*'WHAT WILL IT COST?" 135 



and high all around them. Not only so, but the soil has 

 perceptibly increased in rich dark humus simply from the 

 natural decay of the grass, while a top-dressing gives all 

 the fertilizing needed. ' 



When this fact, and fact it is, comes to be generally 

 recognized, the cost of raising a grove "to profit" will be 

 reduced to less than one half the sum required by the 

 usual methods now prevalent, and the trees will be more 

 vigorous. 



Now, as to purchasing a bearing grove : while the prices 

 asked by the seller usually seem high to the purchaser, who 

 is new to orange culture and does not, can not, realize the 

 full and increasing value of that which he seeks to acquire, 

 the latter may safely buy on a basis of one hundred dollars 

 to a tree in full bearing. Ten thousand dollars is not a 

 high price for one hundred bearing trees, and, if located 

 near to transportation and in a healthy place, such a grove 

 is really worth much more in actual money returns and 

 advantages. 



Not only is there a rapid increase in value from added 

 age and yield of the trees, but the land itself becomes more 

 valuable from year to year, even independent of the crops 

 that may be raised on it. 



There is no danger of the orange crop being " overdone," 

 or of " prices going down below a paying point," which is 

 a question frequently raised by the cursory observer. 



The idea is an absurd one on the face of it ; it would be 

 just as reasonable to ask in real, sober earnest, if one acre 

 of land was not in danger of raising more than the people 

 of New York City could eat, for that is about the propor- 

 tion of orange lands to the people wanting to eat the fruit 

 they produce. 



Here is a calculation that speaks for itself, and shows 

 what are really the available orange lands : 



