New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
FLORIDA ORANGE INDUSTRY
IT'S PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE

,.s, That unexpected and unprecedented event
oreatly increased the ruin wrought upon the
o,.rus groves OF the State by the earlier freeze
- the 3Oth of the preceding December. Great
=, ,x,etv has been felt during all this time, whicn
.os not vet abated relative to the proportion or
Groves that are likely to recover. and how long
a :, will take TO renstate in their original cond-
,,on such as have survived.
The freeze OF December 50 cannot be considered
,,rroccdented While il was in most localities
distinctly worse than that Of January 1856, 1t
as also probably quite equal in intensity to that
~ 1885 In that earlier time there were few
= groves in the state. and none at all much south
~ St. Augustine. Such as existed were killed to
. the ground. but.som Of them sprouted from the
ro,ts and made good trees again in few years.
Tho damage in 1856 was limited To- the destruc-
: ,,,n Of the unga1hcred fruit. many Of the young
trees and much OF the nursery stock, and to the
.bortening Of the branches OF the larger
,raes The same statement can be made about
the extent of the disaster of last December. The
omount OF fruit frozen was. however. much larger
than in 1856 and more groves We're damaged be-
vond profitable recovery, and probably also the
Encouragement was more profound.
The weather following the Goth OF December
was pleasant. accompanied by several warm
rains and it was not long before such groves
az were in favorable localities and in previous
coodt condition were putting on new leaves, and
eyon showing lrofusiOn OF blossom buds 1t
vss in this state Of active growth-the sap cOurs-
inc through al the tissues, eager. seemingly. 10
enable the trees to reClothe themselves with fresh
leaves TO replace those ruthlessly lost-that
me orange groves became an easy prey to the
Aercer wind and cold OF February I. In the first
freeze the trees had been protected measuraoly
by a good covering Of leaves; in the second one
they were not only less dormant. but were nearly
II not quite naked. What wonder. then. that a
cold wave of II TO l9degrees. driven against their
bare stems by fierce wind, should have caused
n destruction hitherto unknown In the State.
Moreover in view Of the fact that the complete
rass of this disaster was caused by such an
usual combination of circumstances. is 1t I'M
reasonable to believe that nothing approaching
Il in severity is likelySto occur again within any
short period Of time?
II is this belief that furnishes one support to
the courage OF part Of the growers In begin
ming the work Of reconstruction Another support
is the knowledge that so large a percentage Of
the groves have been either killed or so badly
damaged that nothing further will be done with
them, and that SO many trees. although not be-
vond recovery. are owned by men whose
sources ana courage are tNUduSltu. Inc S'IVOA
few. therefore, whose groves are worth revivng
and who can adopt the necessary measures and
pursue them to the.end feel sure of less competi-
ron hereafter and that they can sell their fruit
for years 10 come at a good profit This reason
ing seems correct, if the facts as l have as
sumed. >-, ,o,-,.-,1,
This county OF Orange. near the'centre Of which
I reside is itself near the centre Of the orange
producing portion of Florida. II IS therefore
good section in which to begin observations
Orange groves are here numerous and many Of
them OF mature age. have personally examined
a large number and have direct Information from
all parts OF the county. From knowledge thus OBJ
tanned il IS safe 10 say that not an orange, grape
fruit lemon or lime tree In the county has escaped
serious damage. A very few trees-probably not
mora than a few hundred altogether, situated
on the south side Of some broad lake In a
sheltered localty-have suffered less loss Of limb
than any other. and may possibly have left Ill
tie bearing wood and may show a little blossoming
and fruit late in the Even Of this there IS
yet considerable doubt.
The next most hopeful class Of trees is that Of
the mature seedlings. These generally will lose
from one-half TO two-thrds Of their tops. All the
small limbs are quite dead. Most Of the lateral
branches to the diameter OF two to three Inches
have the bark split and are dead or dying. In ex-
ceptonal cases tho bark is split down tho south
sides Of the trunks 10 within two or three feet or
the ground. Badly they now look. there Is no
doubt but the best OF them will, with good treat
ment. speedily recover Signs OF life even now APP
pear in many groves. The vitality OF an orange
tree is remarkable. Its roots spread wide and NIL
the ground The cold was not severe enough nor
4,,4,x In ar
rootlets With the coming Of spring warmth and
these unnjured roots will send up 10 the
trees such an abundance OF sap that the new
growth will be astonishing in amount and IN ra-
pidity OF development This means that par 81
these large trees will get new bearing WOOD OF
greater or less amount in time for Il crop in the
winter Of 1867. But not for next winter, nor
even for any subsequent time unless the conditions
are reasonably favorable. Where this Is the case
the best Seeding groves will probably produce a
fair crop in two years. as have said, ana be IN
full bearing In three or four years.
In the third class | should place good-HZen
budded trees in favorable localites-as, for in
stance. on the south side Of a lake or with heavy
timber protection. These trees are in much the
same condition as the large seedlings ana VIII re-
spond 70 the same extent
In the fourth class-man ny degrees worse tnan
either If the abOve--shOuld be placed all Dudded
trees In exposed situations. all budded trees under
seven years wherever situated. and all young
seedlings and nursery stock. These. with scarce
ly an exception are killed 10 the ground or bei0"
the bud IL is probable that some IN inns CLASS are
already practically dead.
Taking all these classes together, 1t Will be
asked What proportion Of them viii be Tesusc!-
ta,ed and brought back TO or up TO bearing! IL ~
easy 10 s,ay-aDd correct to say-that 1t IL WITHIN
the possibilities Of horticultural skill to restore in
time q very considerable part Of them to vigor.
But such is by no means likely to be the case
The financial ability Is as necessary as the horu-
cultural skill and this Is lacking in numoerless
Instances Ortnn where the ability exists the pa
tience has been exhausted b. successive as
asters and the low prices Of recent years
which have made the Industry Improbable. This
Is especially true OF non resident owners, whose
groves nearly always cost more than those OF
others and who reap leas reward. obviously. no
prediction this subject can be maze AT present
with anything like certainty | make no preten-
don 20 doing So But as see II here, anu COUNT
Ing in all the trees small as well as large IL soeis
that not less than 80 per cent OF the groves VIII Oe
abandoned A great deal, however. must depend
upon one factor ordinarily beyond control by the
owner. and that the supply OF moisture. ne