak,
the body of which measured thirty
eight feet in circumference, and the
limbs of which spread out over one
hundred and eighty feet.
"Then we were taken to Ocala
where we found the ladies and repre-
sentative men waiting to receive US.
Here we spent the night at the Har-
rington Hall.
"December 18th we left the hotel in
autos. The ladies were taken IN
charge by the hospitality committee
OF the Woman's Club. The men We're
taken to, and shown through the most
wonderful phosphate and lime mines.
Providence seems to have provided
them with everything necessary to
grow crops without spending lot OF
money, as we have to do. We also
visited some of the orange and grape
fruit groves, where we helped our
selves to the sweet, rice fruit. They
start picking this fruit about Nov.
1st and finish about March. The long
season enables them to harvest the
crop with little labor.
''We reached Silver Springs at
noon. The ladies and gentlemen of
Ocala had prepared fine spread,
consisting of chicken pillau, most
delightful southern dish, and many
other things to tempt the appetite.
After satisfying the inner man, We
w@ae taken for trip in glass bot
tom boat on Silver Springs. Here is
where you have to see to believe, but,
as I expect my friend Jim to verify
every statement | make about these
wonderful springs, | will take a
chance. Now imagine ten fully grown.
people riding in glass bottom boat
over springs with water eighty feet
deep, supplied with sunfish, shad, al
Iipators and sharks. You look right
through the glass bottom and see all
of the above and more; in fact, the
water is so clear that you can see q
dime lying at the bottom of the
springs in the deepest part. 1t is
hard to tell what would have happen
ed if someone had cracked the glass
lotion boat. From here we returned
TO Ocala, where we were entertained
at the Woman's Club. In the evening
we were given a theater party.
December 18th we left Ocala in
autos at 8 a. m. for Leesburg, stop
ping at Summerfield TO inspect cot
ton gin. Another stop at the Marion
county line was made for everyone TO
uiit sand in their left shoe. We were
told that this was done TO produce a
desire to return at some future time.
In my judgment this was entirely un-
necessary, as no one could visit this
land of sunshine and meet the warm
hearted people, without a longing TO
return"