The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-01-25

those sections sufficiently mild 10
grow the orange, can ever be made
available. The long dry seasons of
California prevent the possibility OF
growing this fruit in that State ex~
cept by irrigation, while the estima-
ted yield per tree is only six hundred
oranges. In Louisiana the possible
area is small. In Florida the ellis
matte conditions are more favorable,
but the lo,ad and location suitable are
not one htadreth part Of the State.
Another fact lessons the possibility
OF yield. Orange culture belongs to
the class of skilled labor. Hundreds
engaged in the business will fail, be.
cause success requires intelligence,
application, patience, and skill. Hum
dreds have already failed, from one
or all of these causes, and have lett
the State, never dreaming that they
alone are to be blamed for their fail
ure. Men in the very communities
thus abandoned have succeeded be-
cause they were more prudent IN the
selection of soil and location, and
used their intelligence and the in
telIigence of others, and persevered
in the face oil partial failure brought
about by ignorance. But those men
who failed took no advise except
that OF the landowner who offered to
sell land cheaper than any one else.
They read nothing that had been
written by men who had succeeded.
They took no warning of those who
had failed. Suited on their castles OF
selt-conceit they stood, nor deigned
to look down to the humble but pru-
dent laborer for advice, till their cas>
tie tell, and they left the State imag-
lining that the ''sand OF Florida had
proven an unstable foundation and
overthrown them and their castle.
Such instances will repeat themselves.
Whoever may succeed, such men
will fail. Whatever may be written,
and wisely written on the subject,
and however published, whether in
book or journal, will not be read by
them. But while the above facts will
lessen the general yield of oranges, it
will make the business vastly more
profitable to the men who possess
the virtues necessary to success. The
orange will pay beyond any other
fruit at half cent an orange on the
tree. In Europe, where lands are ex.
ceedingly high, a grove is considered
most profitable investment, even
when the fruit sells at from two dol
lars;to four dollars per thousand. Ten
years ago the Florida orange was
considered we'll sold when the grows
Ell could get one cent on the tree.
Few now sell tor less than one and a
half cent, and come average at their
groves as high as four cents per Or
ange, and the price still advances.
In no business can yonng man
with pluck, intelligence, and applica-
ton, SO certainly lay the foundation
for a competency and fortune as in
orange-growing in Florida. With the
exercise OF these he may in ten years
be what the country would call rich
man.
A young man from Middle Florida
borrowed money enough from his
father to buy piece OF land. After
paying tor his land, located few
miles above Palatka, he landed i'll
Palatka with $500 in his pocket.
These he paid for provi sions, and
went 10 work growing vegetables on
about an acre and halt OF cleared
land. Six years atterward he sold his
place for $4,000 CASH, without ow-
ing a cent for anything. Many in
stances could be given OF young men,
as we'll as old men, VINO have done
AZ well, and of some who have done
still better. Young men have ire.
quently written to the author TO aid
i'll securing Tor them "a clerkship.
Ills advice has been invariably given,
GO to work raising fruit in Florida,
and he in0anan6pnt and have q hOmp .