Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1891 — PRODUCT OF OUR SOIL. [ARTICLE]

PRODUCT OF OUR SOIL.

IMPOSING FACTS OF’ INTEREST TO ALL. CenMiA Figures Relative to Viticulture, Floriculture anil Agriculture that Are Both Great anil Surprising—Forecast of tho Fruit Production. American Hushsndry. It took (50,000 cars to :no\o tne grapes of the United Slates to market the season before the census man made his rounds. Tho vinoyaros of this country represent an Investment of 8155,661,150, furnish employment to 200,7,80 people, and cover 401; 2% 1 acres of ground. I.a't season's product from about threefourths of tho planted area—tho other fourth being in vines too young ,0 boar was {527,139 toiiSi near.y half of which was consumed as grapes and nearly half of which wont to mako 2L--800,003 gallons of wine. There are some figures for tho temperance peopto to ponder over. The small fraction of 41,10.5 t, ni went Into rai-ins. filling 1,372,105 1 oxes of twenty pounds each. Tho vines now growing will In threo years mako from 8,t00, 000 to 10,000,000 pounds of raisins, and tho smaller estimate is 500,030 pounds uioro titan this country now consumes. Tho people who mako a business of raising (lowers sold 81 .',03(5,477.7(1 worth of p ants last season. Thoy also gathered in from cut flowers the snug turn of $14,175,338.01. Tlie glass 011 tho gr- 011houses of the florists of this country co\ors 891 acres, a good deal more than a section of land, which is a mile square. There arc 4,(551) iir.rs or companies of florists, aud 312 of those establishments are owned by women.' Tho value of the flower gardens of tho United States is $;)5',355,722.22, with*1.587,151)8.03 more in rakes aud trowels and watering pots and other implements. Mower raising gives employment to 1(5.847 11 on and 1,058 women. Tlie fuel Item for heating iho groon houses in a singlo season is sl,1(50,152.(51'.

\ egotable growing, truck farming tho census pgpple call It, now requires 534,440 aero*, of land and employs 21(1,705 men, 0.254 womon, 14,874 child i on, and 75,8(50 horses and mules. The “garden sass" raised on theso truck farms pays $70,517,155 a year, bossies height charges and tho commission man’s generous grab There Is $ 100,000,000 invested in tho truck farming of the United States, and 88,071,200.70 Is in tools. Raising seed is an entirely different industry. Tiiorn are 50(5 farms devoted to that purpose, embracing 109,857 acros. It lakes 12,905 acres to rals 1 beans enough to supply the rost of tho country with seed The poop 0 employed In seed raising alone are 13,500 men and 1,541 womon. Some of those seod farms contain as'much as 3,( 0) acres. The Investment in tho 507.733 acres of poach orchards is 890,030,10). Tho last' peach crop sold for s7i', 1(10,400. That was moro than a dollar’s wortli of peaches for each man. woman and child in this glorious republic. The pooplo who wore employe I in tho peach orchards numborod 23(5,(00. Tho nurseries of the country number 4,510. They are valued at #41,978,855.80. They roqulre 172,30.5 ueros of land. They give work to 5,(157 men, 9,870 women and 14,200 anlma’s. In theso nurseries are growing .’,38(1,8? 5.778 young trees and vines for transplanting. Hu; great as aro theso ligures, the real surpr ses of the consus appoar in the figures which forecast tho near future of fruit production in the United States. There are growing In tho nur erlos 240,570,00(5 young apple tree-. Old “Johnny Applosoed,” tin missionary who went through tho Mississippi Valley States half a century ago pok’ng applo seeds into tho foil with ills toes, would )oe tho near approach of tlie mllotinlum in tho fruit census. California has 330,4(54 almond treos now bearing, but sho hat also 40 ,4(54 a mond treoi not yi t old enough to bear, so that In two or threo years her almond product will moro ti an double. Florida has 474,283 cocoauut bearing treet and 791,007 yaung troot, which will soon trlpio her coeoanut cron. Take lemons, of which Florida bus 99,425 trqes bearing and 410,258 trues which will soon bo old onougli to bear. But It is in oranges that tills country will soon revel. The yellow fruit will bo within reach of everybody. Florida has 3,924,021 orango trees now bearing and 9,302,080 trees which will hoar in a short tlluo. California lias 523,400 orange trees bearing and 1,041,400y0ung trees. Tho new planting of oranges In Arizona is 200,000 trees. And with all tho acreage in tho citrus fruits, but one-thirteenth of the land adapted has been utlil/ed. Tho prospects of fruit raising for tho coining decade are murvelous.