The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-09-02
GREAT PROFIT IN GRAPEFRUIT
Retail for 20 Cents Apiece and Whole
Sale from SIS to So per Box

pa as it did in Ocala and other places
for 20 cents apiece, and in New York
and other northern markets of course
for much greater price.
The magnificent pnce obtained for
several seasons past led the Tampa
Times 20 say some issues ago that
while the fruit was scarce and COM
manded a fancy price it is apparent
70 everyone who has made it the sub
ject of investigation that there are
excellent profits awaiting those who
will put the growing of grapefruit
upon a solid business basis. 1t is true
that increa sing attention is being paid
10 it. but there is still vast de-
mand TO be satisfied and our growers
will find that whatever they put in
grapefruit will come back TO them
with interest.
Until eight or ten years ago, the
grapefruit was comparatively I'M
known throughout the United States.
Although the orange was sold far
and wide and Justly esteemed by all
classes for its superior excellence as
a fruit, the grapefruit was almost IN
known outside OF Florida, where.
however. ii has always been appre-
ciated and enjoyed. Winter visitors
came TO Florida and learned 10 enjoy
this luscious fruit. They spread it
fame abroad. An awakening ensued
and few years more the grapefruit
was eagerly sought and l. rapidly be
coming a fad among the wealthy and
aristocratic classes, and all, indeed,
who were able to pay the price. 1t
was found that the grapefruit eaten
before breakfast would purify and
tone the system for whole day and
that properly served it became a
most delicious dessert. For women 1t
has been discovered that the grape
fruit has tonic, strengthening and me-
dicinal qualities far surprising peruna
or other much advertised patent med
icines. The demand for grapefruit Is
increasing with every year and today
we would easily market at good
prices several times the number Of
fruit that we are raising.
In New York grapefruit bring from
> to : per box, according to their
quality and the state OF the market
al the time they are shipped. The
price very seldom falls below $ and |
j. generally in the neighborhood Of /
= for good choice fruit. The fruit /
runs from thirty-six 10 seventy-two /
in box, and a. the larger and finer /
fruit bring more per box and pack /
smaller numbers per box, our choicest |
specimens bring almost incredible |
prices. This Is the case only for the
product OF the Florida groves "a the
California grapefruit is not highly es
teemed, Is difficult 10 market, and |
is in everyway inferior to the Florida |
fruit.
1t Is difficult to believe some of the |
stories which are told of products |
made upon one or two grapefruit |
trees, for indeed some of the amounts
as the profit upon one tree
seem almost fabulous. There is one |
instance, however, which occurred |
in Polk county which is well anthem
ticated and will furnish an adequate
idea of what can be done in the I
line. A gentleman who |
had small orange grove had init |
three old grapefruit trees, to which
he never took the trouble to market.
Learning that grapefruit were becom-
ing valuable, some years ago he gath
cred and shipped the fruit from the
three trees and received therefor
1925. One of the trees alone produc-
ed fruit which ueteed $50. DIR. Vince
don, who has n IL grapefruit grove
on his beautif,l Jiantation at Papy's
bayou has for several years shipped
his fruit direct to the Waldorf-Asto-
ria, receiving an average of S7.25 per
box for them.
Although there are such vast posi-
bilities in this branch of the citrus
fruit industry, as already stated, COM