The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-04-29
Marion County--A Princely Inheritance
Described BY the Marion County Fod Monthly Publication the
of the County Board O Trade

ACROSS the southwest corner of the coun-
- is the valley of the winding Withlacoo-
ebee Sweeping up from south to north,
tbroueh the east-central portion of the coun-
: i the wider valley of the more winding
fcklawaha. North and west of the rivers
are the Up-lands and to the east is the lake
pAeion The watersheds slope eastward to
the sea. and westward to the gulf.
The topography Of Marion county ranges
nom fifty to two hundred and twenty feet
above sea level There are in the county
large areas Of pine lands most of which
are high and rolling Though most of the
nine woods have been cut down by the
Iumberman, and some have been cleared
that the land might be cultivated. there are
virgin pine woods, of beautiful, round tim
Der, that have been left untouched. And
what is more delightful than to walk
through these clean, open, pungent woods
at the feet Of trees that lift their heads
to the heavens Not all of the pine woods
are open. Over a large portion there is an
underground OF oaks. Then there are the
luxuriant hammocks Of many kinds of hard
woods, vines, wild muscadines. shrubs and
flowers: beautiful clear water lakes mir
rors for the bordering trees and the blue
skv: and palm trees in the hammocks, and
along the rivers, and upon the hillsides
There are the red oak woods. the many vari-
ations Of the Characteristic forest growths.
the hickory nut groves. the sweet gums. the
clumps Of mayhaws the wild persimmons,
the magnolias and the sweet bays And by
no means the feast interesting part of the
county is the National Forest. with its sand
Dunes spruce pines. vines and evergreen
shrubs. some Of which are not found out OF
Florida Scientists and nature-lovers have
found this forest most interesting.
In Marion county there are real farms
The home-like farm houses are built on well
chosen sites, commanding sweeping views
Of the fields and surrounded, most of them.
by broadspreading live oaks. outstanding
water oaks. or glossy-leafed magnolias: or
they are in the midst of small groves and
orchards Of citrus and deciduous fruits
pears. peaches and figs, loquats. and Japa-
nese persimmons; with flower and vege-
table gardens. an arbor or two of Scupper-
nong grapes, and a patch of sugar cane
The barns are filled with native hay. On
the larger farms there are silos Graded
and blooded livestock Craze in the pastures
Chickens, turkeys and guinea hens move
with domestic air about the yards Some
tnlng is growing, and there is stock out in
tne open, every month in the year. Many
OF these farms were parts of large cotton
and sugar cane plantations before the war
between the sections
Some OF the finest orange and grapefruit
groves IN Florida and therefore, in the
whole world, are in Marion county. Itsis
the home of the famous and luscious .Pine-
apple and "Parson Brown oranges. The
pineapple originated near Citra in this
COUNTY, and the "Parson Brown" though
originating across the line in Sumter coun-
" was developed on the shores of Lake
ven. here the grapefruit was first intro
aueed Most Of the groves in the county
include tangerines, and about the homes
anu along driveways. the busy. decorative
A.eea. 1he groves of wild orange trees
= me county are most interesting. Marion
.0aa'y citrus fruits are of the highest quail
y oue 70 rich soils; they ripen early, reach
'as markets early and demand fancy prices.
q mldwinter the cleanly cultivated truck
s~'snes'' the sight OF Jersey cows con-
sen'edly chewing their cuds in the warm
sunshine or bf Dorset sheep, with lambs,
s.a-'ns IN field of fresh. green rye or
ss's nelp to make the days in Marion coun-
Y delightful : 80 - No''''
-, ere scenes in the county that re-
:. as ohe q northern New Jersey and parts
rennsylyania Here is a stock farm.
,s a'0asn which runs a clear brook out Of ]
e. s sen N the woods beyond. Here is q
j. y Wild cherry trees. hillside farm.
: eso with stones picked up in the fields.
r,.. sestlve OF New England. The com
~ 49, h'uslon may be spoiled, perhaps, by
sss p'esenee of palmetto, or by the Span
tees ss ~ snickiy upon the
sa'asn with many kinds Of fruit trees.
sa' plants and flowers. roses. oleand-
no. q number Of varieties Of palms, the
Is = : Of brilliant reds and yellows. and
1ooded - pace heavy with perfume and .
Il 80 WIN sunlight, recalls descr;nt;ors {
Rssests Gu = spain A hilltop vineyard