14 



ed as citrus fruit growing, and even experienced planters 

 find it advisable to visit other groves, from time to time 

 in order to compare notes. 



The Capital necessary for developing a citrus grove is 

 usually under estimated. Some of the earlier contracts in 

 Porto Rico and Cuba were taken for $300.00 per acre, 

 guaranteeing the trees planted and brought into bear- 

 ing in 3 years. This the contracting Companies either 

 did not do, or else they lost money. The price was later 

 raised to $500.00 per acre, and again in some cases to 

 $1,000.00 per acre, extending the time to 5 years. As a 

 matter of fact, no 'general rules can be laid down, be- 

 cause the capital needed will depend upon all the factors 

 discussed above. Practically all the failures coming 

 under the writer's observation could be attributed to 

 the one thing, lack of knowledge. A planter who knows 

 how, can accomplish more with a small capital, even 

 under unfavorable conditions, than the one who does 

 not know can with a large capital under the best of 

 conditions. 



M&XHODS OF STARTING A GROVE 



There is one general method employed by most plan- 

 ters in all places, and also a number of modifications em- 

 ployed by more progressive 'planters wherever local con- 

 ditions demand such changes. 



The Commercial Method consists in clearing the land 

 if it contains trees and shrubs, after which it is plowed 

 usually without removing the larger stumps. It is then 

 staked off in absolutely straight lines for which purpose 

 a surveyor's instrument is often used, especially for large 

 tracts. The holes are then dug and the trees planted 



