The record-union., 1892-04-15

ing uOne IN those lines, DuJ III gives e&-
cellently minute information for the BEN
cit of those who may wish to engage in
what may fairly be called the latest thing
in agriculture. For instance, there are
sixteen counties in Florida suited to pine
apple growing. This country has, all
told, 446.4Sl acres adapted to bananas,
3,0l3,S99 for cocoanuts, 2,075,300 for figs,
| ls203, AZ for lemons, besides no endAofter-
ritory adapted 10 oranges and raisin
! grapes.
During the census year thevalne ofthis
line OF production was something over
SI4,000,0O0, the orange crop supplying the
sum OF S5.602, 099 10. 1t is estimated that
on the basis Of present prices, with all
the non-bearinge trees already set out IN
actual fruitage, the total annual value OF
these products would be, by the opening
of the next century, not less than S50, 000,-
0'9. The chances are that the development
of acreage will be SO great that this esti-
mate viii fail short of the actual facts.
Fifty millions of dollars make a pretty
large sum, even figuring the revenues OF
a great people. But the benefits OF these
productions cannot be measured by a
monetary standard. All these fruits and
nuts are at once wholesome and luxuri-
Gus, conducive to the health and happi-
ness OF the people. SO long as we were
dependent upon other lands for tropic
and seni-tropic fruits and nuts the peo-
pie generally enjoyed them only on rare
occasions. The average village grocer
now does quite trade in these lines; but
few years ago q box Of lemons and a
bag of nuts went a great ways, and the
demand Tor oranges was still less. Now
there is a general indulgence in these
wholesome luXuries. They are fast pass
ing from the category of luXuries to that
OF comforts and necessaries of life. This is
a far more important matter than the
merely financial aspect of the case.
The total number of acres devoted to
these trees and plants, including the nom
| bearing, is 21,42S, and the estimated
number of acres suitable TO these pur-
poses is given at 24,7I0,S79 The actual
cultivation IS less than two per cent. of
the total. Some idea of the enormous eX-
tent to which these products could be
raised may be formed from these figures.
Evidently America is destined to be as
essentially cosmopolitan in agriculture as
in population.
The States of Georgia, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas raise some of these
fruits and nuts, as does the Territory of
Arizona, but California and Florida are
the States to which the farmer should
look who wants to go into the latest thing
IN farming. California has the largest
acreage, with its two distinct belts, the
northern and southern.
The range of agriculture is almost as
varied as that of business. The farmer
who is tired of raising grain and live
stock, hoeing, moving and the like, can
switch Off and become practical horti-
culturist. 1t is only just to add, however,
that up to date there has been found to be
no more profitable and comfortable farm
ing that the tillage Of our Western prai-
ries.-Chicago Inter-Ocean.
FRUIT LADDERS.
a correspondent of the Ohio Fd1mer
describes the ladders he has made and
found to 'fill the bill'' in gathering his
fruit crop. They are light ladders, from
10 to 20 feet long, made OF lath, 3x14
inches. But to avoid weakening these
pieces by boring holes for the rounds,
fiat pieces are used about 2sX8 inches,
and these are fastened to the edge of the
side pieces by screws or nails, first saw
ing into the side pieces about an eighth of
an inch or a little over, so as to max g
shoulders on which the cross pieces will
rest.
Only one entrance of the saw is required
for one shoulder, as the wood, for two or
three inches-just the width of the cross
piece-is to be scarted down to the
shoulder, to allow the cross piece to fit in.
1t IS better also to scarf the upper edge of
each end of the cross piece, making it to
tit in level. so to speak. Without the
soaring of the ends the upper end
WOulu Stanu OUT 100 mucn.
AT first, common nails were used to
fasten on the cross pieces, but they al
ways become loose in a few years; subse-
quently wood screws were preferred; and
if they pass through to the other tor edge,
rather and clinch, all the better. For
the top, the old fashioned round should
be chosen, putting it tight into inch or
inch and quarter holes, as the constant
leaning against the tree when in use
would soon break it off if put on like the
others.
The bottom of the ladder should be
wide-two feet or over; the top narrow,
say eight or teninches; and for any length
over fifteen feet a little heavier material
should be used. For one twenty feet
long, we took a piece of pine two by six
inches, and ripped it diagonally four
inches and two. The two four-inch ends
were then placed side by side for the
lower end of the ladder This ladder was
braced with four light braces. Two, how
ever, are enough when the length is less
than fifteen feet. The distance between
the rounds or steps may be matter of
taste. A good way is to have the lower
one ten inches from the ground; the next
one eighteen inches above the first, then
gradually lessening the distance to ten,
eight and six inches, for the last three.
These ladders are not heavy, and yet they
are strong enough for the work of the
orchards. When not in use they should
be kept under cover.