The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-02-19
THE CHRONICLES JOKES.

neWSpaper-one or the Oldest on the Pacific
coast--and it is a good paper too.
but it says some comical things
occasionally. For instance. The
Florida orange-growers who come
out to Southern California ought to do
we'll, for it is more difficult to get grove
into bearing in the Everglade State than it
is in any of the Southern counties. The
Florida orange-grower does not have to ir-
rlgate, but it cssts far more time and coin
to clear the ground there, and it is also
more expensive to manure the soil and to
keep down weeds and briars and to ward
off insect pests"
Comment on this is superAuous, and we
pass to another quite lengthy editorial in
the same issue. 1t is as follows:
1T seems that certain owners of orange
groves in Florida have reached the con
clusion to abandon their holdings and
emigrate to California. with a view of TAX
ing up the orange growing industry here.
They assign as a reason that the climate
of Florida is changing and that severe
frosts, which are fatal to orange trees and
their product. ARE becoming more frequent.
This. we venture to say, is an unwar-
ranted assumption. Meteorological Stats
tics in Florida, and in Louisiana as we'll,
were, for many years. a neglected quantity.
and it was not until semi-tropical fruits be-
gan to be raised for market that Florida
concerned herself specially about winter
temperature. 1t was assumed, seemingly,
that the winters must be mild and balmy,
as, indeed, they were for series of years
after orange culture began, but the owners
of the orange groves did not 60 far enough
back on the record, nor ascertain the con-
dition of previous and antecedent winters.
Gin Southern California the statistics
Of temperature have been studied much
more closely and carefully. When one
plants out an orange grove he is reasonably
certain that no such frost will come as to
kill his growing trees or spoil his crop.
Once in while there does come cold
wind which checks the maturity of the
fruit, but this can be met and counteracted
by the building of fires and the smudging
of the trees. and if such precautions be
neglected, the owner of the grove should
suffer for his carelessness or negligence.
California. in every competition that
has taken place, has earned decided adj
vantage over Florida in the matter of or
anges. Color, size and flavor have worked
together for our benefit, to say nothing of
climate and the assurance of regular crops.
With all this in our favor. it is silly and
short-sighted policy to send to the Eastern
market poor or defective fruit, if such a
thing is done. The reputation of the state
for oranges is too valuable thing to be
parted with lightly, and the associations
of growers and shippers should be scrupu-
lousy careful to maintain the standing
which the state has attained
In the first place we doubt if any of the
Florida orange growers have emigrated to
California. We have heard of a few 60
ing to the British West Indies. but none to
California.
The statistics of temperature so wisely
referred to by the Chronicle carry no
weight in the face of more recent occur
ences in meteorological matters. The