St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-08-12
Raising Fruit for Profit.

realized IN raising frult 1Of the supply u
markets that any business enterprises
in which sensible and intelligent, and,
withal, industrious persons engage. The
great majority of persons who embark
in Embarrassing as an occupation where
by to gain livelihood are the victims OF
disappointment. Generally they are SUI
perior in mind, culture and learning to
the persons who engage in general farm
ing, dairying or stock-raising. Ordna-
rily they have more means than the per
sons who engage in the other pursuits
named. Considerable capital is required
to purchase land i'll the vicinity OF one
of the much laudcd fruit-growing dis
trcts, and more is needed to buy stock
and support family till the trees. vines
and bushes come into bearing. ObserV-
alton shows that a large proportion OF
the persons who engage in trult-ralslng
on large scale are men who have been
bred for the learned professions or who
have GOOD scientific attachments. Ordl-
narily they are well acquainted with
botany, entomology and ornithology.
Theoretically they are well acquainted
with fruit-growing and the business re-
lations growing out OF it. Many OF them
have good libraries of books that treat
on every department of fruit production
and matters pertaining to it. The books
that compose these libraries have not
only been read but studied. Fruit-rals-
ers are generally studious persons. They
own more books as u rule than farmers
do and take more magazines and papers.
They also attend more conventions and
meetings devoted to the matters in
which they are engaged No class of
men are at greater pains to inform them
selves in relation to every department of
the business in which they are engaged
than fruit-raisers. They are always dill
igent in acquiring knowledge.
What is more, they are generally dill
gent in business. They also possess
another element of success. They are
in love with their business, and are Oft
en- completely fascinated with 1t. They
are fond of talking about it in season
and out of season. 1t is as easy to dis
tinguish fruit-raiser as it is a clergy
man or school teacher by his CONVEX
sation. Men often engage in farm
ing or continue in it against their
will by force of circumstances, but the
fruit-raiser is generally such by choice.
He chooses the occupation out OF
love of it. OF course he expects to
make money, and he deserves to do so
on account of the energy he displays.
Still he very often fails. He does not
acquire fortune or gain competence.
In many eases he loses the place he's
has spent the earrings and savings OF
| bolf n 70 tn then
obliged to fall back on some unconge
NAL pursuit in order to gain living.
Although the number OF professional
fruit-raisers is much smaller than that
of general farmers, still we hear of
more failures among the first than the
last. 1t is somewhat easy to account
for these frequent failures. The bust
ness of fruit-raising is hazardous one.
| The fruit crop is more liable to injuries
than ordinary field crops are. A long
err time is necessary to mature it. More
kinds of insects mjure trees, vines and
bushes and the fruit they produce than
destroy corn, potatoes and small grains.
The prospect of a crop of fruit is likely
1 to be destroyed by unfayorable weather
at any time from the formation of the
buds till the period of ripening. It is
rare that several crops of large standard
fruits are raised in succession. Orchard
lists know that ''bearing' year is toll
I, lowed by an "off'' year. During the
first fruit is low. and during the'seeond
there is little to sell. As fruit-raisers
are generally men Of ''great expecta-
TONS they are liable to run in debt.
Raising peaches in the region about
! Delaware Bay has been profitable for a
very long period. ii, The success of the
peach growers there can be accounted
for in various ways. The climate is
very favorable, the transportation facil-
tiles are excellent, and several large
cities are in the vicinity. Raising APP
pies in Michigan, New York, and in
several of the New England States has
I also been profitable tor many years.
1 Raising grapes in the vicinity OF wine
making establishments where, cash
market is always assured is generally d
prosperous industry. The cases OF fail
ure are much more common than those
Of continued success, however, in rails
ing any kinds of fruit on a large scale
in most parts Of the country. The large
fruit enterprises established in Southern
i Illinois and Eastern Michigan have
turned out much like mining enter
prises. A few persons met with sue
Il cess for short time, a much smaller
number We're quite successful for ::
4 term of years, and large number com
! pletely failed in realizing their expecta
tons. Many went into the business
with good capital, and after strug
Cling for few years were forced to re
tire with none. AS with mining, s,
with Embarrassing: one fortunate success
caused many to engage in business
} that led to disaster, The story of tn,
man who realized $500 from an acre o
strawberries in one season travels al
over the country and induces many t,
i nlant .,rinaS.. The rannrts of the fail