The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-06-19
The Fruit Journal says:

he F1u1C Journal says.
The two great citrus fruit sections,
California and Florida, while alike
in certain features, present more con-
trasts than resemblances. It was re-
Gently my pleasure to visit the two
successfully for the purpose Of investi-
eating the citrus fruit industry, and
comparison was inevitable. The strik-
ing contrasts in the pursuit Of this
industry in the two sections seem to
result from a few fundamental differ
ences, especially those of climate, in
habitants and capital.
The climate Of the citrus sections
Of these two states, while similar in
being more or less free from FROST
though never from the fear of it
differs widely in humidity. California
the southern portion where the or
anges are mostly grown is so dry
and arid that irrigation is essential,
while Florida is humid even to ex-
cess. This large difference alone. is
the cause Of many lesser ones. For
instance, the hot, baking SUN of the
clOudless California summer makes a
dust much necessary to conserve the
moisture, hence clean and thorough
tilling is the rule in the citrus groves.
EvapOrated water can, to be sure, be
replaced as necessary by irrigation,
but water is too expensive and often
too scarce to be used recklessly, and
as much as possible is conserved by
cultivation. But in Florida no such
compelling reason exists for thorough
cultivation, and the groves are con-
sequently weedy, grassy, and untidy.
The humidity promotes not only
weakness, but an inclination in the
man to let them have their way; and
slackness having thus insinuated itself,
. appears again in the carelessly pruned
trees, whose roughnesS contrasts
strongly with the beautiful symmetry
and uniformity of California trees.
Then again, irrigation requires skilled
and intelligent labor, and this kind
appeared to be commoner in California
than Florida. The Japanese is GER
tainly far superior to the negro.
California is full of wel1-to-do peo-
pie, who have gone there because of
ill-health and attracted by the out
door life have turned to orange grow
ing. The industry has thus been built
up to a large extent by people of
more means, and this is strongly re-
hected in the strictly modern methods
OF handling the groves and marketing
the crops Coming from the cities,
the growers had no preconceived no.
tons about fruit raising, but depended
largely on the publications Of the
agricultural press and the experiment
stations, with striking successful re-
suits. Being thus guided, and acting
on sound business principles under the
direction of an extensive and remark
ably successful fruit union, they have
concentrated their efforts on a few
varieties, like the Washington Naval
and Valencia among the oranges and
the Lisbon, Eureka and Villa Franco
among the lemons, producing immense
quantities, absolutely controlling the
markets for these sorts. In Florida
the varieties of oranges grown are
far more miscellaneous, and do not
make as imposing figure on the
market, even comparatively to the
amount produced. Very few lemons
of any sort are grown, but more at
tention is given to grape fruit than
in California, and the best and in