Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-29
IcoKREsroNDENcE OF THE D1sPATcHI

oranees have revolutionized the orange
business in America. The Florida lemon
bids fair to follow its sister and gain q
supremacy over the old-time, far-famed
Sicily fruit. The cultivation of Florida,
California and Louisiana oranges has at
tained such dimensions in our country that
it is becoming a matter of certainty that
Mediterranean fruit will altogether cease
to be imported to the United States. The
culture of the lemon is yet in its infancy in
Florida; but sit is Florida that threatens to
oust the Mediterranean islands from their
position as lemon growing country"
The lemon seems to positively luxuriate
in the balmy moisture-laden atmosphere of
Southern Florida, and the fruit attains a
size unprecedented in other parts of the
world where climatic conditions are less fa-
vorable.
Lemons weighing pound each are COM
mon, and along the banks of the Caloosa-
hatchie, in the fertile district of the Gre
claimed lands,' a single tree bears 5000
lemons, many Of which weigh pound each.
But, like the "big trees" OF California, the
story calls for a challenge often, and the in
credulous tourist, who suspects a Florida
yarn, must come, tape measure and scales in
hand, see, measure and weigh for himself
THEY WANT POOR SOIL.
But further, while the trees in this region
are magnificent, the fruit is not marketable,
being eoarse-grained and thin-skinned-the
result of its exuberant growth in too fer
tile soil-aud lemon culture, therefore, is
best adapted to poorer soil; but. as thin soil Is
always found cheaper, it will be seen that
the cost OF LAYING out grove of lemons is
slight, and as lemons come into bearing in
half the time of the orange, and are fully as
prolific, the man who prospects in lemon
culture has every assurance of success.
One cannot but feel for the Sicilian
growers, who have enjoyed a monopoly of
this Mediterranean industry, which is as old
as civilization itself Lemon groves in a
highly-developed state are worth 81, 900 per
acre, and, as the value of a grove increases
with age, so the man who Will train up
tree in the way If should grow, may feel
that in after years he may sit under the
shade Of it and talk of corners in Florida
lemons.
Each year tropical fruit growing as a
business is getting on a frmer basis 1t is
said that the United States consume more
lemons in year than all the othereouatries
combined and the consumption is increas-
ing greatly every year. As shown from
statistics, the number of boxes imported in
1850 amounted to lis, 600, while last year
the number had increased to more than
1000, 600. When there is such a demand
for the fruit, its production on a larger
scale must ultimately follow.
LESS AND LESS A RARITY
To many the possession of a grove in
Florida has been a matter of luxury, like
the ownership of q painting or celebrated
racer; but materialistic, money-making
Americans are beginning to see that the
growing of citrus fruits must be treated as
business and less as matter of sentiment,
and the progressive Yankee who has bust
ness tact enough to watch his grove in every
state, from the bud in its infancy to the sale
of the fruit, has secured a business that
possesses a fascination in itself as we'll as
profits that rest well on his materialistie
mind.
The cultivation of the lemon, as an indus
try, is now a feature in Florida although it
has been cultivated to some extent since the |
early history of the State. All through
Florida the wild groves OF citrus fruits are
found amid dense forests. How they came
there, no one knows, although many theories
are advanced. They may have been propa-
gated by seeds dropped by the Spaniards
The missionaries of the cross, who accom-
panied all the early Spanish expeditions to
America were accustomed TO bring with
them and plant whatever would be useful
in a new country where they established
their missions. Doubtless to these worthy
fathers we owe the first cultivation of the
lemon and orange.
The wild native lemon has a brilliant
orange-colored fruit, very large and rough
skinned, and with rind nearly a quarter
q /, Il
ish in taste, but it has no value, except as a
stock for other varieties. The lemon, like
the orange, lives to be a centenarian. Speci-
mems certainly so years old exist in the
State, and show no signs Of dying yet.
Seeing is believing, and the doubter must
satisfy himself, by trial, like the man of
Hierocles' day. who, on hearing that ravens
lived to be 200 years old, Immediately
bought himself one to prove it.
PROLIFIC BEARER.
The lemon usually produces two crops of
fruit snnually-the first ripenlng during
the simmer, and the second in November
and December. There are scattering lemons
during the entire year, but not enough to
be OF any great shipping value. There is
much to learn in all that pertains to the |
culture of the lemon in Florida; but that it
viii prove mere profitable than the orange
is not doubted by the horticultural and |
pomological societies of the State.
One of the largest fruit dealers in New
York says: 'The best lemons we get are |
those from Florida, because they are natur- |
ally splendid lemons, because they are al |
lowed to ripen on the trees, and the distance |
is 50 short, they arrive in splendid eondi- |
ton" Florida can out run Italy if she |
takes care in growing, sorting and packing, |
and sends 10 New York the best lemons A
prominent fruit grower of Orange county, a |
few years ago, budded from a variety of |
Sicily lemon. Last winter he shipped g.
O00, 600 lemons. The fruit picked, after it |
matured, commanded dollar box in ad- |
vance of the finest imported lemons in the |
market.
The Orange Trust is the absorbing theme |
in Florida this fall. Slow transportation, |
high commission fees and rushing sour and |
immature fruit into the markets have had a |
tendency to weaken the industry, especially |
among small producers. The season natur- |
al opens with a rush, which paralvzes
-rkets and demoralizes growers; but, |
With the trust completed, with an unprece- |
denied crop in prospect, the orange and |
lemon. business will this wear be unpar-
alleled. The North, too, will feel the bene- |
ht, for prices will not be so variable, and /
fruit viii arrive in better condition. The /
development of the industry, and more
lemons for less money, viii surely, too.
break the awful solitude of the lemon in the /
picnic lemonade. NJ NJ.