The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-06
Alabama Man Tells About
 Packing Oranges in Florida
JIM HAMRICK.
By y. M. CLARK of RusyeIIviIIe

Fort Meyer, Fla, March 5.-(S Specially l have been longing for my B. V. <Ds., but tonight, Monday, there is breeze off the Caloosahatche that is uncom- fortably chilly. The river here is about two miles wide and is, in reality, an estuary of the sea. The tide rises about two and a half feet here twice a day. The water is salt and many fine tarpon fish have been taken. was in a grove that faces the river about 3 miles above this place today, and the caretaker showed me where a 400-pound tarpon was taken some time ago. It is certainly interesting to visit a grove. I was taken out to see one Sunday afternoon that contains 800 acres. This was mostly young stuff that has been put out by the Fort Meyer Development company. They are draining about 25,000 acres of land and will plant care for, and develop a grove for you for the modest price of $S50 per acre. They care for it for four years.
 The orange grove is not the big money maker that many have thought. The estimate is for from $350 to $500 per acre income from a grove The grove mentioned above, the one thir- teen miles out, contains 30 acres of fruit. There are 40 acres in the tract, and the price is $22,500. There is no building, but packing house. It is really the best piece of stuff I have seen that is for sale., The crop taken this year has amounted to about 12,000 boxes, and there is much grapefruit yet to be marketed. A man should be able to get mighty good piece of prop erty anywhere for that price.
 The best grove in this section Is owned by the development company mentioned ahoUa ic Palms" Ttat grove has had perfect care in every respect-fertilization cul- uvation. pruning and spraying, and the trees bear mute evidence of their ap- preciation of that treatment. They .ars beautifully shaped, clean from all fun gus growth The fruit is large, smooth and very uniform. The manager tells me that their fruit weighs out several pounds more to the box than any other raised here, showing that 1t contains more juices than fruit less well cared for.
 This town has about 5000 people who belong here and about 10000 more who are, like the writer, simply transient It IS beautiful town, with well paved streets sidewalks, and some of the prettiest homes imaginable. There is much wealth here, and many of the homes are owned by men of wealth
 
 The town property development that Fort Meyer Development company is preparing for their stockholders-suc men as Senator Stadler of New York MT. Kingston, the manufacturer of car buretors, I believe it is; Dr. Baird of Battle Creek, and others of great wealth, will be one of the best and most complete community developments to be found anywhere. It has been laid out by famous landscape man from New York and has many small parks. playgrounds and beautifully graceful curved streets, all of which are to be cared for by park commissioner and the property of each assessed to pay Tor 1t. There will be, too, a community Kitchen and dining room to relieve dwellers of all worry. These will be all or nearly so. winter homes, but the commission will take care of the, grounds all the year round, so that everything may be in first-class condi- tion. If one desires to do light house. keeping. the homes will be prepared for it and all he will have to do is wire that he will be there at certain time and the maids will go to his home, pre- pare it for his coming, place groceries tr the pantry ice in the ice box and all he will have to do is open the door and touch the match to the gas and prepare his own meal. Oh. it's great to be ricn!
 Thomas Edison has a home here as has Henry Ford Heny's home don't look bit like a tin lizzie, though neither 1t nor the home of Edison is at all preten- tious. They do not sem to be well cared for
 We visited packing house today and