The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-08
STRAWBERRIES FOR FLORIDA
ORLANDO BOARD OF TRADE
STARTS \ BOOM FOR CROP.

Over 5000 Acres in That Vicinity
Suitable for Strawberry Culture.
Statistics Show That the Yield OF
the state in 1900 Was 1872 500
Quarts, Mt an Average Price of is
Cents Per Quart, Giving a Return
of $237 Per Acre-Farmers VIII
Meet at Orlando Tomorrow TO Re-
cciVe Report of Board of Trade
Committee.
Orlando, Fla, Aug. THE Orlando
Board of Trade is endeavorlng to m
terest the farmers and truckers of this
section in strawberries. Within five
miles of this place there are easily
5000 acres of good strawberry land un-
cultivated. These lands can be pur-
chased at from 81 to SIS per acre.
The statistics gathered by the Flor
ida state commissioner of agriculture
show that the yield of this fruit for
the state in 1900 was 1872, SOC quarts,
grown on 1,494 acres. The selling value
was a fraction below IS cents per
quart, the earliest fruit selling at so
cents. The average of the entire state
was almost Is cents, or a return of
$237 per acre.
These are attractive figures when it
is considered that they represent
the average of an entire
state. 1t has been estimated
that the cost of preparing the land and
planting the first crop is about 500 per
acre. 1t is a phenomenal investment
that will pay itself out the first year.
But the figures of the commissioner
show not only full return of the en-
tire investment, but a net profit of $l37
per acre the first year.
1t is in view of such facts as these
that the Board of Trade has taken the
matter up. One month ago a commit
tee was appointed to thoroughly inves-
tigate the business in all of it's bear
ings, and report At a meeting held on
the 4th. this committee made a partial
report Although incomplete in some
particulars, it was so favorable that
another committee was selected to ar
range for a public meeting to which
all farmers and truckers of this part
of the county are invited. This meet
ing has been called for Aug. 8, at 3
o'clock p. M, at the City Council
Chamber, when the committee will b.
prepared to give full Information con-
corning the business in other parts of
the state, varieties to plant, methods
of packing, transportation, etc. Invi-
tations have been generally distributed
and it is believed that the meeting will
be large one, and will prove the en-
tering wedge of an enterprise hereto
fore neglected here, but full of promise
of rich returns.
Outlook for Orange Crop.
The prolonged drought which prevail
ed during the spring and early summer
was somewhat disastrous to the orange
industry, as a large percentage of the
small fruit dropped. Still, it is now
evident that more fruit was left on the
trees than was at first believed.
Oranges are now about half grown,
and are more easily seen than when
they were the size of peas. In many
of the groves the crop will be a fair
one, though some trees will be entirely
barren. Men who have had much eX-
perience in estimating young fruit
crops, are of the opinion that in this
part of the state the yield will be
considerably larger than it was last
year.
The yield of grape fruit will certain
~ be larger than last year, as grape
fruit trees seem to have withstood the
drought better than the orange trees.
AS an indication that the average
T'loridian is not easily discouraged, the
demand for orange and grape fruit
trees for planting out new groves, is
better than it has been for several
years, and is rapidly exhaustings the
supply at the nurseries. 1t is thought
that by next spring the supply of trees
suitable for transplanting or shipment
VIII be practically exhausted, and
prices very much higher than at pres
ent. Recent heavy rains have slim
ulated the business of tree-planting
in marked degree.