WPIAT HAS BEEN AND MAY BE. 



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remain in the purchaser's hands, and on these three hundred 

 acres laid out in young groves for sale, are six thousand flourish- 

 ing trees budded on sour stocks raised on the place, besides two 

 thousand more in the nursery. 



Sixty thousand dollars would not purchase these three hun- 

 dred acres with the bearing trees and young groves they contain. 



Think for a moment ! 



Eight years ago the investment of six. thousand dollars was 

 made, and to-day, eighty thousand dollars is a low estimate of its 

 value. 



We could go on multiplying instances indefinitely, but these 

 will suffice to show that the culture of the orange, w^hen properly 

 conducted, is a good money making investment. 



Even for the man who does not need the income from his 

 grove for the support of his family, there is no better investment 

 for his surplus money, and it would be difficult to find a safer one. 



When an orange tree is in full bearing, it is valued at one 

 hundred dollars all over the State, and this is no fictitious value 

 either, for certainly a tree is worth the money which it represents. 

 'Now a tree bearing one thousand oranges at one cent each, repre- 

 sents an income of ten dollars, the principal of which in Florida 

 at eight per cent, is one hundred and twenty-five dollars. As the 

 trees become older the orange bearing also increases. 



There is no probability of the supply of oranges from Florida 

 ever exceeding the demand, as the orange belt is confined within 

 narrow limits, while the population of the country is rapidly in- 

 creasing, and is capable of almost indefinite expansion. 



But while an orange grove is a splendid investment for a 

 rich man, it has also its bright side for the poor man. 



Nine-tenths of the prosperous orange growers in Florida 

 came here less than a dozen years ago, some with a few hundred 

 dollars in their pockets, but more with only a few hundred cents. 

 One gentleman arrived here with less than a cart load of house- 

 hold goods and ten dollars of borrowed money. He patiently 

 bore privation and worked for his neighbors, using his surplus 

 money in improving his homestead, little by little ; now he is in 

 ^he enjoyment of many thousands of dollars. 



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