IN THE CITRUS INDUSTRY 23 



possible to compare the importance of these two sections to 

 the industry as a whole. For 191 o the figiires are:® 



California Florida 



Citrus Trees 10,102,868 5,244,552 



Boxes (1909) 17,318,497 • 5,974.135 



Value (1909) $16,075,444 $5,495,863 



Other States take such an inconspicuous part in citrus 

 growing that they may be ignored for practical purposes. 

 However, Arizona, Louisiana and Texas are rapidly ex- 

 tending production, and may sometime develop into real 

 competitors with the two great citrus States. Comparing 

 California and Florida, it appears that California supports 

 twice as many trees and produces three times as many boxes 

 of fruit as Florida. A more rapid growth, however, is 

 taking place in Florida than in California. It appears that 

 in 1910 California was responsible for somewhat more than 

 73 per cent, of our national production of citrus fruits, 

 though this percentage has probably not been maintained. 



The value of citrus groves, affected by the infinite varia- 

 tions in soil quality, location, water rights and condition 

 of the orchard, ranges from $500 up to $4,000 an acre. In 

 southern California, before the disastrous frost of 1913, 

 very little first class property in full bearing sold for less 

 than $1,800 to $2,000 an acre, while in the Tulare region 

 prices for desirable groves fluctuated widely around the 

 $1,200 and $1,500 level. Since that date there have been 

 so few sales that it is diflficult to form an idea of prices, 

 yet they are tmquestionably lower by a large percentage 

 than the former level. 



According to data collected by the Citrus Protective 

 League and the California Fruit Growers Exchange, there 

 are some 12,000 to 15,000 growers of citrus fruits in Cali- 

 fornia, employing 25,000 laborers. Directly or indirectly 



» Thirteenth Census : Vol. V, p. 718. 



