48 



FIG CULTURE 



prospective investors thereby becoming unneces- 

 sarily alarmed. Xo agricultural development ever 

 made much progress until the difficulties,, as well as 

 the profits, were equally considered, and seriously 

 anticipated; for only by so doing are investors en- 

 abled to act intelligently with that commendable 

 circumspection which forstalls disaster; and, aside 

 from all moral considerations, the industry is in- 

 jured by enticing uninformed strangers thereto. 

 Such development stimulates merely an abnormal 

 growth; for real, lasting progress cannot be ex- 

 pected otherwise than by placing the enterprise 

 solely upon its inherent excellence. 



The following illustration is quoted from a 

 monthly farm journal: "It is estimated that a 

 bearing fig tree will average six bushels to the tree. 

 Figs are planted 150 trees to the acre, which gives 

 900 bushels of figs to the acre. Figured at 75 

 pounds to the bushel, this would make 67.500 

 pounds of preserves, which, sold at 10 cents a 

 pound, would yield $6,750. Subtracting from this 

 for sugar and labor, on the basis reckoned in the 

 fig preserving plants, leaves a net figure of $1,687.50 

 for the yield of one acre of figs. " The above, print- 

 ed under the name of a contributor of local promi- 

 nence, who is usually considered a careful and 

 prudent man. was published in a journal which is 

 creditable and representative of its class. That it 

 was ever written or published at all — and it is only 

 one such statement among thousands — but lllus- 



