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Cornell University Library 
 
 SB 369. V22 
 
 Orange and grape fruit culture in Louisi 
 
 3 1924 003 358 607 
 
(.; A T II I'. K I X (, r n \: o rang k c; r o p 
 
f 
 
 ORANGE 
 
 AND 
 
 GRAPE FR^UIT 
 GULTURE 
 
 JByl^i-of. H. E. Van Deman 
 
 FORMER- POMOLOGIST, BUREAU OF PJLANT INDUSTFOT 
 UNITED STATES r>EP'T OF AGRJCULTURE 
 
copyrig ht 1914 
 
 The Louisiana Company 
 
 new orleans 
 
 vCtJ 
 
 
 (oj iV( 
 
 7^0 
 
 DESir.NED AND PRINTED BY 
 M UNDER -ThOMSEN PKESS 
 BALTIMORli . ■ . NE"\V YORK 
 
HEN the pioneers of civ- 
 ilization invaded the Western 
 Hemisphere, they brought 
 ith them from the Old World 
 le fruits that had been grown at 
 the homes of their forefathers. 
 All along the southern border of 
 North America there were planted the 
 orange and other citrus fruits from sunny 
 Italy, Spain, Southern France and the 
 Orient, lor until that time none of them 
 were grown in this part of the world, 
 either in a wild state or cultivated by 
 man. 
 
 Of the favorable spots where these 
 fruits were planted Louisiana was 
 among the first. The young trees grew 
 up thriftily in the rich, alluvial soil of 
 the delta of the great Father of Waters, 
 and soon bore truit that was equal to 
 
any that these strangers from far lands 
 had seen elsewhere, and they were able 
 to gather from trees of their own plant- 
 ing the sweetest of oranges and the sour- 
 est of lemons. 
 
 The message was carried back across 
 the seas that Pomona's garden was at last 
 found, and it caused a tide to set towards 
 the citrus belt of North America that has 
 not ceased up to the present day. 
 
 The "Louisiana Sweet" orange is 
 one of the happiest results of this inva- 
 sion of foreign fruit. The name has a 
 sweet sound to the ears, the fruit is beauti- 
 ful to look upon, fragrant, aromatic and 
 of surpassing palatability. 
 
 One who has eaten the choice varie- 
 ties of the orange grown in the Creole 
 State, on soil rich in all the elements of 
 plant food, and that have fully ripened 
 under semi-tropic skies, knows what a 
 really delicious orange is. Those who 
 have eaten the oranges of the whole 
 world have said that there are none bet- 
 ter in flavor or more juicy and satisfying. 
 And so do I say, after having eaten fruit 
 
 Page eight 
 
ON THE EDGE OF THE ORANGE GROVE 
 
in hundreds of the best orange orchards 
 in all the citrus-growing parts of the 
 continent of North America, besides 
 many of the best oranges from island 
 and continents across the seas. 
 
 And this holds equally true of the 
 pomelo, (or grapefruit as it is commer- 
 cially termed,) which, as grown in 
 Louisiana, is the world's breakfast fruit 
 par excellence. 
 
 Thirty years ago it was that I first 
 visited Louisiana and became acquainted 
 with her citrus fruits. It was at the 
 Cotton Centennial Exposition at New 
 Orleans where I was a Judge of an inter- 
 national citrus-fruit exhibit that has 
 never since been equalled in the world. 
 
 In common with all the Southern 
 States, Louisiana has seen the Westward 
 movement which but recently has begun 
 to roll backwards to these fertile fields 
 nearer to the center of poptalation, and 
 the progressive orchardist and the seeker 
 of outdoor occupation in fruit growing 
 is now inquiring about Louisiana, 
 whereas but a few years since all queries 
 
 w/z/z/m'/y; 
 
were about the West as the favored 
 fruit zone. 
 
 None of the citrus fruits flourish 
 very far from the Gulf coast because of 
 the danger elsewhere of the cold spells 
 that unexpectedly occur at rare intervals. 
 Any climate may be said to be as mild 
 as its coldest spells. While there will 
 be years without any damaging frosts, 
 there may be unusual times of cold. 
 This we all know to be true of the 
 famous citrus-growing regions of Florida 
 and California, where on rare occasions 
 vast quantities of fruit have been de- 
 stroyed and the trees damaged or even 
 killed outright in unprotected orchards. 
 And it is true of the Mediterranean 
 region as well. Even Cuba is not immune 
 from frost. 
 
 It might be the first thought of those 
 without knowledge or experience that 
 there is nothing safe or sure about grow- 
 ing citrus fruits, and why grow them at 
 all. The same might be said of every 
 industry, for they all have their accidents 
 and periods ol distress. 
 
■m^m<mm^^ 
 
 The peach growers have rot, the 
 pear growers blight, the wheat and corn 
 growers have droughts, the hog raisers 
 have cholera in their herds, the manu- 
 facturers and merchants have industrial 
 depressions, and even banks sustain losses 
 and some of them fail. In tact, most 
 contracts recite that acts of Providence 
 may prevent the carrying out ot plans 
 and agreements. 
 
 While nothing may be absolutely 
 safe, the fruit growers are as nearly tree 
 from danger as any class of business men, 
 and the intellio-ent citrus growers in 
 
 o o 
 
 southern Louisiana are quite sure of 
 profitable crops. This is in accordance 
 with the records of actual experience. 
 
 There have been many thousands ot 
 orange, pomelo, lemon and kumquat 
 trees planted in southern Louisiana dur- 
 ing the generations since its first settle- 
 ment, and there are thousands of very old 
 trees there now in bearing. The early 
 plantings were all of chance seedlings, 
 but within recent years there have been 
 planted many small orchards of the best 
 
 Pa^re thirteen 
 
varieties known. It is from these choice 
 varieties mainly that the fame of the 
 "Louisiana Sweet" has gone out, which 
 is only a local class name that represents 
 the good quality of Louisiana oranges 
 properly grown. 
 
 Just a few weeks since, I had the 
 privilege of visiting one of the modern 
 citrus orchards of the delta region near 
 New Orleans, and I was delighted at the 
 example of horticultural and commer- 
 cial success I found. 
 
 There were about sixty acres in all, 
 but mostly of oranges of the ordinary 
 varieties without name but of choice 
 quality. There were trees of the Hart's 
 Late, Jaifa, Washington Navel, that 
 were loaded with the best of fruit. The 
 Mandarins excelled anything that I had 
 seen before in any part of the country. 
 The Pomelo trees, of which there were 
 several acres, were loaded with fruit that 
 equaled in size, color and flavor that of 
 Florida, which is generally considered 
 the highest type grown. 
 
 Page fourteen 
 
 
 
J, U S C I O U S C; R A P K 1" R U I T 
 
The few Kumquat trees that had 
 been planted were bending under the 
 weight of fruit. A very few lemon trees, 
 planted merely for variety, also had an 
 abundance of fruit. 
 
 I was told by a newspaper acquaint- 
 ance that $3,000 per acre had been 
 refused lor the grove, which unquestion- 
 ably yields its owner very large profits. 
 
 It is not a question of being able to 
 produce oranges, pomelos and other 
 citrus fruits, but whether or not the trees 
 will be planted and properly cared for. 
 
 As to where suitable land may be 
 found for citrus planting, the answer is 
 not difficult. One large area that is suit- 
 able to this use lies on both sides of the 
 Mississippi River below New Orleans, 
 and it is there that the older planting 
 has been mainly done, but there are 
 good locations north of the city and west- 
 ward. 
 
 Along the southern shore of Lake 
 Pontchartrain, there is excellent land for 
 citrus trees. Most of it requires draining 
 and this has been done to some extent 
 
 Page seventeen 
 
in a few places with the best results. It 
 is only a matter ot time and proper effort 
 to develop a great industry and establish 
 hundreds ol beautiful and prosperous 
 homes. 
 
 This soil when drained is ideal and 
 of incomparable richness, being the delta 
 silt heavily charged with humus from 
 the decaying vegetation of ages past. 
 Lake Pontchartrain being to the north- 
 ward, its vast body of water is a constant 
 protection from any cold winds that may 
 come from that direction. 
 
 This climatic principle holds good 
 everywhere. The prevailing winds in 
 winter are tenipered by bodies of open 
 water over which thev pass, making a 
 mild climate on their leeward borders. 
 
 The planting and care of citrus trees 
 and the financial returns make the in- 
 dustry well worthy of the ablest talent. 
 The value of the annual crops that should 
 gradually increase for fully fifty years and 
 then last for another fifty years or more 
 is great indeed. The trees should be 
 given abundant room to develop and to 
 
wm 
 
 allow the sun to vitalize the leaves and 
 ripen the fruit. They should not be 
 planted nearer than 25 feet apart, and 
 even then must be thinned out in the 
 course of twenty-five years. 
 
 There are no mysteries or insur- 
 mountable difficulties to be met in grow- 
 ing citrus fruits successfully. That it re- 
 quires knowledge and skill there is no 
 doubt, but the results will justify any effort 
 that is put forth. 
 
 "All the year round the orange 
 groves are in blossom." EvangeUne. 
 
 Longfellow's words about southern 
 Louisiana still hold good arid, to this day, 
 the traveler's eyes are gladdened by the 
 smiling rows of fragrant blossomed and 
 golden fruited trees. 
 
 The delightful climate and rich soil 
 are conducive to the growth of many 
 delicious fruits besides those of the genus 
 citrus, as well as a multitude of sweet 
 flowers that bloom throughout the whole 
 year, while majestic and graceful palms 
 flourish with almost no care. It is above 
 all a place for beautiful homes and a