Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-04-12
Florida Orange Groves,

A correspondent has visited Florida
orange grove, and tells us an interest
ing story of what he saw. The grove
belongs to Capt. Dummitt, and was dis
covered by that gentleman while con
the war path" after the Seminoles. 1t
is a rich hammock bordering Mos
quito Lagoon and Indian River. Capt.
Dummitt and Hardee pre-empted this
hammock, and planted an organge
grove. This grove is now the finest
in the United States, and probably in
the world. The grove contains 5000
orange trees, surrounded by a thick
scrub.
No fences separated them from the
scrub, and IL is a common thing for
deer, and even bears, to be seen in the
groves. Possums and coons are plenti-
full, and even wild cats and panthers
make their appearance at intervals. The
groves are about a mile long and quar-
ter of mile wide. The trees are about
twenty-five feet apart. The ground be-
meath them is kept entirely free from
any vegetation. 1t is of rich sandy
formation. The whole grove was cool
and shady. Hardly fieck Of sunlight
fell upon us while we were in it. The
land was naturally curved like paren-
thesis, thus keeping it entirely free
from swampy moisture. The first tree
that attracted my attention as [ entered
the grove was a lemon tree. The lem
ons were thin-skinned and of an extra
ordinary size. In some places L found
lemons and oranges growing upon the
same tree, and In one case lemons, or
anges, and lines upon the same branch.
Some of the orange trees were in bios
som, others were loaded with dark green
fruit in various stages of development,
but the most of them groaned under
the weight of large, ripe yellow oranges.
The climate and the soil are such that
Capt. Dummitt says that he has raised
oranges every month in the year. The
Captains black razor-backed hogs APP
peared to have good time of it, fo1
they roamed about the grove fattening
upon the ripe oranges as they fell from
the trees.
Dummitt's Grove has produced 600,.
900 oranges this season. He says he
will raise q million next year. Three OIL
four years ago the trees were nearly de.
stroyed by insects, but they have fully
recovered and look finer than ever
This grove is celebrated throughout the
State. 1t is looked upon as kind Of
Mecca by the orange producers Of
Florida. 1t costs Capt. Dummitt moi
quite 81 900 year to keep his magnif
cent grove in order. Six hundred thou
sand oranges at two cents apiece on the
trees would give him nett income o.
81, 900 a year, and one million oranges
would give a nett income of $4,000
But a frst-class grove, fully developed
ought to average 5000 oranges to The
tree. Many trees yield 5000, and one
tree in the old Eaton Grove, near En-
terprise, is said to have produced 10,00C
oranges in one year. In the vicinit,
are many orange groves, and they ar
very profitable to the owners.
The correspondent concludes Capt
Dummitt is nearly 70 years old. He i
a thin man, with gray hair and a gra,
beard. He cares but little for none,
and is contented so long as he makes
living. If anybody wants his orange
they must go to his grove and blu,
them on the trees. The Captain neve
looks for purchaser. The purchase
must look for the Captain.