The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-01-31
FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA FRUIT

Florida grapefruit shipped from Tam
pa to Los Angeles, they were called
upon to sympathize with California
fruit growers because of the disaster
to the orange groves in the Pacific
coast state, involving a loss conserv-
atively estimated at $4,000 900. Ac-
cording to letters received in Florida,
two boxes of grapefruit consigned
from Tampa to a resident of Los An
geles as Christmas present were,
under the horticultural quarantine
law of the state of California" which
1t Is said bars from California all cit
rus fruits from the South Atlantic
and Gulf states, destroyed in the city
incinerator The letter from Los An
geles, which lies in the citrus grow
ing section of the state, was coinci-
dent in mailing with a letter from
san Francisco, further north, ac-
knowledging receipt of other grape
fruit from Tampa, which contained
the following tribute to the following
product:
You certainly sent some convinc-
ing proof of the superiority of Florida
grapefruit over the home-raised pro
duct. 1t excels in flavor, size and
thinness of rind."
The arrival of these two letters at
Tampa stirred Florida fruit growers
and the Florida Fruit Exchange, first.
in the direction of discovering wheth-
cd the law had been properly inter
preted at Los Angeles; second, toward
referring the matter to the interstate
commerce commission for determina-
ton whether such a law for California
is constitutional and, third, if such is
the case, toward securing from the
next legislature of Florida a retalia-
tory law. Then came the news from
Los Angeles of the results of three
days of freezing weather:
The first reports that all the young
trees were killed and many OF the Old
er ones were so seriously hurt that
they would not bear for several sea
sons were greatly exaggerated. The
frost was not severe enough to kill
anything except nursery stock, but it
was enough to spoil many of the or
anges and grapefruit on the trees, and
practically all the lemons. 'Smudg-
ing was general in all the orange
groves. and no doubt the smoke and
warmth from these fires saved large
amount of fruit
While Pomona reported damages
Of so per cent. of the crop, San Ber-
nardino county seemed to be the heav-
lest sufferer. San Bernardina includes
the large Redlands orange section ad-
joining Riverside, and it was declared
that 80 per cent Of the crop was ruin
ed. In this county alone it was as
serted that growers would lose from
50. 100000 to $11,000,000.
AT the beginning of the season this
years crop value was estimated at S.,
900, 900. According to the heads of the
various fruit associations and firms,
the damage done by the three days
freeze will amount to nearly half the
crop"
Florida can sympathiZe with Cali
fornia in this visitation but such SYM
pathy should not cause any relaXa-
ton of efforts to remove any element
of injustice toward Florida fruits that
may exist in California law. If there
is discrimination in California against
citrus fruits OF Florida, it must be be
cause Of apprehension that the Flor
ida products may rival those of Cali
fornia in the markets of the country.
4 basis for such a suggestion is had
i'm the San Francisco letter describing
Florida grapefruit as eXcelling Cali
fornia grapefruit in flavor, size and
thinness of rind. Be that as it may,
lhe apprehension OF California is
grounded upon the falacy that the
market for citrus fruits is strictly
Nmtcd in size and in number Of buy
ers. and that. therefore, sales Of the
products 81 Florida viii mean dimn-
.a. sales for the California pro-
dress. The contrary is the fact What
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