76 FLORIDA: ITS CLIMATE, SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, 



the State are owned by persons living in the towns, or by non-residents. 

 In some of the counties there were raised as high as from 4,000,000 to 

 6/100,000 of oranges last year ; and narrow-gauge railroads are rapidly 

 being built to afford the middle counties facilities for shipping their enor- 

 mous crops to market. Three such roads have been completed within 

 the past fe.AV months, and others are projected, while more are under con- 

 templation. Oranges are shipped from off these roads to New York in 

 eighty and ninety hours 7 time. 



Within the past few years orange culture in Florida has also attained 

 great perfection. It has reached that position where it is possible to 

 analyze the cost of production. Abundant evidence exists that can be 

 brought forward to show the value and profit in it for the investment 

 of capital. Results have shown that there is not at present any pur- 

 suit, where the tilling of the soil is involved, that will yield larger re- 

 turns with less fluctuation. It is always pleasant to be able to confirm 

 such statements with facts. An extensive orange grower in Putnam 

 County has kept, from the beginning of his grove, an accurate account 

 of the expenditures and receipts to the close of the thirteenth year, end- 

 ing 1879. The number of trees tf ere 300. They yielded 442,600 oranges, 

 selling for $7,590, as against an expenditure, omitting cost of land, first 

 cost of trees, and interest on the money, of $1,950. This gives receipts 

 over expenditures, $5,640. This is only one instance, but it is as good 

 as many, because it is only one in a very large number. It conclusively 

 demonstrates that orange culture is not at all transitory. Nearly all 

 the obstacles in the path of orange culture have been removed. 



The future of the business is still more promising. Florida oranges 

 are conceded to be superior to all others. In point of numbers, com- 

 pared to the great quantities consumed, they are few; yet by their 

 greater merit they have come to occupy the foremost place in the market. 

 The genial climate and peculiar soil of Florida, together with sufficiently 

 warm sun to mature and concentrate the juices without destroying the 

 lively aromatic flavor of the fruit, impart this quality a value nowhere 

 else attainable to such an extent. The field they are yet to occupy is 

 practically illimitable. They are yet to possess our own market, the 

 best in the world. This will be the labor of years, and after a great por- 

 tion of our orange lauds have been brought under cultivation. In 1879, 

 there were 257,000,000 of oranges entered at the port of New York alone 

 from foreign countries. Double the number, at least, were entered at 

 all the other ports, making a grand total of 771,000,000 consumed in and 

 lost on the voyage to this country, in addition to our Florida crop. We 

 cannot predict when the domestic will take the place of the foreign 

 product, but it is inevitable in course of time. Our inability to supply 

 the demand is the main obstacle. 



That this will be the ultimate result is clear from another cause, inde- 

 pendent, or nearly so, of merit. The liability of loss and damage result- 

 ing from uncertainties of a sea voyage forms an important factor in the 



