Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-03-03
A coooANuT PLANTATION.
An Industry that is Spreading in
Florida.

nut growers in Florida, said to- New
York Zflbune reporter "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 In
let, we have now about 5000 acres Of
land which we are devoting to cocoa
nut walks, which is the distinctive
name applied to these plantations. We
began our purchase of land there about
eleven years ago, buying it from the
government at a 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 be-
come by an extensive system Of drain
age. Here we are upon the shore of
the sea, needed requisite in the sue
cessful growth Of the cocoanut palm.
The soil is porous coral sand. From
Cape Florida north for distance Of
ninety miles, running parallel with the
coast, are bays, rivers and sounds dis
connected by narrow strips of land,
but themselves connected by inlets to
the ocean, through which the tide ebbs
and flows. Between these and the
ocean is our strip of land, which varies
in width, from twenty rods to 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 produced and fine growth of vege-
tation is insured. We are famed by
the breezes waited to us from the Gulf
Stream, and everything favors rank,
luxuriant vegetable growth. Here
during the past two years we have
planted 200, 900 cocoa-nuts. We take
all our help and implements from the
North. The total population Of Dade
county in 1880 was only 257. Oul
planting is done in winter, when / take
my family south with me and superin
tend the work in person. At other sea
sons the trees help themselves and very
little cultural attention is needed"
"At what age do the trees come into
bearing 2"
"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 q
little more"
"What about prices and profits p
Mr.. Field was asked.
During the last three years price!
by the cargo have ranged from $40 tt
SIS a thousand; $40 being the loves
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 SIS /:
thousand"
"Is there no danger of overstockinl
the market ?"
"The demand for cocoanuts is nov
t almost unlimited. | have profita5l,
offer for all | can raise in years to come
The nut will be used green to mucl
larger extent than now when peopl
know how good it is; and the water
5 which is then clear and not milky a
when ripe, will be highly relished as
beverage When we eat the nut from
the shell with a spoon at the South it il
soft and rich. Then the husk, which i
: generally thrown away in America, is
valuable part which is soon to be util
ized Experiments to separate the hbr'
j, by machinery are now in progress, ant
the device is nearly perfected. In addi
ton to this, there is not sufficient land i!
Florida adapted to the growth of tn
5 cocoanut to overstock the market if al
was planted to it. Perhaps not over L,
900, 900 trees could be grown there sue
: cessfully."
Mr.. Field said that sufficient mum
Der of cocoanut palms have been grow
E ing in South Florida for forty years full,
. to demonstrate the certainty of success
And these trees compare most favora
: bly, with the most successful in othe
countries, both in quality and quantit
r of product. But not until about si
S years ago was any attention given t,
. this industry in that State About tina
time few thousand were planted a
Lake Worth, part of which are now il
2 bearing Since then residents of Ke
t West have planted several thousand Oh
\ the different keys, which are nearly al
composed of thin coral sand, varying il
width from ten to a hundred feet, AM
, it is thought these kays will soon b
i devoted entirely to the growth of tn
e cocoanut. Messrs Field & Osborn
v already have about $4,000 growing o
Key Biscayne. An advantage whic
, Florida possesses over the West Indi
. Islands and other tropical regions wher
c the cocoanut is grown is nearness
S the United States market. Those VIII
e visited the New Orleans exposition sa'
many fine specimens of the cocoanr
palm, some of which we're twenty {
! thirty feet high. They grow to heigf
of 100 feet in their native region, an
o the tree is an interesting object.