The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-11
The coCoANUT IN FLOa1DA.

Inc PROJECT that mas Oeen started LOT
raising cocoanuts on a large scale in Flor
ida is, as the Sun says, very interesting,
but there arc certain conditions there which
make the project one of doubtful success.
and these conditions ought to be under
stood by capitalists about TO put money
into such venture. l have some practical
knowledge of the capabilities of Florida and
have passed considered Q time among the
islands Of the South Pacific where the cocoa
palm has its home, and what | say is not
mere matter Of theory.
The tree is essentially tropical produc-
| ton. and, although there are some spots
outside the limits Of the tropics where 1t is
| TO be found, it cannot be said 60 thrive in
those places as it should do to make it a
commercial success. But even within the
tropics it is a fastidious tree-even more so
than the olive, and it must have exactly the
conditions that it wants before it viii do its
best as q fruit bearer.
Are those conditions to be found in Flor,
idss In my answer to this wish it to be
understood that my remarks apply to
latitude south Of St. Augustine. The coral
formation Of Florida is very differently set
from that of most Of the Pacific islands,
and | know from personal investigation
that much of the ca!careous NAL
that we hear Of in that state has no exist
lators. 1t Is most abundant In Union
county, but generally the coral formation,
where it occurs, lies deep, and the following
analysis of soil from Volusia, one Of the
most praised counties in the peninsula, will,
perhaps, serve to correct some too popular
impressions. 1t was made by che agrioul-
tural department, az follows
Moisture Observation-Disclosures. 1O5
Organic matter. eco. 900. ,...... ......, 200
Matter soluble in acid ....!..,..... ........ ESQ
White sand ...............,.........S 81
Florida has not tropical climate. 1t is
hardly semi tropical. 1t sounds well to Ls
told that the average temperature in SUN
mer is S2o, and in winter $50, but | have
seen the thermometer at 1G' in Alachna
county. In 1850 and 1881 ice three inches
thick formed. In l67S~'79 there was long
and severe frost. A winter without frost is
rare, and the cold may extend down to
Key West. In 1881 l saw icicles more than
foot long hanging from the house roofs. |
mention these facts merely to show that it
is an error to suppose taat Florida partakes
Of the climate that prevails in the West
Indies
Horticnlturists know that neither latitude
nor the thermometer is always q safe guide
t. the possibilities of vegetation Many
plants can withstand q New York winter
that could not be left out with safety III
Germany, aud, conversely, some thai are
hardy in Europe would perish here. The
coffee plant, whose habitat is 81 from
the equator, will grow in Florida, although
am skeptical Of it's value there and, on
the other hand, trees which are indigenous
on the most southern shores of Tasmania
wall not survive a Florida winter, The
English walnut is grown with some success
In Texas and California, but thus far it has
completely failed in Florida. More than q
century ago the olive was introduced there,
and IN 1877 congress voted some money to
encourage the cultivation, but it has not
succeeded; though in South Carolina MIR.
L. Chisholm has some fine trees.
Few years ago l experimental with
about forty species OF foreign trees, chiefly
from Australia and the South Pacific
islands. | selected them for utility either
as ornament or timber, or on account Of the
commercial value Of their products. At
first | estimated my success at about 20 per
cent. The seed had come to me from the
Pacific countries direct or from Kew or
from Washington. Sixty per cent failed to
vegetate, and at least half of the young
plants soon decided that they were in the
wrong place and died of. The several
species Of eucalyptus, acacia, casuarina, pit
tosporum, meleuca, callistemjn AMI
a few others promised well. The
duced an abundance of flowers in the second
year. Several specimens OF the eucalyptus
globulus attained a hight OF thirty feet IN
four years. Somewhat to my surprise few
WelllDgtonias or sequuias seemed well salts
hel with their surroundings, and for a
while l had hopes Of being really beae-
factor.
But the winter Of 1s80l8l killed every
tree | had. The frost struck all to the
Crrn ,yY,a ..,l -
five feet OF that had enough vitality left to
try TO produce new foliage. But It ul-
tlmately gave up the task and died. Yet
some of tho plants which thus failed to with
stand Florida winter are indigenous ia 439
and 43o Of south lasibude.
After this experience | cannot feel much
confidence in the cocoanut palm on Florida
soil, although | should be glad to see it sue.
ce,sful there, for, apart from it's commercial
value. it would be decidedly ornamental on
the sandy shores Of the peninsula. But,
without my own experiments TO influences
me, | should still be doubtful for DO not
think that either the climate or the soil is
such as TO make the cocoanut commercially
valuable. 1t is one thing to grow a fruit
and quite another thing TO grow it to pay.
l have grown onions in Florida that were
nearly sixteen inches in circumference, bat
they cost me 81 IA each.
1t may interest some of the SUMS readers
If add few observations on the effects of
soil and climate in Florida Roses deterior-
ate rapidly there. Such favorites az La
Refine. Perle des Jardns, Lefty Coles, EN-
press OF India end Jules Margotten passed
out Of recognition in two years. while the
old damask AID few others blossom freely
and retain their character. Dahlias, peno-
lemons, also the fuschia, tritoma (ao album
dant at Gibraltar, p9oDy, calceolaria, hol-
lyhock, cineraria, and some lilies were
almost certain failures; carnations, smllax
and even pansies were less uncertain; VERDE
mas, balsams, zinnias and celosias do well:
petuniaS thrive luxuriantly, and malvas.
marautas and caladiums are at home
Tuberoses are easy of culture, but the
funkia dishkes the sun, and tigridias.
though so close to their native place, cannot
Withstand the summer rains.
The several magnolias, nerium, gardenia,
craps myrtle and Domegrauate, and even
the laurustinus manages to get along, but
such shrubs as the cydonia, syringa, dentzia
cytsas kalnic, azalia, lilac and rhododen.
dron must be reserved for other states.
BY the way, why is not the laurustinus
II IN Nba