The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-07
The Golden Heart of Florida

(Written by Mary Barstow, Assis-
tant Secretary Lakeland Chamber of
| Commerce, for The Tourist News.)
Do you believe that all Florida is
/ flat? | did, but then | cherished a
great many beliefs that had to fore
go, when a kindly fate set me down
in the heart of Florida, and babe me
use my eyes. Fate has not always
been so kind as she was to me this
time, but | can assure you that she
didn't single me out for any special
attentions. To all who come to Flor
ida with a friendly heart and an eye
for beauty, she shows her utmost gra-
ciousnesS.
There is no lovelier spot in all the
State that has grown famous for its
sunshine and flowers than the inland
hills of southern Florida. Slipping up
from the Atlantic on one side and the
Gulf of Mexico on the other, the land
Uses to a height of several hundred
feet to form what is known as the
Ridge" the backbone of the PENN
sula and the famous citrus fruit re.
gion of Florida.
This is a lovely country indeed
Wide rolling hills, covered with open
pinelands or well titled citrus groves.
stretch away as far as the eye can
see, cut by the dull CLEAN OF silver or
the vivid flash of blue, for in every
hollow lies a lake. There are liter
ally hundreds Of them, crystal clear
and sparkling at every CLINT of sun
light or touch of hayward breeze. Ev-
erywhere you find them: sometimes
cool and fresh as the citrus groves
that stretch up the the sunny slopes
above them; sometimes rougher, more
sparkling, to match their wider sur
roundings of pine and palmetto, and
dense woodland growth; sometimes
still and clear where the tall pines lift
their shaggy, stately heads against
flaming sunset; sometimes ripping
forward with the rising of the great
golden moon.
You will love these lakes. They
grow to seem a part of you, like Il
well-beloved companion. For do they
not furnish many of the joys of your
wonderful winter, swimming, boating.
fishing, as we'll as beauty? And they
serve another, even more beneficial
purpose. They are natures store
houses of heat and cold,and they keep
away the harmful fr0sts and equalize
the winter into continuous process
sion Of warm blue days and cool,
starry nights. That is one of the
main reasons why this section is SO
admirably adapted for the growth of
citrus fruits. The trees thrive luXu-
riantly and the fruit is of excellent
quality. 1t is a delight to travel
through the groves.
Nature is prodigal in her gifts to
this happy land. Not only healthful-
ness and a surprising loneliness has
she given but wealth, a rich golden
shower from the trees, and the paler
but none the less valuable product Of
the earth. For this is tie famous cit
rus fruit region, and here is produced
almost half the phosphate of the
world.
In the heart of this land Of plenty
where the uplands are set with nine
shining lakes, is Lakeland, city OF
many waters. The natural outlet of
this rich tributary region, the city has
grown very rapidly till it row has a
population of almost twelve thousand.
| The first appeal to the newcomer
is that of beauty. Wide shady streets
lead inevitably to some blue lake, for
there is only one street in the whole
city that runs straight through with
gu ending in water. Several of these
lakes have been parked and boule.
vGrded, and here you may walk or
rest, while fresh breeze blows cool
/ and sweet in your face, and gently
stirs the water to catch every CLINT of
light and color.
Here the trees hang heavy with
golden fruit and fragrant blossoms
Here the flowers run riot, covering
every fence and hodge-row with gor-
geous colors, sometimes the brilliance
OF tropical plants and sometimes the
more delicate blossoms OF the north
ern states, familiar faces blooming
the year around to greet the wan.
dered. Here the gray moss bows
through sunny days, and the hooking.
bird sings through the silver night
!. Attractive residences line these
streets, set well back amid lawns that
are brilliantly green and vivid with
flowers. Sometimes glimpse of a
wide veranda, an open fireplace on a
! EOlNl, DuISdiOW Will all dlIDlduG
sleeping porch, or some white colonial
mansion half hidden i'll palms and
pines, reminds you what infinite pos
s1bilities for beauty and comfort the
marvellous climate of Florida affords.
To many tourists inland Florida is
a yet undiscovered country, and it
holds delights that give at a charm
that is all its own. This partly per-
haps because it combines all the
things for which Florida is famous,
wide and smiling skies, clear sunshine
and soft breezes, pines and palms,
and poinsettias. and outdoor life all
the Winter No exotic, languorous,
tropic atmosphere here. 1t is as Ia
you could prolong the keen, crisp, de,
light of your northern mountain sum.
rer indefinitely, all the year round.
First Of all, for what is the beauty
of the world unless it be comfortable
The traveller asks two questions Of the
city. Are living conditions comfort.
| able? How do we amuse ourselves?