Year. 

 3 

 4 

 S 

 6 

 7 

 8 

 9 

 to 

 II 



13 



Averages 94.5 at $.04= $3 78 $189 



That this is a safe estimate, even for a small orchard, whose 

 owner must depend wholly on selling his fruit to the local cannery, 

 is a conclusion warranted by the expressions collected by the writer 

 through much correspondence and not a few personal interviews 

 with growers, canners and dealers in several States. By planting 

 more trees to the acre there should be a proportionate increase of 

 income; and by selling part of the product in local markets, when- 

 ever better prices can be had by so doing, the profit should be still 

 further enhanced. But these advantages, and more, would accrue to 

 the proprietor of a large commercial orchard should he also 

 operate his own canning plant Such a combination would make an 

 ideal enterprise, one which, if managed with wisdom and energy, 

 would surely realize profits greatly exceeding those in the above 

 estimate. 



There is scarcely a limit to the quantity of good cannned figs 

 which might be sold not only at home, but for export. The present 

 price for the few canned goods on the market is much too high to 

 encourage general use, and dealers agree that the lowering of the 

 price would bring greatly increased sales. The figs can be grown at 

 small cost, canning is not expensive, and the product would find 

 ready sale at good profit; therefore, all conditions favor the success 

 of the industry. The history of the introduction of the Smyrna fig 

 into California, and the remarkable success which immediately fol- 

 lowed, shows what persistent and well-directed effort can accom- 

 plish. But no such obstacles will be met in our Southern States, 

 where the drying of figs is not practicable on account of the moist 

 climate. It is in the growing of figs for consumption fresh, but 

 especially for canning, that the South offers one of the richest fields 

 for capital and enterprise along the lines suggested in this chapter. 



