The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-09-10
A Florida Orange Exchange.

The orange trade in Now York is
controlled by commission merchants.
The consumption of the fruit has been
increasing steadily for years and tho
supply has hardly kept pace with the
demand. Still, prices remain about
the same and the grower makes little
money. Until recently he has been
content to let things keep along in the
old rut, growing occasionally at lis
short income from his fine crop, but
charging it all up to hard times on gem
eral principles. Recent investigation
has shown him that there is a certain
factor in his business which hitherto he
has overlooked, and the finding Of it
has wakened him to new energy. This
factor is the peculiar way in which
some commission merchants do busi-
ness, as exposed by certain growers
from Florida.
One of these latter, now in this city,
gives his experience with the trade.
''When my trees began to bear" he
says, 81 looked around for n market,
and decided to send my crop to New
York. wrote to middlemen here and
received circulars in reply setting forth
the advantages possessed by the one
and the other for disposing of the fruit.
Selecting one, l made him large con-
signment of as fine oranges as you
would care to sec. They were in per-
feet condition. carefully graded and
assorted, and should have reached
New York in excellent order. There
were one hundred boxes in tho lot.
They ought to have brought me in
5000. Whom Il settlement was made
I'received $1lS. with this statemont:
Twenty boxes AL. at 81, $40; "a boxes,
second grade, at $1.50, $50; 30 boxes
damaged at 81. $50; Ii boxes soft,
at rs cents, $12, and 10 boxes rotten.
no return. / was somewhat astonlsh-
ed, but couldn't do or say anything
| didn't see tho fruit when it was re-
ceived, SO had to accept the state
ment Us correct.
well, let things run along for sew
oral years, shipping fine fruit and got
ting nothing for it No matter how
sound the oranges wore when they left
Florida they were seldom more than
| % per cent. accounted for as first grade.
| l have quit the commission merchant
and with what result? This season
netted So. 40 u box on my croD. while
my neighbors were making 81. 60 in the
old way. My oranges now always ar
| rive sound, and bring good l'rices.
am here now to arrange little private
| depot of my own, and have been look
ing up and down town for a location.
am doing it on the sly. | know thai
am watched By these dealers. know
that they are ready to ruin me by COM
petition, so shall keep quiet. What
is easier than 10 condemn tow boxe:
Of sound oranges, get them for u song
and sell them Tor good prices? En-? A
fine piece of business.
..ls there no way to avoid such meth
odsp"
Only one. Every man must sell hi
own fruit
Blu. small growers can't afford t'
do that here"
They're getting ready to do it. any
way. How? Why. We have organize,
for that purpose. Growers, large an,
small, have come together in Florid;
and formed an association to be calle.
the orange exchange. Its genera
headquarters will be at jacksonville
and il will have salaried agents in ev
cry city of respectable size, to whom
ali the fruit will be consigned. Th
grower will send his crop TO tho cx
change, where it will be carefully as
sorted and graded. and shipped to tin
best market. There will be no DANCE
of a glut anywhere. Ii New York i
supplied shipments will be stopped il
that direction and sent to Chicago o
Philadelphia. We think the plan vii
work well. The organization is no
vet complete, but will be by the mex
season. If it proves II failure, and if
am whipped at my own little game b
the commission men, shall quit tn
orange business. shall so home. Gu
down my trees, graft lemon cions o
to the stock. and do nothing for fou
years"
Then whal?"
'.By that time the lemon shoots wi
begin TO bear, and shall get the frui
to market"
..IIow do tho Florida lemons rankP'
''rhey' re the best in the worli True
that discovery has just been made. bu
there never were better lemons grown
And they're moro profitable than OF
anges. When ! get 80 for the latter
get $40 for lemons. Their chief valu
is in the rind, which is used for maxim
extracts. Oh, there are more way
than one of catching fish. ."-Neao Yor
Tribune.