The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-03-10

sweet and sour seedlings, plum and
peach seedlings, few Japan persim-
mon trees, twenty or thirty tea-plants.
twenty-five Spanish chestnut trees,
few olive trees, ETC., besides the fig
cuttings mentioned. We have a
start in sugar-cane, bananas, pine ap-
Piles, cassava, and a variety of other
trees and plants.
Some of our Oldest residents here,
in this neighborhood, advocate the
planting of orange groves composed
entirely of sweet seedlings without
budding and claim that the result
will be all that can be desired. But
this is so opposed to the practice in
regard to all other fruit trees, so far
so l know that cannot bring myself
their way OF thinking and would pre-
for well established varieties pos.
sesed of qualities to suit the taste of
customers, and believe that the time
will arrive when oranges will sell as
apples do, by name branded on the
packages containing them, and with
the right name on said package, will
sell at better price, than will the
run of grove OF seedlings. With
this object in view, and not being
able to send for as many budded trees
of desirable varieties as l needed 1
sent to Mr. Bidwell, Of Jacksonville,
for HomosasSa, Tardiff, Dancey's
Tangarine, Hicks Sweet Seville,
Nonpareil, etc, two trees Of each,
from which to obtain buds as l need
them for my grove. BY the way,
said trees were promptly packed and
sent by Mr.. Bidwell, and though
shipped the day the schooner was to
start, they were not landed at Port
Orange wharf until twenty-five days
after they were shipped, yet one-half
the trees did not shed their leaves,
and all now show signs of lie and
bid tair TO make fine growth tor
the season. When l first received
them / wrote to Mr.. Bidwell stating
that the trees had arrived and my
doubts about their growing, but ex-
onerating him from all blame as he
could not be supposed to know that
the trip from Jacksonville here would
require as much time as voyage
from New York to Liverpool and re-
turn. He, by return mail, informed
me that he would replace all that did
not do we'll.
l am pleased to be able to state
that there seems to be a great revival
of interest in orange culture in this,
Halifax region, and that the area OF
orange groves will be greatly ell.
larged this season. l am informed
that there will be many times more
trees set out this year than tor many
Years past. One party as | am in
formed having made commence
ment with view of planting a hun
dred acre grove. sincerely wish
them success, and hope they have the
necessary backing and may prove
that they have the required backbone.
Failures do not aid us any as adver-
tisements of the advsability of res
idence in Florida, and judging from
what L hear and see there are plenty
OF failures in Florida, the result, per-
haps, OF too much "hightalutin," and
too little hard work mixed with the
proper kind Of intelligence, with per-
severance and patient waltirg after
the work is done. find a number
here have done their patient waiting
before they have commenced their
work. One man here waited eight.
teen years and then commenced his
orange grove, two years ago. His
grove has not yet began to produce
remunerative crops chiefly because
his patient waiting was at the wrong
end of the eighteen years, but there
are those here who have made some
commencement toward an orange
grove whose chances | am afraid Will
Ue about as remote as the man first
named, for reasons that may be APP.
parent to even their somewhat dull
comprehension some day. Won
der whether shall prove TO be OF the
latter number?
If this communication should in
your judgment be acceptable to
your readers, and you would desire,
l will from time TO time send YOU
tor publication, some thoughts with
a view to discussion, for the purpose
OF elciting information OF my sue