ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF CITRUS-FRUIT GROWING IN FLORIDA 13 
TABLE 7.—Cost of grove development up to and including the fifth year. (Average 
1919-1921) 
Cost per acre 
SP SECEYGN Ge epee See PT eee ee Og Se SE ie ee $125 
Slearings land 4 4. 37a ph agt Sioa eis iy Sey Goes) Aris reise 25 
Clearing, of roots and: plowing .2 3-2-0241 Bo eee Ree Ss 10 
BRATS eggs ene ieee ey he Sa ap es hh 15 
op PR DES SSS TG Fes NS UBD CBI 0 OS pe Mime ei hs ae cc air cp ses a a 48 
Setting trees_____-_-_-- GAS DEES BORSTAL AGE OL 5 
Matra cost) eos a eS = ee Stee 228 
Fnterest ato. permcCenbaor 5-years: a. 22 2 91 
ee, 
Maintenance of arowe. SayGars foi os 04 os, FO PSE A ee UE 182 
Enterest on Inaintenanee; charges 265 sei ro ee SS ae 35 
*EOtAlsMmaAInGENANnee-COSt..5: YEAls. = = = 8 ee Se 217 
Totakieostiper-acre- ss 5s Sit 25 sei te} ss EP ede ns su 536 
Good citrus land may be purchased for $150 an acre, and, on the 
other hand, there is land which is desirable at $400 per acre. The 
former figure quoted is regarded as a representative one for the 
location and the time under consideration. Changes are taking 
place rapidly and these figures can not possibly be reliable for any 
length of time. 
The costs of clearing, plowing, fencing, and setting trees vary 
considerably from grove to grove. Large development companies 
doing things on a wholesale scale can make many economies through 
the use of tractors and large machinery and through the more efficient 
use of labor crews. The costs presented here are more representative 
for groves of about 10 acres. Even with small groves it is usual 
to have the clearing done by contract work. Many nurseries will 
give advice and other aid in the setting of the trees as a part of their 
sales service. 
A great many growers have gone into Polk County with scarcely 
any capital and a number of them unquestionably have been suc- 
cessful. There is little doubt, however, that they worked very hard 
under pioneering conditions which demanded much self-sacrifice in 
the way of comforts and community privileges. The amount of 
money needed to develop a grove to bearing age has changed materi- 
ally since the pioneer days. The purchase price of the land, taxes, 
materials, and labor are all higher as a result of many community 
improvements. It will be seen from Table 7 that a grower must now 
have approximately $500 per acre invested before any return can 
be expected. Besides the expense of development, he has his living 
costs to provide. ete 
COST OF CARING FOR YOUNG GROVES 
The figures presented in the Tables 8, 9, and 10 were obtained 
from grove owners in Polk County. The groves are from 1 to 5 
years old and include both oranges and grapefruit. There are 39 
groves 1 year old, twenty-eight 2 years old, twenty-eight 3 years old, 
twenty-six 4 years old, and twenty-seven 5 years old a total of 148 
proves for the three years 1919, 1920, and 1921. The figures in 
ables 8 and 9 are averages for the three years in each age group. 
_ 1 Maintenance cost includes $15 for upkeep of fences and unclassified items of expense, 
fm > mas 
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