The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-11-27
A C0C0ANUT PLANTATION.
AN INDUSTRY THAT Is SPREADING
IN FLORIDA.
Thousands of Acres Planted by One
Firm-Featurcs of the Business
Prices and Profits.

Prices and Profits.
Z. T. Field, member of the firm of
Field & Osborne, extensive cocoanut
growers in Florida, said to a New York
Tribune reporter: 1--WE are located in
Dade county, Florida, which is near the
extreme southern end of the peninsula,
on the Atlantic coast There, between
Cape Florida and Jupiter Inlet, we have
now about 5000 acres Of land which we
are devoting to cocoanut walks, which
is the distinctive name applied to these
plantations. We began our purchase of
land there about three years ago, buying
it from the government at low price.
1t being in the Everglade region, as will
be seen by glance at the map, the land
has never been considered of much value
for any purpose, whatever it may become
by an extensive system of drainage.
Here we are upon the shore of the sea,
needed requisite in the successful growth
of the cocoanut palm. The soil is por-
Gus coral sand. From Cape Florida north
for a distance of ninety miles, running
parallel with the coast, are bays, rivers
and sounds disconnected by narrow
strips of land but themselves connected
by inlct5 to the ocean, through which
the tide GIBBS and flows. Between these
and the ocean is our strip of land, which
varies in width from twenty rods to q
little over mile, being elevated nearest
the ocean and sloping gently toward the
west.
This chain of inland waters receiving
the fresh water flowing from the Ever
glades prevents its teaching through this
strip of land. Easterly winds frequently
drive the Gulf Stream waters against the
coast beach as far north as Lake Worth
these waters being about eighty degrees
Fahrenheit, tropical climate is pro-
duced and fine growth of vegctation is
insured. We are famed by the breczes
waited to us from the Gulf Stream, and
everything favors rank, luxurant vcge-
table growth Here during the past
two years we have planted 200, 600 cocoa
ruts. We take all our help and implc-
ments from the North. The total popu
lation of Dade county in 1880 was only
257. Our planting is done in winter,
when take my family south with me
and superintend the work in person. At
other seasons the trees help themselves
and very little cultural attention is
needed"
"At what age do the trees come into
bearing?"
"From six to seven years from plant
ing. Then they will average about two
nuts per tree and bear continually almost
until seventy or eighty years old. We
plant about twenty feet apart, which
gives about 100 trees to the acre or
little more"
"What about prices and profts3' Mr..
Field was asked.
s.Duripe, tho Loot tbroa uoorc ,,ronc Inv
the cargo have ranged from $50 to SO
thousand; $50 being the lowest figure
for the most common kinds. This is for
the nuts delivered in New York; the
freight and expense from the tree to
market will not exceed s. thousand
as there no danger of overstocking
the market2"
''The demand for cocoanuts is now al
most unlimited. / have a profitable
cifer for all can raise in years to come.
larger extent than now when people
know how good it is; and the water,
which is then clear and not milky as
beverage. When we eat the nut from
the shell with spoon at the south it is
soft and rich. Then the husll, which is
S6ECldIly lHItNu uNhl III Aillc'l Cu, ID IL
valuable part which is soon to be util-
lied, Experiments to separate the fibre
by machinery are now in progress, and
the device is nearly perfected. In addi-
to this, there is not sufficient land in
Florida adapted to the growth of the
cocoanut to overstock the market if all
was planted to 1t. Perhaps not over /, .
100000 trees could be grown there sue
cessfully."
Mr.. Field said that a sufficient number
of cocoanut palms have been growing
in South Florida for forty years fully
to demonstrate the certainty of success
And these trees compare most favorably
with tie most successful in other coun-
tries, both in quality and quaint,
ty of product. But not until
about six years ago was any
attention given to this industry in that
State. About that time few thousand
were planted at Lake Worth, part Of
which are now in bearing. Since then
residents of Key West have planted
several thousand on the different keys
which are nearly all composed of thir
coral sand, varying in width from ten tC
hundred feet, and it is thought these
keys will soon be devoted entirely to thu
grown Vi the COCOduul. MesSrS L lclC
" Osborne already have about so, O0C
growing on Key Riscayne. An advan
tage which Florida possesses over TIT
West India islands and other tropical re
gions where the cocoanut is grown i
nearness to the United States market
Those who visited the New Orleans OK
position saw many fine specimens Of III
cocoanut palm, some of which wer
twenty or thirty feet high. They grow
to height of 100 feet in their nativ
region, and the tree is an interesting OBJ
ject. 1t bears both male and female flow
ers, the leaves curving downward bein
from twelve to twenty feet long. Tn
fruit is borne from.a long pointed spathC
which is curious.
Extent of the British Empire.