The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-01-17

is to be completed and opened for
public use about October 1st. The
country through which this highway
passes on this side of the park is fat,
matted with short wire grass and
overgrown with a thick growth of
short leaf pine The strata of earth
is of coral formation, the trees have
no tap-roots and topple over very
easily. Many orange and grapefruit
groves are to be seen from the read
way, and we were told that for the
planting of them hole pits had to b.
blasted and earth-filled. The trees are
of scrubby growth, but luxuriant in
coloring and heavy bearers. On ac-
count Of the coral rock not much
trucking is done in this section.
Across from the tiny village Of
Cutler, about twelve miles south Of
Miami, where Mr.. ID. s. Woodrow is
engaged IN keeping books for Uncle
Sam at the Chapman gun station and
facing on Ingram highway is "Quail
Roost," the quaint suburban home of
Mr.. G. M. Brown. Mr.. and Mrs.
Brown are spending this winter at
"Quail Roost," their city home on Bis
cayne Bay being leased to former
President Gomez and family of Cuba.
AT Homestead, the former home of
Mrs. B. II. Seymour, stop was made
for ice cream cones, thence on to
Florida City. which is the last town
on the main land sen route to Key
West. It is pretty and thrifty look
ing little city, snuggled off way down
there among the pines. Florida City
is also the water tank" of Key West,
| all water being taken from this point
in great tanks on fat cars. On the
outskirts of the little city is Long
view, and it is at this point that the
most southern Woman's club building
| il located, except, OF course, at Key
West. lit is said to be thrifty club
with splendid membership. Between
this. point and the Royal Palm Park
a million dollar corporation has re
Gently been established for the culti-
vation of sisal, kind of fiber plant
suited to the rocky section, for the
making of ropes. A thousand acres
are to be put in cultivation at once.
Through this dominion the Ingram
highway is as smooth as the walks
about our court house and as our big
Buick spun along | marveled at the
might of man" in this far away
country.
As the speedometer registered its
seventeenth mile, we drew up before
the Royal Palm Park lodge. quaint
and artistic brown house, equipped
with every modern Improvement ex-
cept electric lights, for which it is
wired. Royal Palm Park. formerly
known as Paradise Key, is located on
the upper border-land of the Ever
glades and is an island of $50 acres
surrounded by shallow water filled
/ with saW-grass that some day il to
be blasted out to further perfect q
Venetian sea Of emerald green and
crystal blue. "A scenic highway cir.
cling the entire island il also being
contemplated and when finished vii
make this sylvan beauty spot the un.
rivaled one of the state. The garder
plot about the lodge at this season i.
| a blossoming mass of wild verbenas
Wild pepper trees almost shoulder
high. loaded with green, golden ane
crimson pods are clustered near th'
house. The forest warden has cut on
mile sof. trails through the forest t,
the most interesting spots. Hundred
! OF royal palms are growing every
where on this wonderful island, whicl
! is almost entirely covered with
. dense growth of hammock It is tn,
J. purpose of the Federation of Wom
! ans Clubs to retain these natura
beatuies just as nearly as natur
! created them as possible and preserv
the q1ietness of the forest as q sane
: tuary for the birds of the air, an,
, things that crawl. It time it viii b
q naturalist's paradise and botan
! lists heaven, species OF plant life hav
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