60 FLORIDA FRUITS ORANGES. 



from twenty to thirty dollars an acre, not so much indeed 

 as first cutting and burning the trees, and then having the 

 stumps burned out. 



The land cleared, plowing is next in order; this can be 

 done at an expense of three dollars an acre, not a high 

 charge for breaking new land, as it is no easy or quick work 

 even in our light Florida soil. 



Kails for fencing are split from the pine trees at a cost 

 of a dollar a hundred, and it is well to have them split be- 

 fore the trees are burned, as among those cut down, would 

 be many suitable for the purpose. Hauling the rails and 

 building the fence (Virginia worm-fence is the rule) will 

 cost fifty cents a hundred ; the total cost of inclosing one 

 acre, eleven hundred rails, will amount to sixteen dollars 

 and fifty cents ; five acres, between forty and fifty dollars. 



But however much or little the land may be cleared for 

 a grove, or whether pine or hammock be selected, it should 

 invariably be located near some assured and permanent 

 transportation facilities, either in the present or the near 

 future, when the grove will have " come into profit." 



When groves are twenty or more miles from an outlet 

 (and some very fine groves are thus situated), the hauling 

 by wagon is expensive and tedious, and the cause of great 

 loss, by bruising the fruit so as to render it unfit for mar- 

 ket. Also do not go too far north in the State, thinking 

 that all places are equally favored for orange culture ; it is 

 best not to venture beyond the thirtieth degree. 



A good deal has been said and written about water pro- 

 tection, and there is no doubt that a location near to and 

 south or west of one of our large lakes, or a cluster of 

 small ones, is desirable. But the vicinity of the water 

 does not always ward off frost ; it all depends upon how 

 the frost approaches. A warm vapor always hangs over 

 a large body of water, and if a cold north or northwest 



