The Cost of production, compared with imported varieties, 
is most striking and interesting to the grower of citrus whose 
returns have been uncertain and often a real loss. California 
lemons cost about $3.00 per box to produce and pack, with a 
freight charge of $1.34 to get them to market. For the Cali¬ 
fornia grower to make a profit the selling price must there¬ 
fore be in excess of $4.34 per box wholesale. 
From these established facts lemons can not be sold for 
less than $4.34 as a minimum, for no article can long sell 
below cost of production. The average price over a ten year 
period was around $6.50 per box. These figures are not theo¬ 
retical, but are compiled from the “California Citrograph”, 
the leading authorative citrus magazine of California. 
Therefore between the minimum and the average, a price 
of $5.00 per.box can be accepted as a fair average to whole¬ 
sale merchants. In 1932 the wholesale price for California 
lemons ranged from a low of $6.50 to a high of $14.00. The 
retail price was as high as 45 cents per dozen in Florida. 
We can raise Sperryola lemons for $1.00 per box or possibly 
less, and the packing costs will run from 75 cents to $1.00. 
In Florida, lemons can be raised and sold on equal terms with 
imported lemons, and will give a profit of two to four dollars 
per box, net to the grower. 
YIELD—The Sperryola lemon trees grow fast and large and 
can be planted about the same distances as other citrus trees. 
It is easily estimated that with 50 to 70 trees per acre, the 
crop of fruit at three years should run about 100 to 150 boxes 
and after the sixth to eighth year the yield per tree of six 
to eight boxes would be very conservative. We have care¬ 
fully estimated crops on different trees and with due regard 
for the facts and without exaggeration, the possibilities of 
yield and profit can be estimated from the figures already 
given of comparative cost of production. 
AN INVITATION—Our grove is easily accessible and open 
to inspection and as ‘seeing is believing’ we invite any one 
to come and see. 
LOCATION—Six miles North of Lakeland on State Road 
No. 2, or otherwise known as the Lakeland-Polk City road 
and particularly known as the HARDIN grove. 
NURSERY STOCK—The Sperryola lemon trees are ex¬ 
clusively propagated by the Hardin Nurseries under copy¬ 
right. The root stock is from pure strain seed of rough 
lemons. This is a point too long overlooked. Seed from cross 
pollinated fruit, carrying hereditary weaknesses or seed from 
just any variety of lemons results in trees of uncertain 
qualities and is no doubt responsible, other things being equal, 
for such a variety of mediocre groves or sub-standard trees 
in the same grove. To get good trees the start must be made 
with pure strain seed. Our buds are taken from prolific bear¬ 
ing trees and by proper pruning and care in the nursery, 
the young trees have a fine root system, so necessary in the 
development of the tree after transplanting in the grove. 
PRICES—The price depends on the number of trees de¬ 
sired and ranges from $2.00 each in small lots; $1.50 in 100 
lots; $1.25 in 250 to 500 lots; and, $1.00 each in 500 to 1000 
lots. The trees average one inch or better in caliper, two 
years old. 
We sincerely trust any one interested will make a personal 
inspection of the nursery stock and grove. We have such an 
abiding faith in this great citrus opportunity, that if what 
is written seems ‘sales talk’ it would be unnecessary, if the 
grove could be seen personally. 
The nursery stock and grove will be their own best ad¬ 
vocate. 
We are Respectfully, 
HARDIN GROVES & NURSERIES, 
JAMES L. HARDIN, Citriculturist. 
