The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-03-25
|THE PROSPECT
| or PINEAPPLES
Prices Tor Coming Season Prom
Use Most Flattering Returns
IMPROVED CONDITION
Deoression of Last Year Had Benefits in
Orgaaz ation Of Growers No County
More Promising Than ST. lucie

One of the strange traits of mankind
il thc ease which they are influenced
in any given direction, and as an illus
tration of this fact, we recall the
depths of dependency which overhang
the pineapple section on account of the
extreme low prices that prevailed last
season.
That these conditions were extremely
disagreabe and caused good many of
our growers to put on their thinking
cans and do some figuring that they
had neglected to do before, there is no
doubling, but that the failure to realize
profit on the business should cause a
general decentralization of the enterprise
as some seem to believe, would have
been to under estimate the spirit of our
people, who have developed one of the
most intensive systems of production
and built and maintained class of
homes no where else to he found in the
state of Florida out side Of the cities.
1t is an established fact, that last
seasons crop, with bht few ex-
ceptons. brought the growers little it
|any prof over cost of production, but
There is no other business that does not
have its years of depression, unless if
lis the Standard Oil, or monOpolies of
that class.
We had labored under handicaps in
various ways, which in our more pros
perOus years, we had submitted to
without attempting to correct, but
when our revenues were reduced, we
found that our freight rates were out
of proportion to those of our c0mperi-
TORS in Cuba; this matter was taken up
and intelligently placed before the
Interstate Commission in Washington
with the result, that we got a reduction
(which amounts to a saving, Gf the out
but should he the same as last summer, |
Of at least $50, 900. on the pineapple
crop alone.
Various things were responsible for
last years depression in prices, chief
among which was the fact that for the
first time in the history of the pineapple
business on the East Coast, the crops
bfs Florida and Cuba came into the
markets at the same time, and the
further fact. that both had the largest
crop in the history of the business.
These conditions were not fully under !
stood or realized by those who had in
Former years. handled the output from
The two sections, and before they knew
t, they were loaded up with more fruit
bhan they had ever heen called upon to !
handle during the same period, and it
Is safe to say, without casting any re-
lection on any one who was handling
fhem that they were not prepared to
lake care of the increase that had so
UNEXPECTEDLY come to them.
No one thinks that there was any !
bvcrproductiOn, but was simply case
pf where the handlers were insufficient
y posted as to what they were going
10 have to dispose of. and when they
we're given this unusual increase with
put preparation for its proper distrl-
bntian they went to pieces and got the
markets so completely damned, that
hey could not clean them up.
While this was the conditions that
prev lied last season, it would be an al
nost impossible thing for it to happen
hgan, even If the same amount of fruit
Vas thrown on the market at the same
ime, for the dealers have had lesson
hat they will not forget. and will be
prepared to meet such conditions II
hey should ever have them to contend
Eith again. which is not very likely.
We do not know if the above reasons
pave been advanced as one of the
aus"s for the unsatisfactory results OF
Asst summers operations, but that lc
vas one of the main factors, there Is
Pc doubt. Possibly the dealers viii
AXE exceptions to this view of the
batter, but it il the most lcharita-
Die construction that can be- placed on
ne results of their operations, and we
hink, the proper one.
That conditions for this season are
materially different from those pre-
Failing last summer il evidenced by the
act that numerous buyers AS endeav-
fring to purchase the output from tins
lection. Prices have been offered that
IRE very fattering, but there is every
feasOn to believe that pineapples VIII
pring figure beyond those now submit
|ed, and few of our growers care !"
Fake less than the full market price
fh'ch is likely TO prevail as the seaso''
advances.
At the c'ose of las. season, when the
Fdgers of the growers were ba'ancing
p on the wrong side, there was never
UGH a desire to desert a country as
PAS experienced here, and II rev
pen with business foresight had step.
ped in with little money, they c0u'o
AVE secured bargains in some OF tht
>andsomest real estate. both from
POINT Of beauty and intrinsic vala'
pat has ever been placed on the
a ~