The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-07-05
THE CALIFORNIA ORANGE


lished in the AGRICULTURIsT some weeks
ago under the caption ''Tested and Com
pared" AS will be remembered this ed
itOrial referred to a test Of some CalifOr-
MIA oranges in the office Of this paper.
The test of this fruit and the comparison
with the Florida grown article made our
fruit show up in such fine light that we
naturally did a little growing. AS con-
sequence Of this several columns have
been published in the California papers,
some OF the writer's even exhibiting some
temper in the matter, a recent item
that has come under our observation is
as follows: 1t is from the Redlands (CaD
CitrOgraph.
In a recent issue Of thu San Francisco Bulletin
| notice an extract from the FLORIDA AGRICULT-
URIsT wherein it is stated that a Florida orange
grower p1 ocured ga box Of the finest California
navel oranges called meeting of Florida
ange growers, who, after sampling the fruit
rived at the very satisfactory conclusion Ito
themselves) that nothing on earth could hold a
candle to Florida oranges, and that Florida need
have no fear OF competition from California.
From all parts of the United States from Eng
land, at the New Orleans Exposition etc, the fine
navel orange of California has been pronounced
the finest fruit yet seen. Yetperiodcally the deni-
zens of the poverty stricken State OF Florida bob
up serenely and claim they grow 'the finest fruit
on earth" In England the Florida orange was
pronounced ugly, while the California navels took
the cake, as they always DO and probably always
1yill--at ST Florida hasn't oOualled them t.
The Indian River orange OF Florida is q good
fruit but it is to me, and to hundreds of thou
sands of people, insipid on account of it's over
sweetness at certain times
The Navel orange of California is a sparkling
fruit "champagny," SO to speak, with just suff-
Gent sub-acid to make it pleasant. California
markets this year East about five thousand cars
Of oranges. Next year perhaps $500 carloads.
We suppose Florida growers call that" mo cOmpe-
tition.
Now, in the first place the quotation
above from our columns is not exact.
We did not say that box of the finest
California Navel oranges had been pro
cured-the box contained several varieties,
and among the number the much-tallIed
Of navel. We admitted that the navel was
a handsome orange but its attractions
were mostly on the eXterior-the sparkling
''champagny" flavor referred to we could
not find, and the acid was rather raw
than sub-aCid.
The Citragraph further says that from
all parts of the United States, from Eng
land, at the New Orleans Exposition, ETC.. =,
the fine navel orange of California has
been pronounced the finest fruit yet
seem" Well, we admit that this is some
thing new under the sun; we held to the
contrary: we had thought that the Cali
fornia navel was looked upon with dis
favor. For instance we have before us a
circular from Messrs. E. Andrews Jr., &
Co., of New York, merchants who claim
to handle large quantity of California
fruit This circular says:
california navel oranges will not do in this
section. Last week a car of California Washing
ton naves in perfect shape, sold at an average OF
about $2.75. Next day car almost as good
solo at about $1.5O, and yesterday So was the
price realized"
And this is from the greatest fruit
market in the United States; still the
Citrograrh says from al parts of the
United States, ETC.
In view of the fact that it costs eighty