The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-02-25
Will Grange and Lemon Culture
Pay.

O. H. Mason, in South Florida Citizen. .rs,f
This question is often asked: At
the rapid rate that orange and lemon
groves are being made in Florida,
will not the business be overdone in
few years and the prices received
for fruit get SO low that it will no
longer be a paying business ? III
This question will scarcely be
asked by any one who has given the
subject a careful consideration; yet
no doubt many persons have been de-
tered from engaging in the business
because they have not been able to
satisfactorily answer the query for
themselves. This same question in
reference to the apple, peach and
pear was agitated when / was boy,
more than half century ago. The
result of experience with these fruits
is that the markets are not yet fully
supplied and that the business is not
likely to be overdone for many years
to come, if ever. There are a num-
Der of reasons which can be given
that must lead us to believe that the
same results will attend and follow
the citrus fruits in Florida and be-
come a more certain investment than
railroad or bank stock, without the
same risks OF failure, and continue to
pay large interest upon the amount
expended. :
There are risks in all kinds Of
business; the farmer sows his grain,
plants corn and cotton with the ex-
pectation o of gathering bountiful
crops; yet he may be disappointed.
A dry season, the caterpillar, or some
other casualty may cut Short his har1
vest; he does not. give up in despair,
but tries again. So with the fruit
grower; there may come cold, storms
or his trees may become diseased;
these he must combat, and he will be
able to do this as he gains experience
or is governed by the experiences OF
others. These difficulties are excep-
tions and not the rule. @s
1t is supposed that the census to
be taken this year will show a pUpu-
lation in the United States of forty
eight millions, What proportion Of
these people have eyertasted aFlorida
orange? And who is there acquaint.
ed with the rich lusciousness Of our
ripe fruit can believe that any one,
after eating a Florida orange, will
purchase foreign fruit when our
own can be obtained p This popula.
ton is constantly increasing, and
therefore there will be an increasing
demand. and each year better mar
ket for the Florida product.
Our market is not confined TO the
United States. We have Canada
and Europe to supply. 1t has been
demonstrated by General III. S. San
ford, that the most tender OF our
citrus fruits, the lTangerines can be
sent across the Atlantic. and reach
their destination in good condition,
This venture is an earnest OF what
can be done in the future, and as. we
ACQUIRE the necessary tact in prop
erly packing our fruit, there will he
large shipments to foreign ports. =
= i do not believe that present prices
will continue to be obtained for oul
fruit during long series OF years
because the supply from Aour groves
and the INCREASED production OF oul
old trees will furnish an immense
amount: but this decrease in price
will be more than made up to the
producer by the increased demand.
At present oranges and lemons are
looked upon as Injuries, but this will
change, when the prices are brought
within the means OF our laborlne
populations, Suppose we should re-
ceiye, at the grove, only ten dollars
per thousand ttr oranges, what pro-
duct is there in Florida which will
Weld the same amount Of money per
acre? Trees properly manfred and
cultivated should, at sixteen years
old average 500 perirees tins Mould
give $4,000 oranges per acre from
Trees planted at distance OF 23X25
feet. AT this low estimate, ten acres
would yield $4,000, and this at one
dollar per hundred would give the
nice little sum Of $3,5OU. Make the
estimate still lower counting the
price at seven dollars per thousand,
The result would be $2,450. In max
ing the estimate ! have not taken In
to the account the increasing yearly
product as the trees become older,
Orange trees begin to lproduce fruit
at from eight to ten years old, and
between that period up 10 sixteen
years have probably paiu all past ex-
lenses This fact should be taken