Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1922-04-06
Number 40
ADA f.. HATTON WRITES
AGAIN ABOUT FLORIDA TRIP

| On Sunday, Feb. IL, we motored
to Crescent beach on the Gulf OF
Mexico, few miles from my sisters
| home near Sarasota, Fla. We turn
| ed off the main road toward Sara
sofa, onto the Siesta road, and cross
ed the Siesta bridge from the main
land over the bay. to the island. We
drove over the improved roads of the
| island, which are constructed main
! ly of shells from the gulf and are
| glistening white There are dense
growths of foliage bordering the
road on either side.
At last we came out upon the
beach, and the waters of the Gulf of
Mexico spread out before us in all Of
their wonderful beauty. The white
sand of the beach glistened in the
sunlight. We parked our automo-
bile, then proceeded over the sand
/ toward the shore of the Sulf. sThe
+, sand was of such depth that our
feet sank into it as if we were plow-
| ing through heavy snow on a cold
morning before the paths are made.
The sun was so bright on the blue
waters of the gulf and the glistcning
white sand Of the beach, thae 1t was
hard on our eyes, and | was glad
| that had brought along a wide
| trimmed hat to put on as somewhat
of a protection from the glare. The
breakers came in and dashed at our
feet as we walked along the shore,
and I laved my hands in the water
of the gulf.
Some birds-gulls, attracted my
attention. They would fly over the
water, then settle on it, and stay
there as contented as chickens in
barn yard, bobbing on the huge
waves like corks, and pecking now
and then at some choice mOrsel they
discovered in the water. Then they
| would fly and circle around until
they got ready to settle again and
eat some more. It was most inter-
esting and amusing to watch them.
Way out in the waves we could
see the heads and backs of some
large porpoises-sea hogs, as they
emerged now and then from the wa
! ter. Pelicans flew over the waves.
| watching and ready to swoop down
at any time for their prey-and woe
be to any fish on which a pelican
closes his big beak. We added to
| our pleasure and interest on the oc-
| casion of being in such close proxf-
nifty to the great Gulf of Mexico, by
having ourselves kodaked by its side.
We finally left Crescent beach and
motored back across the island to
another beach, Siesta, which is on
| the shore of Sarasota bay. We
| walked through the deep white sand
| which crunched under our feet like
snow on crisp winter day. We
picked up some pretty shells, and
added to my collection the shell Of
a horse shoe crab. and star fish.
some sea weed, and a sea biscuit,
| etc.
| Another wonderful trip took was
to Oneco, some miles north Of Sara
sofa, where we visited the Royal
Palm Nurseries, products of which
go to all parts of the United States.
also abroad-fiowering plants. vines.
ornamental trees and shrubs, be-
sides citrus and other food produc-
| ing plants. There is a vast collec-
tion in various stages of propagation
and culture. The propagation houses
cover acres of ground and are under
glass or muslin cover. This protec-
tion Is aided, when required in the
growth and strengthening process Of
plants, by steam heat conducted
through thousands of feet of pipe,
and there are stoves placed here and
there ready to be fired whenever the
temperature takes a sudden drop to-
ward a point beyond which the plant
life is endangered, pipes reaching
out from them many feet, thus aid
ing in extending the heat. There are
also between many of the different
departments Of the nurseries board
walls many feet high, to protect
them.
Some plants we were particularly
interested in and priced, we were
told came from France, and accord
ing to the law governing such
things, they can not be sold until a
period of fve years has elapsed
this precaution being taken to pre-
vent any possible danger of infection
in plant life.
There are plants from far away
countries of the tropics. There are
flowers for every need and purpose,
and especially those that thrive best
in the semi tropical climate of Flor
ida and the south. Mr.. Reasoner,
the owner, and his family, have their
residence in the grounds, and there
is such wealth of horticultural
growth and beauty and so many
rare and splendid specimens of trees
and flowers and shrubbery surround
ing, that the whole is a landscape
setting such as many people would
give fortune to possess. Before we
left the nurseries we bought a little
fig tree and some plants to set out
in the yard at the Ziegler home.
A trip to the Manatee county fair
at Bradentown on Feb %, was a
unique experience to me. It was a
hot day-temperature must have
been at least IS. 1t was bright and
sunshiny all day long. We made the
trip up to the fair, by auto.
After entering the grounds we
first went through the agricultural
hall. The exhibit of Florida fruits
and vegetables was a rare sight to
me and was certainly good to look
at. The different towns of the coun-
ty We'd with each other to see which
could make the best display. Each
had large booth showing its prod
ucts. and as you passed along all
the booths looked so beautiful 1t was
hard to determine which you con-
sidered was the most beautiful. One
booth. that OF Palmasola, which Is
on Palmasola bay, south of Tampa
bay, and north Of Sarasota bay, was