Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1876-07-15

We shall in this article treat espe,

We shall in this article treat espe-
cially Of the orange. To make fruit
growing profitable to the grower,
something more is needed than simply
good care Of the orchard, and increas-
ing of the number of good healthy
bearing trees. ..E, VI
IF no attention be given to the de-
velopment and perfecting Of plana
for marketing the fruit grown, there
is a possibility of making the supply
greater than q paving demand. This
II what is now taking place. Orange
growers have up to this time, trusted
70 New Orleans alone for q market,
and are theretofbre at the mercy Of
the fruit merchants of the city for the
disposal of their fruit. We have
nothing to say against the fruit mer-
chants; they act in the interest OF
themselves, AZ all other merchants
do; and If they can by combining,
compel the fruit growers to sell to
them at unremunerating prices, that
is their business and profit. Fruit
growers must look after their own in
terests, ifthey would have a profit
ON their fruit, and this is what we
propose to do.
1t may not be amiss to sketch the
present state of things as regards the
orange, that we may see more fully
tho defects in the present system of
handling the orange, and hereby he
better able to point ent improvements
that should and must he made to ac-
commodatc the increased and increas-
ing productiou, if we would make
orange growing profitable.
The entire production of oranges
in the State Of Louisiana last season
was about thirty millions, and the
average price ten dollars per thous-
and-giving an income, TO the, State
Of shout three hundred thousand dol
lars from the orange crop. The numb
er Of new orchards that will be in
bearing during the next two years
will double the crop n oranges now
produced In the State. Orasgc grow
era, therefore, must look for a market
large enough to consume fully
O,OO0, 600 Creole orannnniu . season,
within the next three years. n moth :
ing bc dOue to prepare this market,
oranges will soon be a drug in the
hands OF the growers. =
1he present method a handling
the orange crop in LDnisianA 10 about
- clumsy and awkward as il possibly
coslA be. There are exceptions, but
I speak Of the crop a. . whole.
Fjsst, The lugger-men, mostly ST.
cilians, 60 into the various orange
districts, Of the State, beginning In
August and continuing through the
ripeniDg period, and buy up MI the
oranges they can fnd, paying usually,
part cash at the time Of purchasing
and the balance when stIe crop Is
gathered BY them. They purchase
by the thousand. to be counted when
gathered, or h tie lssP and, being
expert in estimating the number sf
oranges on . tree by looking nt the
tree, they usually get the advantage
in the estimation of the crop, over
the owner of the orchard. They pnr-
chase with view Of making from
llfty to one hundred per csnt on cost
price. They gather the fruit, stow il
away in boats in bulk, holding. from
q, no ,to00, 900 oranges. They handle
che fruit with reference to ita kceriDg
wsll, ~ long - it Is in their hands
and this Is usually about one week. n
the oranges all rot the next day,after
leaving their hands. 20 matter To- them
az Il only makes4a . demand for. more
to take the place Of the spoiled ones.
These lhEger-pen sell.their oranges
10 the variOns fruit merchants In New
Orleans. The latter purchase, giving
themselves large margin TO 70 on,
and after supplying the homo Nents,
seod he surnlss up North to Is dis
piosd of o. 10 f3ll orders received
lton tlsers.T Before tho ftsit gets to
the North and West, 4 has been
Sp1s'sf Sp sss e s'o SssI .isss isss
aqgD out again. into, cagte ard ont
w ~ Up0u NuysSeo 1--WE 1tVIcy VI
intb barfels bruised and jamn,ed by
III sAess ha1Ilibgs, until Tie Keeping
qualities Of the sgange are almost
ussd up.a - f,l Ts'e7T
when the oranges Get 70 market ID
this condition, they bring : poor price.
The rssult h, the growers of the fruit
nuut take = les price for II oranges
-. ~ tree, - tkat aftsr On Sll0wapce
= na1s f6r oil tho haodlinS ef the
hFuik . proet nay b realised BY the
laEe1sJ6eA and BY the mcrchAnta.
Nov it puet b widest = 0ipkip0
agssso msu, hat thia clumsy wsy Of
hosdIipf aoe slIling thelr ffnit, b cot
wAat \ Gh0nM b. II csu b bettered.
Il ouet he changed and improved.
To q this ysquirss sseauixatjop and
ceosogt = Aetieo on the part of orange
growers- Orgnnisation IL & their
plaza Of operation n,sy Is systematic,
sjmpIo apd covee tie whole ground.
coeesrS - action -ahat theto nay Be
etsepgth given u the enterpffss.
Deebse Givtag 1or .plAn* q 6perafton
(whiab ~ - y tho nogt numhor Of
tho popos1. = 0ey - vell - ansWer
some ioqujsiss made " sAoss who