The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-03-08
How to Make an Orange Grove Pay.

of 1000 orange trees, covering twenty
acres of land, has a perfect independ-
ence for himself, for his wife, and for his
children who live after him. It's clearly
within the province OF any man of
moderate means and energy to secure
his great boon. The quality most
needed for such venture is patience.
A man who wants an orange grove must
make up his mind to wait ten years be-
fore he can realize the promise of his
enterprise. As to the cost submit some
figures given me by Colonel Markham.
Said he: I" Aman should not start
an orange grove and depend on making
il support him while the trees are ma
turing. The orange region isnot worth
a cent for anything but oranges. A man
may raise his vegetables. but he can do
nothing with corn, grain, cotton or
grass"
What money wonld you say was re-
quired2"
"No man ought to start with over
500 trees unless he intends to hire some
one to help him. This is all he can at
tend to-, and this will make him inde-
pendent for life when he gets it in full
bearing. A model investment, and
one that could not fail to bring wealth
and prosperity, would be this: Let him
take 1000 and buy twenty acres of
good orange land at $50 an acre. Then
let him get 500 young trees at fifty
cents each. It would cost him twenty
five cents each to set them out, or say
$500 for the trees and planting. Then
for 81 900 he could build pretty good
house. This would represent 81, 300
outlay for his home and grove. 10 be
safe make it $4,000 Then he should
have in cash $4,000 to support his fam
ily for six years. In the fifth and sixth
years he might hope to get some return
from his grove, but he should not
count on this rs part of his support.
All the revenue from the grove for the
first five or six years should be devoted
to putting out new trees and in fertli-
izing and improving his place. With
what vegetables he could raise, and
poultry, etc., he ought to
keep his family very well on the
81, 900 year. He might supplement
this by working at a profession or
trade when able, but he would need
all his cash. This would make SO. 600
for his investment and $4,000 for his
expenses, or $4,000 in all. Now, add
81 900 for exigencies and make the
total $4,000. This is as little as any
man ought to start with and feel GER
tain of getting through"
But" continued Colonel Markham
"see what he would have when he got
through. He would have five hundred
trees in bearing and. good for 81, 600
income for the seventh year and a
steady increase until it reached 81, GOO
from the five hundred trees. But
these five hundred trees would only
occupy about eight acres of his twenty.
In the meantime he should have set
out, say one hundred new trees year
lat seventy trees to the acre, the trees
twenty-six feet apart) until on seven
teen acres of his twenty he had one
thousand trees ranging from seven
years to two in age. This property
would then be worth $4,000 at least.
In three more years, or ten years from
starting, it would be worth probably
$40, 900, and would increase IN value
every year"
"What would it representa-
cit. would. represent ten years
work and an investment of $4,000
Half of this would be invested the first
wear, the other $4,000 would be USED
during the first six years as needed
This expenditure might be decreased
by an active man, and the result might
be bettered by shrewd one. But
put the figures at q fair average, anC
even at this / do not think $4,000 q
ten years time could be put anywhere
that it would pay better, or more Ger
tainly."
Colonel Markham's caution against
man without capital undertaking al
orange grove is a wise one From tn
first day of planting the trees need cul
tiyation from the day they are planted
as long as they bear, A great man.
men with only capitnl enough to bu.
the ground and put out their trees hay'
settled in Florida, and wasted two o
three years, only to see their trees die
and themselves ret-rn to the home
they left. They were misled by tn
idea that they could scratch the sol
and it would laugh harvest, and llV
| ike princes ny uuhVihB a."
OF course, failure has oyertaken all sue
people. A number of poor men Wh
are carpenters or mechanics have bull
up fine properties by living cheapl
and sticking out few orange tree
whenever they had surplus dollal
There is plenty of work for almost an
workingman in Florida, and ever
orange tree he brings to maturity
worth from $50 to 500, and will Civ
him from SO to $40 every year. AS the
cost only fifty cents for three-year-ol
seedlings, any hard-working, eeonom
cal mechanic ought to put out fifty
hundred a year. Lake HarUey (F1a
Correspondence.
Newfoundland is the oldest of th
British colonies. 1t is nearly as larg
os Euo,Iand AorioultuFa ia muc