THE ROYAL PALM 



(OREODOXA REGEA) 



By HoUister Sage. 



T^HE United States is not recognized as a hot country. 

 - Nevertheless, lower Florida is truly tropical. Al- 

 though the peninsula does not extend into the torrid 

 zone, it is nearer the equator than sunny Italy, Greece, 

 the blue Mediterranean or even northern Egypt. Four 

 hundred miles long, Florida's position is an enviable one, 

 for the Gulf Stream flows on both sides of the state. 

 That miracle-working river of warm water in the Atlan- 

 tic, mystically takes its way with force unabated to 



frozen Labradox and across the northern ocean, melting 

 icebergs, making a safe path for the great liners and 

 blessing two continents ; but its influence upon Florida 

 is super-natural. 



If you have never viewed tropica! plant life, the prod- 

 ucts of Nature unassisted, her vigorous and graceful 

 spontaniety where freezing never interferes, let the wings 

 of your imagination carry you to Miami, our most 

 southern city. It has been given a musical Indian name. 



Four Beautiful Royal Palms in Royal Poinciana Park. 



Cocoanut Palm. 



Tke Fiftt, in tke Foreground, is a 



