The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-04-22

beautifully colored, which lies at the
bottom so many feet below The SEN
sation is exactly the same as though
you were floating on air and looking
downward. A boat trip is to be had
down the Silver river, which has its
source at the springs and leads to the
dark, weird waters of the Ocklawaha
This is probably one of the most un-
usual trips to be had in the state, and
it takes but little imagination to gain
the impression that you are Journey
ing through Central African or
South American country. 1t is liter
ally tropical jungle, minus the ser
pents, but with an occasional view
of an alligator The springs are shis-
torically famous and learned men of
the past have left records of them. so
1t is not for me to attempt to enlarge
upon them.
There are lakes in the county. OF
course lots of them, and some of the
oldest fruit groves in the state. There
are plenty of old wild groves. those
paintings from the seed that the early
settlers and Indians made@ Some Of
them have been thinned out so they
can be cultivated and are producing
well in spite of their great age. For
the benefit of those who do not know
why thinning out is necessary will
state that those old planters planted
trees so thickIy that it is impossible
to get teams in to handle the crop or
for the necessary fertilization and
spraying. OF course, they had no idea
that fertilizing would be necessary
for heavier crops. Some groves still
exist in the dense hammocks and the
jungle growth has reclaimed them to
the extent that one would have to be
bird, and small one, to get the
fruit.
Scenic Attractions Along TIE Dixie
Highway
There are some very picturesque
drives TO be had within the confines
OF the county and there are about two
hundred and twenty-five miles of hard
surfaced roads constructed, made in
the days when concrete and asphalt
were prohibitive on account of trans
portation and price. These reads are
far from being the impossible kind
at present and will soon be replaced
with the more modern sort, for excel
lent foundations exist for the easy
laying Of highways. Marion county
has varied topography Motoring
down the Dixie Highway, you enter
the county at Evinston, pretty little
town on the Marion-Alahcua counties
line. From this place the highway
runs southwark in charmingly irreg.
ular route, over the hills between
orange groves. by rich truck and
stock farms, over the highlands that
~ANN VIZ Akoki 0AahSO LdhC, WHICH
spreads out in a panoramic view, seen
through more orange groves, groups
of palms and bits of hammock.
You are now near Mcintosh and lns
town of Orange Lake. As you go fur
ther south you pass through rolling.
pine woods and beneath large oaks
planted along the road years ago. and
more hammock. As you approach
Reddick, nesting under large oaks
and amid undulating farms. you are
getting into splendid general farm
ing section, which you are still pass
ing through as you rise over the long.
sweeping hill at Lowell From Evin-
ston south the Atlantic Coast Line
railroad has been winding in and out
parallelling the Dixie Highway Just
below Lowell the highway crosses the
railroad and enters luxuriant hard
wood forest. This forest is part Of