Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-21
PEACH GROWING is A
NEW FLORIDA INDUSTRY

To the Editor of The Journal:
Having lived several years in each of
the following states, Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi Alabama and Georgia, and
number of years in Florida, have felt in
clined through the medium Of your journal
to tell some Of the promising things Of
Florida.
Especially am. L interested in peach
growing in Florida Comparatively new
industry for this state, only waiting de-
velopment While tbs true that the CEN
trail portions of the state, that suffered
the Incompatible loss of its beautiful
orange groves in 1S94'95, have some time
since placed beyond the stage Of expert
ment the profitableness of a few peach
trees. The writer traversed considerable
of that portion of the state last summer
and found in Volusia county some thrifty
orchards, at that time laden with luscious
ripe peaches. Osteen & DeLand especial
ly, shipped many crates of exceptionally
fine fruit
Coming farther south, in Polk county,
again found peaches, at pink of perfection,
but from Polk county south attention has
especially been paid to the citrus fruits
almost to the exclusion OF all other fruits.
But few progressive growers have from
time to time added few peach trees with
view of having fruit for home consump-
ton, and in every instance peaches have
proven a success.
While this article is written especially
in the interest of peach culture, DeSota
county, never to be outdone, is supplying
the markets with the earliest strawber-
ries which industry is now in its infancy,
but in a few years will prove full grown
factor in the production Of first and best
berries in the market. The growers, while
much handicapped this, their first season.
will largely increase their acreage next
season.
I'D gfr Tn
DeSota county, Arcadia, county seat, we
have the ideal of a peach growing section.
These facts are apparent TO even the cas-
ual observer. l now have in mind trees
planted three years ago, have every tndi-
cation of bearing to 3 crates each, con-
tanning baskets to the crate, retailing in
our home market, Arcadia, 40 to so cents
per basket This is a fair example and
shows what may be expected from this
industry and being to weeks in ad-
vance of Georgia peaches, opens to the
orchardist an unprecedented opportunity
of realizing enormous profits from well
kept orchard in the near future.
The opportunity awaits the capitalist
nor should the word capitalist brighten the
timid and less moneyed prospector. Our
lands are cheap. our labor, somewhat high,
but to sum up the whole, the following es-
innate was made from inquiries made
among the growers for the cost of one
acre, which l believe is a conservative
estimate:
one acre. set with $50 trees, including
all costs, will not exceed $40 per acre
Planted, say October, 1902, summer Of 1904
these trees will give you returns of to
1-2 crates per tree. We will for sake of
argument say $50 trees yielding 2 crates
to the tree will give the grower 300 crates
at 80 cents per basket, or $3.50 per crate,
we have $40 per acre, besides two years
crop CT good hay, two tons to the acre,
can be made and a ready market right at
home for it at good prices. If any coun-
try will grow crab grass and pea vines,
Florida will do It to the finish.
Our county Is the banner orange and
grape fruit county in the state. Arcadia
this past season Of 1901 and 1902 shipped
900 boxes, and grows more grape fruit
than all the other counties in the state.
Twelve thousand quarts of strawberries
were shipped, 100 crates of cabbage, 80
crates of celery and up to this writing
about 100 crates of beans, and they con-
tinue to go.
Arcadia has 1900 population. The best
governed town in the state-no barrooms,
no blind tigers, clayed streets. Our coun-
ty commissioners are making marked i'm
provements on our county roads. We
have good churches. fourishing schools,
good stores, electric light, telephone and
ice plant. Two hundred thousand brick
have been purchased and work begun on
the Arcadia Baptist orphanage. This is
to be a two-story brick building to cost
$4,000 and will accommodate about $50
orphans Eighty acres of the best land in
the county was donated for this purpose.
We are steadily forging ahead. All eyes
are on Arcadia. Come and see us. You
won't regret it.
J. R.. VAUGHAN.