The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-03-29
MARCH 80.
A. The number varies. Some grow.

ers think that twenty feet IS the prop.
er distance to place trees from each
other; others recommend twenty-five
and still others thirty. When trees
are twenty feet apart there are one
hundred to the acre; when twenty
five feet apart seventy-two trees, and
when thirty feet apart fifty -six trees.
q. Are the orchards, as a rule,
near railways?
4. The greater portion OF them are
now. Narrow guage roads are being
rapidly built all through the orange
region. Three or four such roads
have been built in the last year or
two.
@. Can you give me an estimate of
the cost OF small orange grove from
the time of purchasing the land un>
till the trees are in good bearing con-
dition?
Il. I am not Sufficiently familiar
with the business OF growing oranges
to give you an estimate that would
be correct. will, however, give you
statement OF facts made of an ex~
tensive orange grover of Putnam
county, who kept, from the beginning
of his grove TO the close of the thir.
teenth year, an account of his expen.
ditures and receipts. This statement
was published year or SO ago by our
Commissioner of Immigration. The
grove was commenced in 1866 and
the account was closed in 1879. The
number of trees was three hundred,
and they yielded four hundred and
forty~two thousand oranges, which
were sold for seven thousand five
hundred and ninety dollars. The
expenditures, emitting first cost
of land, first cost of trees
and interest on the money, were one
thousand nine hundred and fifty dol
lars The receipts over expenditures
were five thousand six hundred and
forty. OF course, it was quite a nuns
Der OF years before the trees com
menced to bear. The orchard is now
attend with very little expense and
is growing more valuable every year.
q. At what age do trees attain
their perfection ?
i. Orange trees hardly reach
their prime before they are twenty
years old, and they continue to in~
crease in value for twenty years more.
1t is estimated that they will yield
productivity for one hundred years.
There Is a tree in a famous grove
in this State which is eighty years old
and it still yields enormously.
g. About what is the average yield
of tree ?
4. The yield, OF course, depends
greatly upon the size of the tree and
the season. A fair average, perhaps
would be from 500 TO 1000 oranges.
OF course, these figures are often
greatly exceeded. For instance,
Judge Wilson, OF Polk County, told
me that he had obtained from one
tree six thousand eight hundred or
anges.
q. Are all kinds Of land suitable
for oranges
A. No. Orange trees will grow
in variety of soils-in clayey, sandy,
shelly or loamy soils, In black or gray
hammocks, and on pine lands or
black Jack ridges. The Rev. T. w.
Moore, however, who is an authority
on orange culture in Florida, says
that perhaps, the best soil is found i'll
dark gray hammock land with deep
soil, underlaid with yellow clay or
yellow sand subsoil.
e. What can land, suitable tor or
ange orchards, be obtained for
Il. From the government Tor $l.25,
from the State for 81 10 s. per acre.
Such land in private hands, however,
when its character Is understood;
sometimes commands as much as as
Sl2o per acre.
T. About what does an orchard.
Ill good bearing. command per acre
Il. cannot answer that question
because almost fabulous prices are
asked. 1t not untrequently happens
that an orchard nets the owner MS
much as one thousand dollars an acre
every year.
Z. About what is the average
price OF oranges on the trees {?
Il. Fifteen dollars thousand.
I e. What are the methods of plant
ing orange groves
Il. There are several. As MIR.
Moore, to whom l have already re-
ierred, gives them, they are as tol-
lows; First, the budding OF the wild
sour trees without moving them;
second, budding them first and plant.
Ing afterwards in some suitable To-