The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-11-08
THE ORANGE OUTLOOK.

What is the outlook for oranges on !!
the Gulf coast?" The question was .
addressed to Walter Hawkins, general :
agent of the Central of Georgia Rail- (;
way and Ocean Steamship Company, !!
on his return yesterday from a trip or /
eight or ten days to Tampa, st. Peters |
burg, Arcadia and other points through
out a large section of the Manatee |
country and Hillsborough county, says
the Jacksonville Times-UniOn and Cit !
iZen.
MY observation y replied Mr.. Hawk
ins, "is that conditions throughout
South Florida are most gratifying
that the orange crop will be much larg-
er this year than last, and that the
quality of the fruit will be decidedly
superior.
"Yes. l have Travelled through a
large part of the orange growing re-
gion anu l have personally seen many
of the groves and talked with both
the growers and the dealers.
What will the crop tOtal?"
1T will aggregate 100000 boxes.
Some have estimated that it will be as
high as 100000. The figure l have
named is conservative and it will be
reached. The other figure is too high.
But The country is prOspering-l
have never seen conditions in South
Florida, even before the freeze, more
cheerful and encouraging. Many people
have come to this region since the
freeze from the northern part of the
State, and they have acquired small
groves which have enlarged, so that
the orange growing acreage Is lncreas-
| ing each year. What we're a few years
ago small and Insignificant groves are
raplulybecoEaing large and important
Meanwhile the people have been sue
cessfully raising other fruit and Vege-
tables and cattle, and now the new
trees are beginning to bear.
Some of these: south Florida towns
would astOnish you with their evil
dences of prosperity. Of these Arcadia
is a notable example beautiful town
with rock-paved streets, handsome
brick stores and a school building that
would do credit to much larger town.
In my Judgment, the orange crop of
Hillsboro, Manatee and DeSOtO cOun-
ties will amount to 100000 boxes. There
|
But the growers will have great
advantage in the fruit this year. Many
groves that had from so to Is per cent,
of russets last year will not have more
than Is to 20 per cent. this year.
saw magnificent fruit in this country
around st. Petersburg, Wauchula and
Arcadia. All the fruit seems well ma
tured, the color is good and the number
of 'brights' will be greater than it has
been in years. saw lot of fine grape
fruit"
How many oranges have been
shipped?'
I'VE have just had adVices of car
load shipped from the Manatee section
yesterday. It goes to Burlington la
The movement, however, has scarcely
begun in earnest yet, and will not be-
fore the 1st of November. 1 suppose
that between five and ten cars have al
ready been shipped. The principal ac
tivity now is in handling the boXe:
which are being brought to tht
groves"
What about the prices?"
"a larger number of oranges will b.
sold on the trees this year than here
tofore. They are bringing on the tree
e from 81 to $1.1O and $1.15-that is, the!
net that sum to the producer.
'The crop on the east coast, in tn
: Indian River region, is said to be gOOt
and the quality fine. l am unable
though, to hazard a guess as to tn
number of boxes. The Indian Rive
oranges are of course the most famOu
in the world, and they are always i
, demand at good prices. 1 understan
/ that E. P. Porcher, who is one of tn
/ largest growers, has a very fine crOI
Orange county will have a good crop.
What about pineapples?"
There are still plenty left in tn
State and the winter shipments will b
large. The fall crop has been frs
rate"