The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-10
THE FLORIDA ORANGE.
TT HAS NO Equal IN THIS OR ANY
OTHER COUNTRY.

California; Belief That 1t Has
Ceased to BE "a Competitor of Her
Oranges UnfOunded-The Florida
Crop steadily Increasing From
Year 10 Year.
Sanford Fla, May s.-Some one has
truly asserted that 1T Is better not %
know so much than to know so much
thapis not true" or words 10 that effect.
Now, this statement exactly fits a cor
respondent of the Boston Herald, who has
been writing about Florida orange groves
and the later freezes. The pen picture
of destruction which he paints is true
only as applied to certain sections OF
the state and then only in case Of the
most killing freeze. Around Ocala. Pa
latka and DeLand as well as in that
territory, the destruction Of orange,
lemon and grapefruit groves in the
big freeze of 1894 and a year ago was
complete as a rule. but in many other
sections only temporary damage was
done, while in other sections the groves
were not hurt.
The great harm done by this CORE
spondent is seen in the readiness with
which the California papers catch up his
statements and repub,ish them with add
ed misrepresentation of their own man
ufacture. For example, the Press and
Horticulmrist of Riverside copies the lat
ter and prefaces Il with the statement
that few Californians have realized how
fully the orange industry in Florida has
been wiped out by che successive freezes
there. writer in the Boston Herald
NJ, s,F a tnrC i'm
the lower orange belt from which We
quote" The words fully" and wipe
out" are very misleading, for the big
freeze did not fully" but largely wipe
out" the orange industry. Again. the
Tower orange belS' is far from correct.
The Herald's account simply covers the
most exposed edge of the orange growing
section of the state, and the part that
suffered most in the freezes.
1t is a matter of record that the "lower
orange belt" did not suffer seriously from
either freeze, and to-day that part of the
state is showing as thrifty trees as were
ever seen In Florida groves during any
period in the history of orange culture
within her borders. De Soto county alone.
this year. will probably produce some 250.-
COO boxes of oranges. besides a fne crop of
grape fruit and Lee, Hillsborough, Polk
and other counties will also have big
crops while Orange county and other less
favored sections will come in with smaller
yields. AS a general thing. in al the sec
tion of the state referred TO. the orange
trees are doing well. and should there be
no severe freeze next winter Orange coun-
ty and like counties will be in the market
with good paying crops Of oranges, but
small crops of grape fruit.
The Herald correspondent closes his let
ter with an account of Millionaire Stet-
sons covered or shielded groves at De
Land, and references to the canvas tents
also used for protection. This leads the
Horticuiturist to express the opinion that
1T is certainly splendid testimony TO the
pluck and energy of Florida orange grow
ers that they viii attempt to grow oranges
after such a series OF setbacks as they
have experienced. But as a commercial
proposition, ii is not likely that oranges
are going to be extensively or probably
grown under canvas tents, with kerosene
stoves TO heat them. when there are
thousands Of acres of practically frostless
land in California-land where oranges
have been grown for fifteen or twenty
years without ever having been seriously
damaged by frost"
This last statement is also true of GER
tain sections of Florida. Just as IL is true
that in certain parts of California the
orange groves have been damaged by Sc
we're freezes. But the last paragraph of
this editors comments is too ridiculous to
be noticed here in Florida, and it Is re-
published simply for the benefit of out
eiders who may be misled by IT, I'VE can"
Gays the editors. but be touched by the
misfortunes of Florida and we are bound
20 admire the enterprise and courage Of
her citizens; but il is doubtful If Florida
can be counted on as an important factor
in producing oranges. Wealthy men ike
MIR. Stetson may experiment with hot
house groves, under cover, but the cost Of
that method of growing oranges is SO
great as 20 preclude successful competition
with Southern California"
We can dismiss this whole matter by
asserting that it viii take another deadly
freeze-one that viii cover every part of
the state-to keep Florida from being
counted as an important factor in pro-
ducing oranges" And that kind of
calamity is all that will pre- dude sue
cessful competition with Southern Cali
fornia." Already we are shipping thous-
ands and thousands of boxes of The best
grade of oranges to Northern markets
and the output next winter Will be largely
increased. The editor of the Horuculturist
need not feel touched" IN his heart over
our 'misfortunes," as they are not so
great that we cannot make California
growers feel touched" in their pockets
by our rapid recuperation and lively com
petition" In Eastern markets. No orange,
wherever grown, equals the Florida
orange, and therefore we fear no rival in
any open market. our crop may be small
but the prices are big.
As to the profitableness of shielded or
tented groves, while it may be an expert
ment, there are plenty of men in Florida
who are willing to risk their money and
an experiment. Millionaire Stetson is not
the only man Of wealth who has gone into
the business on large scale, and lots OF