Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-06-01
AMERICAN ORANGE TRADE.
PHENOMENAL GROWTH OF A DO
MESTIC INDUSTRY.
Driving the Foreign Fruit From Our
Market-Immense Yields of Flor
Ida and California Trade.


of interest. Thirty years age
the oranges consumed in this country
were obtained mainly from the Medi
terranean countries, the tart Stellar
orange, however, being supplemented
by the "sweet Havanas." which latter
have since been SO completely sur
passed by the even more luscious
Floridas, the finest oranges IN the
world, that they now practically exist
only in memory. Only three decades
ago the entire orange trade of this
country was controlled by a few ex
tensive importers. Business was then
done entirely on orders, the importer
sending their orders abroad every fall,
at which season sailing vessels, which
have since been entirely supplanted by
steamships, were chartered to trans
port the fruit from Sicilian and other
Mediterranean ports to this country ;
in fact, September was the month IN
which business arrangements were an
nually made six months in advance OF
their fultillment.
This method of conducting business
existed for many years, but in 1865,
the growers of Sicilian oranges, who
had previously sold their crops en-
tirely on orders, began to ship them
to this country on consignment. The
old importers then gradually aban-
doned their original methods and be-
gan to receive fruit as consignees, in
stead of importing it. New firms en-
tered the field and strong competition
| q,
then profitable, as may be seen by the
fact that single New York firm, IN
one season, realized a clear profit of
over $50, 900 on its Sicilian consign-
ments alone.
About fifteen years later the Amer
lean fruit firms were largely super
! seeded by Italians, the fruit growers of
Sicily and the native shippers of Pal
ermo and other Mediterranean ports
sending their sons and relatives to
! this country to establish firms, till now
only three or four distinctly Ameri-
lean firms of prominence remain in
tho business. During the last ten
years, however, the importation of
oranges from the Mediterranean has
steadily decreased, and, while large
quantities continue to come from Sic
lily, the imports from Spain have
dwindled into utter insignificance. The
decline of importation was brought
! about by the rapid growth of the do
nestle orange industry, which has
been most remarkably developed. For
eign growers OF first ridiculed the
idea that they could ever be deprived
of the American market, in which they
had long been accustomed to reap
bountiful harvests annually, but their
ridicule was soon turned to regret.
About that time, Onl y single decade
ago, the Florida orange industry
sprang into prominence as if by magic,
and the product of the Florida groves
has since swiftly and steadily in
creased, till now the annual crop is
estimated at fully 5000, 900 boxes, and
it is yearly augmented.
California has since come into great
prominence as an Orange-prOducing
State, and last year supplied $780,,
900 boxes, which were distributed
mainly through the West and North
west, only limited quantity reaching
the Atlantic seabOard, on account of
the high rates of freight, it costing
973 cents box to transport oranges
from the Pacific Slope to New York
by rail, while those from Florida,
coming by steamship, are transported
for fifty cents box, giving the Flor
Eda growers an advantage of 373 cents
O box.
About twenty years ago Florida Or
anges began to arrive in this city.
There were few Of them, and they were
received mainly by firms which were
not exclusively in the fruit trade.
Ten years ago there were probably
no less than $50 firms receiving the
delicious Florida oranges directly from
the fragrant groves, and, in fact, it
was said that q well-worded circular
and brass stencil-plate were the only
prerequisites for procuring abundant
consignments from the confiding grow
ers. The number of receivers in this
city, however, has rapidly decreased,
and there are now not more than ten
or twelve firms of noteworthy prom
inence in the trade here. When there
was such a large number of firms in
the trade there wero many whose bust
ness methods were open to criticism,
and who duped the orange-growers and
the public, but they have happily been
driven out of the trade, which is now
conducted by reputable firms and on
strictly business principles.
The rapid growth of the Florida
orange trade has seriously interfered
with the importers, as is strikingly
shown by the fact that, while there
were l, 799, 900 boxes of Sicilian oranges
imported in 1SS6-87, there were only
$50, 900 boxes imported in 1912.
Despite the difficulties with which
the growers have to contend almost
every season, the crop continues stead
lily to increase. Most of the trees in
the orange groves of Florida are now
over four years old and will soon be in
full bearing, whom, 1t is estimated, the
crop will be at least 10, 900, 900 boxes.
There were over 100000 boxes of
Florida oranges received in this city
alone last year, while less than 5000
boxes were received from California,
whose last crop was 2, 500, 900 boxes.
The California crop is also rapidly
increasing, there having been $780,
600 boxes grown last year against q
OOO, OOO, the previous year. Oranges
are also being successfully grown in
Arizona and Louisiana The crops
here are yet small, but are increasing,
and with the immense and growing
yields in Florida and California, the
day is not far distant when only Amer
ican oranges will be found in American
markets. -New York Tribune.