The Florida agriculturist., 1889-05-08

rays OF semi-tropical sun, famed by purest and
softest breezes from sem-tropcal seas, watered by
running streams. bubbling springs. crystal lakes
and abundant rains, is plainly designated by ma
ture as the home of the horticulturst In this fair
land, where fruits ripen and flowers blossom every
day in the year. the Goddess Pomona would re-
ceive our undivided alteration did not beautiful
Flora claim a liberal share of our devotion
In most OF the States horticultural societies have
been formed, and while they are recognized as ad-
vocates OF an important industry, it is admitted
to be subordinate one
In Florida, however, the State horticultural
Society represents the greatest industry OF the
State. However proud we may be of any and all
the products of our State, with one consent we
place the crown of pre-eminence on the result of
our horticulture. With this fact fairly before u.s.
we can have full appreciation of the work we
havo undertaken and can get some idea of the
magnitude of the task.
Florida horticulture is in it's infancy, but it is
giant in it's swaddling clothes 1t has started into
existence suddenly and grown SO rapidly that
it shows all the vigorous awkwardness of an over
grown growth. The horticulturists of Florida are
from every State and from foreign lands and
many are Ito the manor born" They come to a
strange climate, turn up an improved soil and try
to cultivate untried fruits and flowers Many at
tempt to apply methods which had proved sue
cessful under widely different circumstances
Some put into practice pet theory that has been
carefully wrought out by the light of a lamp and
the warmth of a coal stove. Some place implicit
faith in the soil and climate to work miracles and
wait for the miracle to occur. Some take as
teacher and oracle the professor who never saw
Florida at ALL while others pin their faith the
backwoodsman who never saw any other place.
he result is an innumerable number of modes
OF cultivation. all of which have earnest and ag-
gressive champions, and great many of them
attain greater or less degree of success. If
anything was needed to prove the indestructible
vitality and fruitfulness of orange tree have
it in the fact that SO many groves survive and
flourish after such various and barbarous treat
ment 3a3
1t is to be hoped that nov, after some years
experience by intelligent educated men in the cul-
tivation of Florida fruits and the tling of Flor-
da soil, something has been learned that can be
made useful to the Y orida horticulturists.
To gather such Information is the great work
before the Florida horticultural Society.
Cropping in the darkness of ignorance the peo-
pie of Florida have absolutely wasted more than
one-haf the money that has been spent in horti-
cultural pursuits BY this mean that the money
already spent ii horticulture in Florida would
have accomplished double the resultii it had been
used to the best advantage. 1t is our mission to
point out the way in which such loss can be
avoided in the future.
We are now only on the threshold OF knowl-
edge, but we are going to enter the inner room.
We must know the requirements of our various
soils and find out the most economical ways to
meet them
We must know when to plant how to plant,
where to plant and what to plant.
We must learn when and how to cultivate and
when and how and with what to feed our trees
and fruit.
We must learn how and when to prune. and
what is Of ten times more Importance. learn when
not to prune. 1t is my unqualified opinion that
pruning has done more damage to the groves Of
Florida than all the cold and scale combined.
We want to know what fruits to plant and
which OF the varieties of each.
We want to know what particular soils and lo-