The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-11-28
THE PARSON BROWN
A FAMOUS ORANGE,
And How if Got its Name
from an Humble Methodist
Preacher of Florida.
Dudley V. Haddock IN Tampa, Tribune


An humble, good hearted, country
Methodist preacher was Parson
Brown, a resident of Sumter county,
in the ffties, sixties and seventies,
and yet, Parson Browns name should
go down in Florida history as one of
its greatest benefactors.
In the late fitness, Parson Brown
visited friends in Savannah, making
his way from his homestead, ten miles
south of Sumterville, across the State
10 Jacksonville and on to the Geor-
gia port by boat. The parson en-
Joyed himself in Savannah, it was a
novelty to visit shipping center and
just at that time Savannah was an in
dustrious city.
The docks attracted him and many
ships he visited. One of these, an
English vessel, had just arrived from
China, for cargo of naval stores
and cotton, making the long voyage
around the Cape of Good Hope. The
captain, the usual bluff, good natured
British seaman, struck up an ac-
quaintance with the parson and as a
natural consequence, entertained the
preacher on board on several occa-
sons. Chinese fruits in abundance
were on board the vessel and some of
these were given the parson, among
them several oranges.
Parson Brown liked those oranges
and saved the seed to take home with
him. They were planted in nursery
beds and after the green shoots came
up and the leaves unfolded, the tender
sprouts were set out lat different
points on the farm. One after anoth-
er the young trees died, until at last
there was but one left. This must
have been an unusual hardy specimen
or else the soil must have been pc
culiarly adapted for it. 1t lived.
Maturity came in several years and
the tree began to yield fruit, such
fruit as had never before been known
in Florida. 1t was peculiar and was
a general topic with citrus growers
in that part of the State. The or
anges while still apparently green,
were found to be perfectly matured
inside. They were as sweet the first
of October as the usual orange was
in January and February. Parson
Browns tree became famous through
the country side. Did a prominent
State official visit Sumterville or some
of the citizens of Sumter county,
some of Parson Browns fruit was
procured to take a prominent place
among the good things to eat.
In 1874, Captain j. L. Carney and
associates, purchased an island in Lake
Weir containing forty acre grove
Of sour orange trees. With the in
tention of budding the sour stock
with an extra good orange, Captain
Carney had the tops of these trees
cut. He then made a trip all over
central Florida hunting for a varie-
ty of orange that was above the av-
erage. Visiting points in Sumter
county he found many fine oranges,
but in each case the grower declared
that although "they were not as fine
as Parson Browns they are nearly
as good" This caused Captain Car
ney to visit Parson Brown and the
famous tree first came under his
observation.
Captain Carney purchased the tree
in September for $50 and besides
budding the entire Lake Weir grove
secured more than 5000 oranges
from it that season. He owned it
for several years, budding grove af-
ter grove from it.
Now the Parson Brown orange is
one of Florida's stand-bys. There
is not, and never has been an orange
cultivated in Florida that natures as
early as that variety; neither is there
an orange grove in the peninsula that
during September, October and No
vember approaches in flavor the Par
son Brown. Its keeping quality is
remarkable, instances having been
known where the oranges were kept
FOR from four to five months packed
IN the ordinary way with loss from
decay of less than one per cent.
Parson Brown deserves a niche in
Florida's Hall of Fame adjoining
that of DIR. Gbrrie, the Floridian
who invented the process for making
artificial ice. Florida boasts Of but
few men of that stamp another op.
portuniGr to add to the number by
the addition of the name of Porsor
Brown should not he overlooked.