188 FLORIDA FRUITS SMALL FRUITS. 



Western markets, at an immense profit to the growers. 

 And now, month by month, these facilities for shipping 

 are increasing and extending ; the railroads and their water 

 connections are reaching out their stalwart arms and em- 

 bracing the whole State, while several of these roads are 

 already running refrigerator cars for the benefit of those 

 who raise the more perishable fruits, among which the 

 strawberry stands foremost. 



Of course ajl varieties are not suited to light, sandy soils, 

 nor will all pass successfully through our long summer 

 season. Locality influences this fruit more than any other 

 one cause ; therefore, a plant that will bear large, luscious 

 berries in a cool climate and clay soil, will naturally be- 

 come stunted and bear smaller, less delicate-tasted berries 

 under the opposite conditions. 



It was probably some such mistake as this that at first 

 created the impression that it was ' ' no use to try to raise 

 strawberries in Florida." But our people are wiser now 

 about this, as well as many other things of kindred nature. 

 Here, there, every where, at all points where rapid trans- 

 port is at hand, acres upon acres of this delicious berry 

 have been planted, bringing golden return to their owners, 

 and constantly the acreage devoted to this crop is on the 

 increase ; it is larger now (in the spring of 1886) than it was 

 last year, and next year it will be larger still. The man 

 who properly plants and Cares for one acre will set out 

 five, ten, twenty acres the following season. 



And no wonder; for the returns from this fruit, put 

 upon the market at a time of year impossible to any but a 

 Floridian, are something enormous. From one thousand 

 to two thousand dollars per acre are not infrequently 

 made, and sometimes more, with a favorable season and 

 the plants in full bearing ; even the first crop often yields 

 from five hundred to eight hundred dollars. 



