The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-16
ORANGE GROWERS UNITING.
Their Plan to Control the Florida
Trade.

From the Ne,g York Times
What promises TO be revolution in the
Florida orange trade is now being devel-
oped by the workings of the Florida Orange
Growers Union, an organization that has
been cry stallizing for nearly four years, and
that took definite aud active shape five or
six months ago. This is a movement to
insure iBdeDendent action to the orange
growers of Florida, and to change the trade
from the commission system of selling to
the auction system, which has been sue
cessfully followed in the foreign orange
trade The objective point of the Florida
Orange Growers Union is TO control the
supply and concentrate the sale in the
markets of New York city and Chicago.
The members of the organization are en-
couraged to believe that they can effect this
revolution and thereby force competition
among buyers instead of having competi-
ton among sellers such as exists under the
commission system. Concerning this matter
j. c. sMcKibbin, the president of the
Florida Orange Growers Union, talked
freely to a reporter Of the Times yesterday.
1.-The orange growers of Florida said
Mr.. McKibbin, "were naturally dissatisfied
with the commission system, because under
its workings the grower had to take what
ever the dealer chose TO return to him, and
the dealer always chose to return as little
as possible Under the auction system
which we have adopted, the grower will get
whatever the fruit sells for, less the freight
and commission of the Florida Fruit Elk
change, through which we do all our bust
ness. The Florida Fruit Exchange has been
in existence four years, and it and the
Florida Orange Growers Union are
practically the same concern. Indeed, it
will not be great while before the two will
be formally consolidated
THE orange district of Florida is scat
tered over twenty-one counties. OF these,
the five great producing counties are Lake,
Marion, Orange, Putnam, and Volusia.
The orange-producing territory extends
from Clay county in the north to Pasco and
Osceola counties in the south. The best of
all the Florida oranges is known as the
Indian river orange, which is almost wholly
in Brevard county. Its superiority consists
in its smooth, thin rind, it's juiclness, and its
| flavor. The next Lest orange is the Halifax
river orange, which grows largely in Volusia
| county. These are the best of the Florida
oranges, but all Florida oranges are superior
to those of other countries, except a certain
| Mexican orange, which has no superior, but
which grows in a territory so inaccessible
that it rarely, if ever, finds it, way into our
markets.
"In order to give you an idea of the
orange industry in Florida, Twill give you
some statistics: There are in the state
about 10000 growers. The acreage is
100000, and the capital invested is from
100000 to SO, 100000. Three seasons
ago there were produced 1,250,000 boxes
two seasons ago 2, 100000, and last season
about 100000 boxes We estimate that
the crop of 1890 will be over 1000, 600 boxes.
| From this it will be seen that the orange
| industry in Florida has steadily increased
and is still increasing. This, of
| course, has had a marked effect on
the orange trade of the United States ana
| its influence is shown in the steady decrease
of foreign oranges drought to our markets
In 1887 there were imported 1920. 900 boxes
| and 1870 cases of foreign oranges; il
| 1883, l, 10000 boxes and $4,000 cases; in
1889, 100000 boxes and 10000 cases. The
oranges in cases are largely imported from
| Valencia, and these have increased, but the
boxes have decreased. The latter are i'm
ported from the countries ON the Mediter.
ranean sea, where orange growing is giving
way to lemon growing, lemon sprigs being
grated on orange trees.
''Now, all the foreign oranges that come
to the United States are sold at auction, and
| these sales are confined to three cities, New
York, Boston, and Baltimore. We propose
TO follow similar plan of disposal, and
eventually to sell all Florida oranges al
auction, and to contine the sale to New
| 4Ork ana Chlcago. we can do this by
controlling the Florida orange supply. OF
this years crop we already ontrol 60 pei
cent, and next season we snail have almos;
exclusive control.
II have recently travelled all through the
orange district of Florida, and the grower.
are wholly in sympathy with our plan
Nowhere did find the least antagonisn &c
it. Fully one-quarter of all the growers il
the state already belong to the union, aud
others are joining it. They realize that the
auction system Of selling oranges must pre-
vail, and that a concentration of marketing
is necessary. 1t is only in this way thai
they can obtain the actual worth of their
fruit, and be protected against the irrespon.
s1elhty of the ditfusive commission system
The orange industry in Florida is con-
stantly growing Not only is the acreage
increasing, but countless trees are now ma.
turing to their full producing capacity. II
is fact not generally known that il
requires from ten to fifteen years for an
orange tree to develop. A grove does not
attain perfection in less time than that, the
land spectators to the contrary notwith.
standing. 1t is true that an orange tree
will bear few oranges within few years
after planting, but a tree has to bear not
only few, but great many oranges to
maze the industry pay.
L @"Ibe Florida C.GnQe Grovarsi ITnioo hes