The Ocala evening star., 1915-08-13
GREAT ENTHUSIASM
AMONG ORANGE GROWERS
Continued from First Page)

much land In citrus groves would not
produce fruit in sufficient quantity to
glut the markets of this land, if prop
erly distributed, so we need not worry
over the problem of reproduction.
DR.. Ross said that the grapefruit
crop of the state for the coming sea
son had been estimated at from 40 to
so per cent of the past seasons crop,
and he, personally, placed it at 40
per cent. The orange crop was esti-
mated at from 20 to 80 per cent of
last years crop.
Coming down to our own PROPOSE
tion of erecting a local packing house,
the doctor said it was one of the best
things we could possibly do, both for
the grower and for the town.
"At my home, in Winter Haven"
said he, "they used to pack about 49,
900 boxes of oranges in an old and in
adequate packing house, / urged my
neighbors and fellow growers to get
together and put in a modern packing
house After several years this was
done. The house cost $4,000 and the
machinery and equipment $4,000. The
first year we packed 81, 900 boxes, the
next 10000 and the third and last
season, 167 900 boxes and it has more
than paid for itself"
This, said he, and Mr. Jones who
followed him, was the history of all
the packing houses, with some varia-
tione.
AS to our proposed packing house,
based on 10000 boxes (the crop may
run 100000 the plan is feasible and
sure of success. Packing 10000
boxes a year, with no increase, re-
tanning 10 cents a box for a sinking
fund, as it were, the house will pay
for itself in three years, as the cost
of the house and equipment will not
be much in excess of $4,000. DIR.
Ross address was listened to'with the
closest attention and was heartily ap-
lplauded when he finished.
, Mr.. Jones, the general manager of
the exchange, was called on for a
talk. Mr.. Jones said that DIR. Ross
had covered the ground so thoroughly
that there was very little for him to
: add. He said he wanted to give one
t illustration of the disadvantage of un.
organized shipping.
l Last season there were 100000
boxes of grapefruit shipped out of the
state prior to the 18th of November
e BEFORE THERE WAS A RIPE
: GRAPEFRUIT IN FLORIDA. Con
] sequently the fruit not only brough
}. little or nothing to the growers, but i
j absolutely ruined the grapefruit mar
e ket in the territory where it went fo
many weeks to follow. Most of thi
fruit went west, where the heav.
grain crops had made money plenti
full and many dealers had the frui
on their hands until it spoiled. |
" was two months after that before tn
II exchange could ship a single grape
f fruit west of Chicago.
81 want to call your attention t
Tavares," said Mr.. Jones, with n
II more fruit contiguous to it; the
d growers built packing house an
have been packing there ever sine
an average of 10000 boxes a yea
the fruit being shipped to the packin
house in large boxes from mile
n around, to get the benefit of tn
I'M superior facilities"
\ There were fourteen or fifteen ne
" packing houses built by local organ
cations last year and the number {
3 acres coming into bearing each yes
= is increasing the yield of fruit. Mar
of the packing houses built from thr'
to six years ago are entirely out
debt and paying substantial rebat'
each year to the growers.
Mr.. Jones said the exchanges aud
tor made his regular rounds amor
the packing houses and audited the
accounts just like the bank examin
audited the accounts of a bank, al
gave them a great deal of advice al
, assistance The audit last seas
showed ten or twelve of the packiI
houses entirely out of debt and son
have as much as $4,000 surplus
hand for dividends or rebates.
The audience appreciated Mr.. Jone
- talk very much.
The meeting adjourned and t
Z Ocala Citrus Growers ASSOCIATE,
met again at 80 to perfect an @
ganization and name another meetil
: time.
Afternoon Session
The Ocala Citrus Growers Associ
tion met at 1:3O o'clock and enter
into lengthy discussion about t
packing house and machinery. N
Mcintyre gave some valuable info
nation and Mr.. Taylor on packil
houses. Mr.. Taylor has very lars
ell-shaped building, admirably locs
ed on both the A. G. l.. and S. A.
tracks which he would lease to
association, or he would build it
suitable packing house which
would not require the association
use after the first season if it desir
to build. Mr.. Taylor, however, So
he would urge the association to ?
up its own building at the start a
not rent from any one.
Mr.. J. II. Mathews wanted it I