10 



fornia and Florida. About that time, citrus culture prop- 

 erly speaking commenced in Porto Rico and Cuba, and 

 some attempts were made a few years later in Jamaica. 

 In the rest of the Islands the cultivation is yet limited, 

 although a few limes are cultivated in some of the 

 smaller British Islands. Most of the Islands continue 

 shipping fruit from the wild trees, but that is becoming 

 less remunerative as the markets are being supplied with 

 cultivated fruit. The fruit from the wild trees is as a 

 rule good, but the trees being seedlings, it is dif- 

 ficult to grade it uniformly. It is also difficult to 

 market it in good condition, because it is frequently not 

 firm enough to stand being packed and s'hipped long dis- 

 tances. Through this as well as through ignorant and 

 careless handling, the West Indian oranges have become 

 unfavorably known in the world's markets, but the ex- 

 perience with the cultivated orange in Cuba and Porto 

 Rico has clearly shown that a fruit can be produced 

 which will in all respects meet the market requirements. 

 Enough acre-age is now planted in the two Islands, and 

 enough fruit is already being shipped to make the bus- 

 iness of considerable commercial importance, and in all 

 probability .cultivation wil'l soon be extended to other 

 Islands alls-o. 



CHOOSING A LOCATION 



In choosing a location in which to start a citrus grove 

 in the West Indies the following are the main consider- 

 ations. Exposure, soil, water, transportation, labor and 

 social conditions. In considering the last factor it is 

 presumed that the owner wishes to live on the property 

 and fee his own manager, but in that case his fitness as 



