The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1924-09-19
THREE MEN MAY MAKE
THOUSANDS FROM FIGS
Only Reversal of Climatic Conditions Would
Upset Calculations on Eight Thousand
Trees on Roanoke Island

w uSli .NSN lOih i'uui'NNg
man stumbled OH Roanoke Is
land a few years ago and found
that the soil there grows figs
as well as any place i'll America,
and that not in the memory
Of man has the North Carolina
climate been so severe as TO
damage the trees OH the coast.
he coupled these facts with the
unusual demand for 4 product
unusually scarce and thus came
to life 4 venture in the state
that in few years may pro-
duce hundreds of thousands of
dollars in revenues.
The project now known as the
Gulf Stream Fig Corporation with
General Offices In New York City
has S2i,OW working capital with
the assurance OF unlimited funds
when the venture is proved success.
fnl beyond u doubt. nnd has enough
growing trees. which. bearing at the
present rate would In two years pro.
dnce figs for preserving purposes
with n Wholesale valm. of over "a
half million dollars annually.
The Gulf Stream Fig Corporation
of which 4. W. Drinkwat"r OF Man.
t"o. II General Manager. is today
producing preserved figs from It's
twO.ycar.old trees that have been
tested by the largest distributors
In the country. and found equal TO
anything Oh the market. The figs
are being packed In four ounce jars
which retail ut ~ cents q jar on
Pullman ears, and IL ounce Jars
which retail for - cents They
are now preserving Il red FIX which
distributors tell them is uncpunled.
and u brown Turkey fig which IL
rated 100 per cent In comparison
with California grown fisS. A..
surcd Of u demand for all the figs
Of this kind that. can be produced.
he Corporation Is getting ready to
add 5000 more brown trees To IS
orchards this fall. making u total
0f $500 trees In all.
The first ground for this remark.
nblc venture WAS broken In March
1921. Of the $500 trees grown In
the orchard. 2,G75 were In bearing
this year. In all. the corporation
hns nbout M acres broken. and 10
nrrcs are planted In trccs. The
remainder of the land will bc plant
cd as early ns possible. The brown
Turkey fix trees bear at the end
Of the first year. and some of the
three -ycnr-old trees arr each pro-
ducing four bushels of fruit this
year. There are single trees In this
orchard from which Mr.. DrinEwater
has packed preserves having n
wholesale value Of over $50. Two
years from now. every tree on the
orchard should produce mn aver
age yield Of three bushels. lie has
picked H. many IL five bushels from
on" tree. 4 few years later. IL his
$500 trees bear m average yield
of three bushels, each Of which will
produce $40 worth of preserves per
lnlshrl. wholesale. the income would
run into staggering sum.
Easy TO Grow.
Mr.. Drinkwaier Is having little
difficulty In cultivuiing the trees.
IL" keeps the land well broken. and
the trees supplied with fcrtili2ing
agencies recommended by the fore
most government agricultural tx.
perts. Much Of his fertilizer Is de-
rived from crab scrap obtained ut
the local factories. lie fluids that
the trees thrive Ia any soil. growing
even on the Highest sandhill' on
the Island. Vegetable aud forage
crop" arc bcins cultivated among
the small trees. helping 10 keep The
land In order. and giving a profit
un II while a." trees arr getting
ready TO make money.
Some Of the natives wag thci
head drprrcatingly aud predict dir
results for Tho project. What !.
the Thermometer should 20 80 lov
that the trees should freeze an,
'lic:" they ask. But Mr.. Drink
Continued on page SixJ