The Florida agriculturist., 1884-11-12
The Florida Land Boom.

1t is stated that unimproved orange
lands in Italy are worth thousand dol
lars per acre, while the price of orange
lands in California are rapidly approach
ing that figure. These facts are not
generally known in Florida, or are lost
sight of by the doubling and timid ones
who seem to fear collapse of present
prices. 1t is true that as compared with
thevalue of agricultural lands the lands
of f Florida which are adapted to, orange
culture are high. But as compared with
the unimproved land of other orange
growing regions, they have but Just
begun to be appreciated, and will quad
ruple their present value in the next de-
II cade. fO& some reasons the lands oil
Florida ought to ocOmmand better price
than the same grade of lands in either
| California or Italy. Florida is nearer to
the point Of consumption and already
possesses an advantage in transporta
ton facilities. This fact, if there was
no advantage in her favor in the quality
of fruits, would make orange growing
more profitable here than in either of
the regions named. In California irri
CATION is relied upon, and nothing can be
done without it. Lands so situated that
irrigation is possible are very productive
and valuable, while contiguous lands
of the configuration of the country are
practically worthless. In California as
in Florida, the orange industry is in its
infancy and efforts are being directed to
the available means of overcoming the
obstacles in the way. These efforts are
meeting with a gratifying degree of sue
cess, and new areas are being brought
into cultivation as these efforts are push
ed. There, owing to the expense of en-
gineering and constructing canals, little
can be accomplished except through a
Of capital. After canals are
constructed and lands thus fitted for
planting are open to purchase and i'm.
provement by individual effort, they are
necessarily expensive and only open to
the man of liberal means.
( With Florida it is different. No irri-
CATION is required. If the lands are
adapted to the growing of oranges and
other citrus fruits, the only preparation
required is clearing and plowing, the
same as would be required in preparing
wild land for other crops. All the ex-
pense of irrigation and water rates is
avoided, and the individual can accom-
plish as much by himself by his own
efforts as would be possible in combina-
ton with Others The matter of trans
vantage in Florida's favor She can
avoid the long trans-continental railway
transit from California as we'll as the
longer but less expensive sea transit TO
which the foreign fruit is subjected.
This will enable the Florida grower to
realize better profit on his fruit, and
give him percentage over his less fa-
vored competitors.
The quality of the fruit is already set
tied beyond all cavil in favor of the
Florida orange, which added to the
others gives us three very important
items OF advantage over any other orange
producing region Of the world. This, of
course, presuming the United States to
be the market. 1t is to a purely home
market that we must and properly should
look for a long time. At present ten or
anges are imported into the United
States to every one grown within our
own territory. Population and wealth
are rapidly accommodating, and the de-
mand will more than keep pace with
the production for all time to come.-
Orlando Reporter.