The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-29

Orange Is kinA today throughout all
Central and Southern Florida. The reign
commenced during the the first week In
November, since which time he has re-
ceived the homage Of the entire popula-
ton. Ten years ago his sway extended
even to Jacksonville and the Georgia
border: but they have dethroned him
there. because he froze one night IN a
large section OF the country.
There are no idlers today in those re-
Eions OF Florida where he IS supreme
From the time Of the gathering of the
half-ripened. early crop three months ago
until the late fruits, left hanging from
the trees are garnered IN May. every body
- occupied The fruitRrower and his
banker greet one another with enhanced
interest; the packer desperate for more
hsnds. goes into the highways and gath
ers them in: the tradesman. sharing the
general prosperity. displays new stocks
and IA kes on another helper. Large re
gions are dependent on the condition OF
the orange crop.
There is another side to this picture
When the thermometer. anxiousIy scrutin-
lied from hour to hour, drops into the
thlrties and a bitter northwest wind
sweeps down over the Gulf. no danger
warning IS required to make the fruit
grower hasten to take measures for the
protection Of his orchards. For the citrus
the generic term embracing all the va
ricties OF the onnge and lemon Species
sturdy. strong evergreen as it appears.
withers under a freeze IN irredeemable
ruin. Then the whole country Is cast
into gloom; packing houses are closed
down. the hands stand idle in the streets.
banks fail and the mortgage is abroad
through Florida.
The beginning Of the orange Industry
dates back TO the middle Of last century,
but the majority OF the Oldest seeding
groves were planted between 1866 and
1876. and these old seedlings, now from
20 to 30 feet in height and In some in
stances bearing from 10 to Is boxes of
oranges apiece. have arrived at the ma
turity O. their usefulness to man. but are
for orange trees. still young. During the
SOS a new impetus w. giving to grove
planting; but by that time nearly all the
trees planted had been budded. mainly to
Janns. Navels. Tangerfnes. Grapefruits
and other standard varieties
The great freeze" as It is called to
distinguish 1t from lesser and less dan
gerous freezes occurred In Is04-95, and
proved an epoch-making event In the his
tory OF the Florida orange groves The
orange belt was then supposed to extend
TO the extreme northern limit of the pen
Ursula; for the Observation-Disclosures from
freezes which are liable to occur every
where In the peninsula some three or
four nights during midwinter had hither-
TO. at the worst. done nothing more than
slightly lessen the market value Of the
fruits. At that date. in fact. 1t was rec
ogniEed that the best oranges were those
grown around Jacksonville and in the ex-
IRENE northern limits OF the belt. The
number OF the groves had been increasing
steadily year after year. In spite of u
preliminary warning during the severe
winter of 1856 At that time oranges
were abunuant that they were dis
posed OF ct from SOC. to 7Jc. a box. In
spite Of this The industry thrived and
prospered and the fruitgrowers became
rich.
The drst freeze came IN December. 1894.
Little more than a severe frost, It strip
ped the trees Of their leaves. killed 4 few
twigs and branches. and weakened the
development OF the plantations. This was
followed by warm. hne weather The
trees recuperated. grew quickly, and pat
forth from to 10 inches of new growth
In wood and leaves. Then came the dis
aster- On February 8. without anticipat-
CRY warning, a northwesterly wind spranu
up and the thermometer dropped to 16 de-
greea- CONSERVATION became general
The owners harnessed their teams. drew
cord after cord of lumber ito the pIanta-
lions and kindled huge hres between the
trees Some stripped their houses of
quilts overcoats. carpets and coverlets
and wrapped them around the roots to at
ford protection. In spite OF every precau-
ton. when morning came only n few soil
tary trees In one or two protected dIs-
tricts OF the orange belt survived.