The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-05-25

hundred bounds. They grow in q IL
luscious clusters weighing from a
half pound, to one and half pounds
and they ship. That is, discovery
has been made that the Carmen grape
which can be profitably raised in
Florida, will keep well on its long
journey to the northern fruit mark.
cts because of its touch skin and gen
eral sturdy qualities.
Ritter and his son, W. A. Ritter
who is in charge of the original Rit
ter vineyard, have specialized in Car,
men grapes, but they are also pro
ducing Tokay, and Malaga, and some
few other varieties in smaller quaint
ties.
The Grapeview Nursery, Inc, the
second grape nursery concern in the
state, VS. formed on the foundation
laid in the industry by the Ritters
and has at its head as president, w.
A. hodges, who arrived in Florida
last November. F. A. Ritter is vice
president and S. L. Holland secretary
and treasurer. Their charter was
granted in March and they have since
then set out about 100000 cuttings,
at least 100000 of which are expect
ed to be ready for sale by the next
planting acknowledgements, January.
and February.
They own a twenty acre property
just off the Lakeland road, about a
mile and a half northwest of Barlow,
and formerly known as the old Page
place, and have planted five acres
in vineyard. Next winter they will
have at least ten more underway and
by the end of the season, will prob.
ably have. this years vines bearing
fruit.
According to an estimate based on
tentative requests for plants, there
will be between fifty and seventy-five
acres in grapes, in the immediate
vicinity of Barlow, next year. Several
of the truck growers who have here
tofore devoted their acreages to cab
bage largely, are beginning to plan
to go into the business on an expert
mental scale and will begin with five
and ten acre plots. 1t is understood
that company is now in process of
formation to start new twenty acre
planting in the immediate vicin-
ity.
The Grapeview company has al
ready made a verbal contract for the
sale to one concern in a neighbor-
ing county of $4,000 settings for next
season and the demand is sufficient
that a large part of the remaining
100000 paintings of their stock is
already bargained for.
Mr.. Hodges, Mr.. Ritter, and other
experienced grape growers have said
that many sections of Polk county
are as we'll fitted for grape culture
as any part of the. state both by its
soil conditions and it's climatic advan-
tages. 1t seems quite generally
agreed that the Carmen variety, a
type propagated by r. w. Munson, of
Dennison, Texas, especially for the
Southern states. will prove most sue
cessful in Florida, both by reason of
it's dependendable shipping qualities
and its excellence of taste and tex
ture. A large grape, almost round
and deliciously rich and juicy, many
of them were brought to Barlow for
sale last summer and proved highly
popular.
They come into bearing about the
18th of June well in advance of the
California crops and at a time OF the
year when no other part of the coun-
try is producing, and continue for
about six weeks. While great care
is demanded in the culture of grapes
here and fertilization is necessary,
the planting, pruning and spraying
do not require more attention nor
more funds, than some of the less
profitable crops that have been Civ
en- much attention heretofore. They
begin bearing about eighteen months
after planting-some two or three
pounds to the vine,-and by the end
of four years, will yield between 10
and 20 pounds to the vine, or more
where the soil is best suited for their
culture.
A beautiful four acre plot on the
sylvester farm, near Lakeland just
off the Barlow road, is devoted to
grapes now and they are about two
and one half years old and bearing
heavily.
Several small plots are planted
within the city limits of Barlow and
IllcSG dIG DClllS Wcll1liCu WIN 0ASot
interest by local property owners who
consider adding grapes to their own
lists of products.
On the whole, what has already
been accomplished gives the appear
ance, as one experienced truck-grow-
er has said, that the soil has just
been scratched in an industry that
may mean new riches for Polk coun-
ty, and it's progress will be watched
with interest by any owner of as
much as five acres of land, if he has
rot already set it in citrus. 1t is
thought by grape men that high
sandy sections which are raising cit
rus with such success in the ridge
section are we'll adapted to vineyard
requirements, as the slightly lower
and more hammocky lands of the cen
f,ra1 and upactorp narfc Of tho pOuO-