ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF CITRUS-FRUIT GROWING IN FLORIDA 5 
in production in the near future, and it would seem that the growers 
will have to call on all their resourcefulness to effect such economies 
in production and distribution as will enable the profitable handling 
of the increased quantities of fruit which are in sight for the near 
future. 
Adjustments are being made by Florida growers. The most recent 
plantings have been either of Valencia, a late-maturing variety, or of 
trees of carefully selected bud wood taken from earlier varieties of 
known characteristics. This will result in a better seasonal distri- 
bution of the supply and a better and more uniform product. At 
present, too much of the Florida fruit comes on the market in Novem- 
ber and December and much of this early fruit is from seedlings. 
It lacks uniformity of eating quality and is often of a low grade. 
There is now more organized effort in distributing the supply which 
should help to dispose of it. In 1924 probably more than 60 per cent 
of the production in the State was marketed through the Florida 
Citrus Exchange. A large association is in a position to do intelligent 
and extensive advertising to stimulate domestic demand, to investi- 
gate the possibilities of foreign demand, and to develop the use of 
by-products. 
The citrus-fruit grower, besides taking into account the increase of 
production in his own industry, must also note the competition his 
product receives from other fruits. In Table 4 are shown the yearly 
car-lot shipments of those fruits that offer competition. For the 
five years given there has been an increase of 116,941 car lots in car- 
lot shipments of fruits and melons, other than citrus, or from 223,511 
for the 1919 season to 340,452 for the 1923 season. The greatest 
absolute increase in shipments was for apples and grapes, the increase 
for these two commodities being 51,339 carloads of apples and 34,981 
carloads of grapes. Other fruits, notably strawberries, pears, and 
plums, have shown large relative increases. The effect of the increase 
_ in the supply of other fruits and melons on the price of citrus fruit 
can not be determined definitely; but it is obvious that, if the produc- 
tion of other fruits and melons continues to increase, it will accentuate 
the need for efficient production and marketing of citrus fruit. 
TaBLE 4.—Car-lot shipments of fruit, 1919-1923 
{ = 
Crop movement season beginning Sept. 1— 
Commodity 
1919 | 1920 | 1921 
eS Se er ee Sere ee ee 
Apples rivtietyy ber) tage e cil. oiigerats fans 86, 764 | 115,878 | 89, 683 
anitalonpes: 22 == 2-2 se Se reer eee 22, 039 22,953 | 25,815 
[Shermesases ee eee ee ea ek Be as ae 1, 025 1, 730 | 1, 489 
RELA A POS en een ree a Pee en =e = Ses 30, 349 41,310 | 37,816 
Ppacles 25. Sere Seer titre? Fins ot xr 30, 923 28,179 | 27,334 
SEE ae a ea ey er ee a pe ae e 10, 244 15,941 | 13,053 
Braunes and plumso3i +f 5)52 2 EAT J es 3, 202 5, 001 5, 765 
SitiwDCrriGs =) = sts ae re a ee 8, 105 7,207 | 10,857 
Watermelons_____- seg oe SSS 2 ns Se Sree os Meee 30, 860 37, 315 45, 749 
SAT) er eae ieee cia Bn Ba heer | 293,511 | 275,514 | 257,561 
GERSON TT es ea ee Geer any» Wiens | 68,889] 91,113} 67,406 
SOULE IE eee adie wo ee Et as ha a recente, Oe | 292,400 | 366,627 | 324, 967 
