The frontiersman. [volume] (Palmer, Alaska) 1952-2005, 1957-01-31
Don Irwin Writes
Of Interesting
Spots in Florida

Another interesting letter was
received this week from the Dom
Trwins who are vacationing with
their son Don and his family III
Florida. Mr.. Irwin, former dlrec-
for of the Alaska Agriculture
Experiment Station, has been
sending along interesting and IN
formative writings Of his visits
III various sections of the country
and now of Florida. The follow
inc are excerpts from the most
recent letter:
con a recent trip to Orlando
(Florida) we drove through mile
after mile of citrus groves, inter
spersed with large areas of pas
ture lands on which herds OF
hump shouldered, flop-eared,
-grayish-tan Brahma beef cattle
were grazing. For almost two
wears rains which are usually
quite adequate for the support OF
pastures. citrus and other crops,
lust have not fallen. AS result
cattle are in very poor condition
Oranges, lines and grapefruit
are small and larger percentage
than usual will be prOcessed for
Juice concentrates. saw truck
dump damaged oranges ana
grapefruit in pasture for cattle
to eat. The whole pasture was
grazed clean as a floor and the
cattle were emaciated.
eve recently visited an alllga-
tor farm. Quite number OF them
were lying out on the bank OF
the pond. The largest Of these
reptiles were about ID to 16 feet
long. black in color and lay so
still. with their eyes closed that
we could see no movement from
breathing. One of the smaller
ones was swimming in the pond
with just his eyes and the emo
of his nose out of the water.
sAt this same farm were 8
number of crocodiles in pen,-
supplied with water tank. They
are dark yellow in color, the larg-
est about 20 feet long and the
teeth on their lower jaws pro-
trude outside and beyond the up
per jaw. They are dangerous and
will attack animals or man. Warn
ing signs are pasted on top of the
six-foot concrete fence which en-
closes them. Snakes of all kinds
were in cages: some harmless
some deadly poisonous. Of the
latter the diamond back rattlers,
coral snakes and cobras are the
most venomous.
Last Sunday we went to con-
cert at the Sanctuary and Book
Singing Tower near Lake Wales.
The tower is located on the high
est point of land in Florida, 324
feet above sea level. The tower
is of Georgia pink marble and
Florida coquina stone, beautl-
fully carved and rises to heigh-
tn of 205 feet from its base. In
it is one of the finest CARTONS in
the world consisting of IL bells,
the smallest of which weighs Il
pounds. and the largest 5000
pounds. From December l thro-
ugh March of each year after
noon concerts are given three af-
ternoons each week and on spec
ial occasions. Tt is a wonderful
experience to visit this beautiful
full building, listen to the music
and walk through the peaceful
flower-lined aisles Of the spacious
grounds surrounding the build
ing.
Another attraction, about five
miles from the Singing Tower is
the great Masterpiece. It is a re
plica made from many thousands
of pieces of colored tile of Leon
ardo da Vinci's great painting,
''The Last Supper. 1t is a beau
tiful work although not in as
bright eolors as the original
painting, print of which hangs
on the wall within the building.
Both these attractions are well
worth going many miles to see."
The Rowing Rooster,
DON T.. IRWIN