50 CROPS THAT PAY. 



be a mere matter of conjecture. In a Bulletin of the Division of 

 Pomology on the Condition of Tropical and Semitropical i-ruits in 

 the United States in 1887, we are told that prior to i88b ail man- 

 goes sold in Florida brought from $2.00 to $5.00 a hundred Xtie 

 same publication relates the history of the ongmal plantmg ot three 

 seeds at Point Pinellas, and as follows : 



"Three seeds were planted, of which two grew. One of ^em 



fruited in its fourth year; from the sale of fruit and seeds |9-iS was 



realized. The other fruited in the fifth year. In their eighth year 



an experienced orange grower who saw them, estimated that there 



were 19,000 mangoes on the two trees. Some of the fruits weighed 



a pound." Trees were grown from the seeds thus furnished, and, 



the report continues, "In all cases when the trees were well cared 



for they produced from 4,000 to 9,000 mangoes each, when once well 



in bearing. One grower sold from eleven trees in the fourth year 



from the seed fruit which brought him $219. In their sixth year 



he shipped bushels to various places, realizing 60 cents a dozen, the 



fruit shipping well. Another grower received from the produce 



of one of his bearing trees $66 in its sixth year." And all these 



mangoes were of the "tow and turpentine" varieties, grown on 



seedling trees. Experiences of growers generally apply only to the 



seedling varieties, so few have been the better kinds produced up to 



this time. But from reports of growers and dealers it is known 



that crates of about 100 mangoes have averaged at the orchard $1.50, 



or one cent and a half for each fruit. The budded trees will 



begin to bear at four years and double their crop for two or three 



years thereafter, sometimes starting with several hundred fruits at 



the first crop. All accounts agree that the mango is not a "shy 



bearer. An estimate for the intending planter of mangoes would 



unquestionably err on the side of conservatism should it be based on 



a yield of 200 fruits in the fifth year (first crop), increasing to 1,200 



in the tenth year and thereafter. So, too, the price, if we assume 



that only one cent were received for each mango, might be thought 



entirely below the average for the fine varieties obtained from 



budded trees. Not more than 35 trees to the acre should be 



planted, in order to allow ample room for the old trees to spread. 



On these bases, the following yield and income would certainly 



be very conservative : 5th year, 200 fruits at i cent, $2.00 per tree, or 



$70 an acre; 6th year, 400 fruits at i cent, $4.00 a tree, or $140 an 



acre ; 7th year, 600 fruits, $6.00 a tree, or $210 an acre ; 8th year, 800 



fruits, $8.00 a tree, or $280 an acre; 9th year, 1,000 fruits, $10 a tree 



or $350 an acre; and in the loth year, and thereafter, 1,200 fruits, 



$12 a tree, or $420 an acre. These returns are less than are obtained 



from good orange, pomelo or apple orchards under most favorable 



conditions, and they may be accepted as below the average profits 



from mango orchards of the improved varieties for a great many 



years to come. 



Extracts from letters written by mango growers in Florida, 

 are convincing as to the prospects ahead for the new industry: 



"We grow better mangoes than Cuba or the Bahamas, and our 

 fruits will bring better prices in Key West and Havana." 



"The planting of mangoes is bound to be very profitable. Our 



