The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-06-29
WILD OATS THAT MAY
BE MADE TAME
CalifOrnia's Good Roads Give that
State an Immense Advantage

| Editor Star: | am sending you by
parcel post some of the wild oats that
grow here in California. Also am
get an idea of the height it grows,
and thinking it might be cultivated
| in Florida so as to be valuable there
as a cattle feed as it is used here both
! for pasture and hay.
When growing it resembles the cul-
tivated oats but has a heavier blade
1t appears the latter part of January
and ripens the first part of June.
While it is growing the nights are
quite cool or a little colder than
Florida at that time of year, but as
they get all through growing by the
time the hot DAYS appear, / should
judge that they would not do we'll in
the summer season in Florida without
being well shaded, but | do think they
can be grown there in the same sea-
son that oats are grown.
Am sending you these in hope you
may know of some one who would
like to try them out and Sc if they
may prove to be beneficial as a pas
ture for cattle and hogs; the great
advantage is in its being an annual
plant.
This part of California puts one in
mind of the climate of Florida as eve
rything is green in winter with cool
nights; the days warm up and the
rainy season is between the months
of November and April.
+1o 4l,o ,~.,o.. :, IL
turning brown except what is irrigat-
ed. If this country had the showers
in summer that Florida has it would
be an ideal state, and if Florida had
the soil of this state no other state
of the Union could equal it. 1 believe
alfalfa can be grown there by prepar-
ing the land and inoculating the soil
with some that alfalfa has grown on.
Am thinking | may come back
there next fall and bring some of the
seeds and plants that grow here to
plant there. / like the climate better
in Florida than l do here, but Florida
is behind this state in business enter
prises, and especially good roads.
Every one / met when driving from
Indiana to California last fall, who
had been here, praised this state for
its good roads. When | came into
the eastern part of California over
the Santa Fe trail far over the noun
tains and back into the wilderness
were fine macadamized roads and
there is a network of these roads all
over the state. An automobile can
make the trip from Los Angeles to
San Francisco in twelve to fourteen
hours, distance of 500 miles.
CALIFORNIA; Great Advantage
That is one of the advantages Cal
ifornia has over Florida. The tourist,
the native and those who contemplate
going to California realize the advan-
tage of roads they can drive fifty
miles an hour on without jarring all
the bolts loose ON the car or using
very much gasoline.
One man got 3O4 miles on a gallon
Of gasoline with his car on these
roads but that is the most mileage /
have heard of yet.
People come here from all over the
United States and when they realize
what advantages good roads hold out
" ILSiu IuSy just "dHI " Uuy d iolilC
and stay here.
Now l am convinced after living i'll
Florida about six years and from
what I have sen in California that
California has been wise in building
splendid roads as good roads increase
the value of real estate. The tourist
is attracted, new settlers are bound
to come. 1t is pleasure to drive
over the roads, time is saved in travel,
greater loads can be hauled with less
power, business is increased and there
are other advantages too numerous
to mention. That is why California
is ahead of Florida. The land here
sells for $1,000 an acre and up. Why?
Because good roads attract people,
and the increase of real estate will
more than pay the cost of good roads,
leaving more money in theh ands of
one who sells his land than he could
ever expect to receive by trying to
keep up the old sand road which is
waste of money when we stop and