The Republican journal., 1884-01-31
Our George Interviews ''an Orange
Grove"
LETTER NO. 10.

Every section of our country has some hobby,
and it rides it to death, generally, and when
stranger who has been used to walking, strikes
new section, and is put astride that particular
hobby, he rides till he is so sore, that he prefers
to stand up and take his meals from lunch
counter. In one state it is corn, and after being
in that locality for a few weeks, the victim will
not only have corns on his feet, but all over
him. 1t another state it will be nothing but
wheat. Just buy some land, it won't cost any
thing, SOW some. wheat, and be millionaire
when the first crop comes off. Another section
will have a mash on mining, and strangers will
get wild, that they often buy an old well.
and think they have got mining shaft that
runs right into Goconda. But when a pilgrim
lands in Florida he begins to hear about that
noble fruit the orange, and if his ears don't get
tired of listening to its merits before he leaves,
it is because his pilgrimage is short. Every
body he sees is eating oranges, and talking
oranges: he sees them on the trees, and he
smells them in the air, and he feels them with
his bands. Every sense he has, assists in taking
in the orange question: they all have to assist,
for he cannot get bang up good one for less
than ) cents, which is all we mortals are sup
posetf4o have.
Now there is large amount of humbug to
this orange business, as well AS to a circus side
show. and the fifty millions of citizens of this
country cannot all come here and get rich rails
ing oranges. Orange groves are not like sal
walton, free to you and nc" 1t takes money
to make money here, as well as elsewhere.
Orange trees have to be raised and grow up to
certain age. before they will bear, and to do
well they must have good location. They do
not give good land away here, as they do adj
vertising cards with us. The gentle Floridian
has learned that money is handy thing to have
in family, and he has also learned to swap
sand for money, and what good points he neg
lccts to tell you of, about the land, he can after
wards condense in an ordinary telegram.
People are locking here by thousands, thinking
that they are going to get rich in the orange
business. Nine out of ten will get disappointed.
The one who gets rich will be the man who has
either got money enough to live without an
orange grove. or the one who goes into some
other business, while he waits from fre 10 tn
4e1N for his grove to grow and get in bearing.
The poor man who comes here is Just like the
poor man elsewhere. he remains poor. There
are some wealthy men here who came here
poor and have made their money out of or
an@es. but they came here years ago. Those
chances have been all taken up. and the man
who goes INTO orange raising now, encounters
opposition. and has up hill work, just as he
would were he to engage in any other business
| elsewhere All | wish to impress on the read
er is. that he cannot come here and get an
orange grove all set out, and in bearing, for
nothing. as many seem TO think.
BY Kindness of Mr.. T. Ii. Livingston of the
firm of Drew, Hazeltine and Livingston of
Jacksonville, | had the pleasure of visiting a
grove. in which he owned an interest. 1t was
about nine miles above Jacksonville. and was
called the Beauclerc Grove, and was the prop
erty of Pearson. iuling x Livingston. 1t was
I very near Mrs. Stoves place, and was tract
of about 30 acres. and contained 1000 trees.
The land was fine white sand. and was on the
st. Johns river. Along the shore was border
OF oaks and expresses, to break off the wind.
/ The orange trees were set out in rows, both
ways. in diamond shape. and the trees were -
feet apart, though 80 feet is what is allowed
now i'll new groves The trees were wild
orange, budded. This grove was started about
| ten years ago. and last year was the first season
thar amy of the trees bore. and there We're but
20 boxes then. This year there will be 800 box
eS, and the increase hereafter will be very rap
| id. till all the trees are in bearing, when the in
come ought to be at least $40, 600 year. as
oranges are now sold. But to get this grove to
that point, will have taken at least a dozen
years, and nearly As long before it would pay
I expenses. The place now must be worth $50
600 or 100000. but the propretors will in year
or two, be able to struggle along on an income
of $1,000 or $1,000 apiece. for the rest of their
lives, and their children can do the same, for an
orange tree is like pensioner, it lives eternal
y. as ii We're. You may ask. where can man
do better than to 90 into orange culture and be
assured Of $1,000 income in - wears? He can
| not, unless he spends his time in laying up
treasures for the Kingdom of Heaven, but what
are you and | to do my friend, those u years
| that we are waiting: Where are we to get the
/ funds to purchase the land and keep man on
the place that length of time: That is what
| bother> me. | could live while of the free
lunch counters, but eventually should get fired
out of that lay, ana then where should be?
The land in the grove is plowed twice a year,
and dressing is put around the trees once or
twice each year. The moss has to be kept off
| the trees, and they are pruned when necessary.
The trees begin to blossom in the Spring, and
the fruit sets and is ready to pick in November.
/ Unlike the apple, you can leave it on the tree
till YOU want it. 1t is as hard to shake off as a
poor relation. The fruit is cut off with pair
of shears, and handled very carefully 50 is not
to bruse it. 1t is then carried to the packing
house, where it is allowed IA day to ''Sweat" and
dry of. 1t is then sized. and papered. and
packed i'll boxes ready for shipping. The box
es, all ready TO put together, cost about BE.
each. and the oranges will average about $50
per 1000. The best boxes are those made in
Maine, and are shipped ten boxes in package,
that is. the two sides, top and bottom; the ends
are made of hard pine, and are sawed here.
They also use box made here which is all of
hard pine, but it is not considered as good. The
Maine box is made of beech, | think, at anv
rate it is some hard wood
Up to now | have never divuged in nv let
tiers my real object in visiting Florida, but |
propose to do now. Occasionally in wears
back, when have been eating an orange and
thinking it was pretty good, some bystander
would ask me if | had ever seen one growing
and on being told no. would give a look of pity
and say, II thought not, for if you had ever
eaten them right off the trees you never would
eat those you get north.' and then would feel
as If | was eating somebody's pet kitten, and
would take one more bite and throw the rest
away thinking that really did not taste as well
as it should. At last got mad and started for
Florida, with no other object than to prove or
disprove this question. Mr. Livingston turned
me loose into the grove, and after looking me
over to judge how much would hold, told me
to eat all | wanted. And | did eat. | ate
oranges in ten different languages: with one
hand tied behind me, standing, sitting. and w.
ing down. | knocked them out in three rounds,
| chalked my cue and pocketed them. You
never so surprised man as Mr.. l..
was. lie said | was the first person he
ever saw who was larger inside than | was
outside, but | did not let that remark interfere
with my lunch and | sucked, and peeled and
ate, till made that grove look as if Il donation
party had struck it, but was bound to inyes-