The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-15

but general conclusions should not be
drawn from solitary cases.
An entire book could be filled with
authentic instances Of big profits
made in given localities, on any OF
the prominent products of the state.
but the faithful chronologer must nit
the low places as well as the high
places. or. at the very least, confne
himself to a happy medium that comes
within the easy realm of ordinary ac-
complishment.
Here is an actual case: A Ken
tuckian had fine orange grove in the
center of the state not far from Oca-
la. He entrusted it to careless ten
ants From lack of attention, it run
down. He tired of its ownership, re-
ported the grove business as unprofit-
able, and sold his possession at loss.
A wide-awake. practical grower
bought it, restored it to it's former
perfect condition, watched it careful
ly. and in three years showed from
his books that the grove had paid for
itself and had 100000 cash to its
credit. IL we had reports from the
two owners on the same grove. to
which would we give credence? 1t
was a failure, and it was success. 1t
was simply difference in the hand
ling.
! If the average successful manufac-
turer should shut down his desk,
leave his plant. and go off to the sea-
side and trust to luck" for dividends,
he would go "broke" and ought to.
Eternal vigilance is the price of
man yother things, besides liberty.
Whatever else is produced in Flor
ida. the state will probably stand or
fall on its citrus fruit reputation. since
make the citrus family thrive here as
nowhere else.
/ Speaking of citrus fruits reminds us
of good old county Judge, from one
/ of the states up North, well-inform-
ed man in many ways, but botanical
ly deficient.
! He said, 81 have been around this
section quite little in the last day
or so. have seen the oranges and
/ the grapefruit, and the tangerines and
lemons, and now | would like you to
take me out to some grove and show
me one of them there citrus fruits
that you have been talkin' about" In
as delicate way as possible, so as
not to give offense, we reminded him
that he had already seen the citrus
fruit.
Florida shipped about nine million
boxes of oranges and grapefruit for
the season of 1914-15. War conditions
had so broken up the markets of the
country that normal prices did not
obtain. Under average circumstances,
i'ohi SSoi W yOai, tuc 6ioWei may eA-
pect an average of at least $3.50 a
box for oranges, and $500 per box
for grapefruit. Florida oranges are
universally considered sweeter, juicer,
and of more delightful flavor, than
any competing orange. On the Bos-
ton market of last year. car loads Of
Florida oranges averaged from $3.50
per box to $427 per box.
! Prices in the retail market, natur-
ally. are very much higher at times,
1t being no uncommon thing for grape
fruit in April and May to go from
$3.50 to $500 a crate.
| In the Winter Haven district. where
the citrus industry has reached a high
state of development, as much as fifty
thousand dollars has been offered for
twenty acres of mature growth. and
the offer refused. The grove in ques-
ton has averaged almost % per cent
], on fifty thousand dollars for many
ANNoi w 10 duOtucT RTOVo con-
tanning less than eight acres. which
has yielded net profit of over four
thousand dollars annually to its own.
er for the past FIVE years, in 1918 the
earnings on this small grove being
100000 net.
/ Oranges have been looked on as
staple; grape fruit as a luxury.
Grape fruit is fast passing the point
of luxury where you see it only on din.
ing cars, and in high-class restaurants
and Florida is the only state where
grapefruit is generally and success
fully raised
In conversation with man nation.
ally known. and of wide business ex-
periencce year or so since. we ones.
toned his wisdom in setting ont such
extensive grape fruit groves, and
asked him if he did not fear over.
production. His reply was to the
point. and contained keen Judgment