The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-12-02
CRY AND COUNTY ON Eve oil sooMa
The Evidence Points to Substantial Growth
Of ocaIa and Marion County

The Evidence Points to Substantial Growth
Of ocaIa and Marion County
Are Ocala and Marion County on the eve
of substantial boom? The evidence points
that way. The outstanding exhibits point
ing to substantial growth of city and
county are: an extensive revival of the
citrus industry, an increase in the truck
ing industry, highway and street construc
ton, building construction, an expansion
of the lime industry, development Of dairy
ing, breeding Of pure blooded hogs, more
poultry raising, and an increase in tourists
and winter residents.
a revival of the citrus fruit industry is
taking place in this county for the reason
& that it is being realized more and more that
this county has advantages over other Sec
ti0ns for citrus culture. A higher quality of
fruit is produced here, it costs less to pro-
duce, it is ready for the market earlier, is
nearer the markets and the county has an
advantage in freight rates. The number of
new acres in citrus fruits planted this year
and to be planned in the immediate future
totals more than 1900. A grove development
of 500 acres is under way about four miles
out of Ocala and grove of several hundred
acres is being developed on Lake Bryant
in theAeastern part of the county. New groves
are being set out near Summerfield, around
Lake Weir, at Gambler, Ocala, Sparr Citra,
Lowell, Fairfield, Orange Springs and McIn-
tosh. New packing houses have been built
and others enlarged. Several nurseries
have been established.
1t is estimated that around 10000 acres
will be planted in truck crops in this county
this winter and next spring. There will be
big increase in the paintings of tomatoes,
many hundreds of acres having already
been contracted for. The best quality of to-
matoes shipped out of Florida last Spring
were from Marion County. The Marion
County tomato has excellent shipping quail
tiles, and this crop gives promise of being
the most important truck crop of the county.
There will be large paintings of cabbage,
beans, cucumbers, and watermelons, and
smaller acreages of peppers, squash, green
corn, lettuce, okra, cantalOupes, English
peas
The Dixie Highway through the county
is to be built with State and Federal aid,
and State Road No. thru this county will
also be built. Ocala has bonded for an ex-
tension of street paving, and the bonds have
been sold and the work is expected to start
early in the new year. A new road is be-
ing built from ST. Johns church to Juliette,
which will be direct route to Blue Springs
and Dunnellon, connecting with State Road
No 5 near Juliette.
There has been much building construc-
ton throughout the county during the year,
with promise of an increase, including
churches, restaurants, residences, garages,
filing stations, schools, stores, warehouses.
packing houses, and barns. In Ocala alone
the new construction is figured at more than
$350,000
Ocala is the center Of the lime and lime
rock industry of Florida. The year has
seen an expansion of this industry and the
future promises greater expansion. Large
quantities. of limestone are being shipped
out of the county in the form OF CONNER
cial lime, mineral filler, ground rock for
agricultural purposes, and rock road con-
8 struction The Lake Weir Washed Sand
Company, Ocala, has opened large deposit
near Kendrick. Marion County limestone is
being manufactured into beautiful building
stone and brick by a Jacksonville concern
and it is probable that the near future will
see the manufacture of these products in this
county. The lime mines are located at Red
dick, Zuber, Kendrick, Blowers, Oakhurst
and Ocala, and there are deposits at many
other points.
"A stock company, to be known as the Mar
ion County Creamery Company, is estab-
fishing central creamery in Ocala, with a
view to developing the dairy industry of the
county. New dairy stock is being brought
into the county and new diaries are to be
established
The breeding of pure blooded hogs has
become an established industry in the coun-
ty, and Marion County may be said to be
the greatest Poland-C China hog county in the
South This breed is the favorite here.
What has been declared by competent
authority one of the best kept poultry
III tIl6 Olil6u States IS IOcdtGu In THIS
county-The Wonder Poultry Farm, at East
Lake. A large poultry farm is being es-
tablished near Ocala, The Triangle Poul-
try Farm at the junction of the Dunnellon
and Shady roads. There is the ~Fairview
Poultry Farm at Belleview, and the farm
of j. w. Gardner near Summerfeld. There
has been an increased interest in poultry
throughout the county. More attention is
being given to capon
The number of tourists visiting Ocala
and other points in Marion County is in
creasing each year. This season the motor
tourists began arriving as early as August.
and with the tourist rates on the railroads
in effect October /, and the special tourist
trains in service earlier than usual the
railroads have brought visitors into this
section earlier Tourists find hotel and board
ing house rates and rental of rooms and
apartments in Ocala and other points in
this county reasonable