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Show Fig tactestry Offers Wonderful Opportunity for Utah's Dixie By J. P. SlMiPSOX Let's take a little journey to Utah's Dixie Kodota Kig acres. You folks that have lived around here for years need to sometimes be jarred up a little and awakened to the "acres of diamonds" right in your own backyard. Oh, 1 know you are aware that Dixie has an ideal climate, soil and the finest fruit laud in the entire west. Sure, you know but it takes a stranger in a strange land" to dig the story out and tell it to the world. I met Almorean Bagley the other day. I only wish hundreds of people struggling to keep their head above water in the large cities of this country, and making mak-ing a mighty poor job of it, could meet Mr. Bagley. They would get a vision of "every man under his own tig tree" and see a new industry worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in Dixie land. Listen to Bagley tell part of his interesting story: The Utah Dixie Fig acres are located in Washington County. Suite of Utah, and within one mile of St. George, the Heart of Utah's Famous Dixie. They consist con-sist of two hundred acres of the finest fruit land in the entire west. The water which is used for irrigation purposes, is owned and developed on t he property. Fifteen acres has already been planted and about five acres to almonds, grapes, peaches, which were on the property at the time of purchase and ten acres has been planted to Kadota Figs. Two primary conditions were considered in selecting the possible pos-sible location for an orchard: 1st a tropical climate where land was reasonable in value; 2nd, a dependable market for the produce pro-duce raised. St. George, situated in the heart of Utah's Dixie. wi;h an altitude of approximately 2500 feet, offers a climate which is ideal for the raising of good figs. The night and days are very warm with very little change in the humidity, a condition which absolutely necessary for the ripening rip-ening of this variety of fruit. There is no dampness in the a. at all during the ripening season, sea-son, which is the only cause of rust and musty fruit. The lig-s I raised in this section for the past several years, have excelled in quality and taste of any fruit, re- I gardless of variety, raised in the United States. Fruit is just- beginning to be raised in commercial Quantities in this section. In fact, these farms are the very first as this section is just awakening to the wonderful wonder-ful market which is at their front doorstep. The Union racitic dining din-ing car service are offering, wherever available these wonderful, wonder-ful, appetizing figs on their menu. They are also served at their hotels at Cedar City. Zion Canyon, Bryce and Grand Canyon. Fewer Hazards Kneounteittl Taking into consideration nil of these factors, it will be readily read-ily seen that geography has done much to make the fig commercially commer-cially and has thus placed the fig grower in a strong economic position. po-sition. While there is no attempt to deny that there is a technical side to fig growing that should be of primary interest to every' grower there is no gainsaying the statement that fig growing is attended at-tended with fewer hazards than that of any other fruit. Once again we have reason for success and once again we find that man has had little to do with it. Fig trees were and have been planted in St. George 40 yeais ago. one or two trees to the family and these same trees are still producing with increas-1 ingiy late crops every years, and on the whole no attention has been paid them except to gather j in the crops from the few trees j planted and make the necessary' canned fruits to provide foods for their own consumption during j the winter months. Market Possibilities The tig is not known as a food, but as a holiday delicacy now. When production permits the tig can aspire to the same prominence promin-ence on the menu as is now accorded the raisin and the prune. If the raisin market, can be treb-J eled through advertising so can 1 the tig, A NT) STILL THE MAR-RET MAR-RET IS UNTOUCHED. The depression has held the Fig acres farm down a little . made things a little slow right now, the same as it has everything every-thing else, but watch things go forward from now on. Is there any money in raising tigs? Xow, dont get me on dangerous dang-erous ground. One man can get rich where another man starves when it comes to farming, but here is a schedule that is possible pos-sible on the money side of tin tig industry: Estimated profits from one acre of the Utah Dixie Fig Aces, covering a ten year period. 1st year No. lbs. per tree none, profit per tree none, profit per acre none. 2nd year No. lbs, per tree none, profit per tree non profit per acre none. 3rd year No. lbs. per tree 13. profit per tree 75c, profit per acre $210.00. j 4th year no. lbs per tree 30. profit per tree $1.50, profit per acre $4 20.00. ,5th year no. lbs. per tree ,15. profit pro-fit per tree $1.75. profit per acre $190.00 6th year no. lbs. per tree 40, profit pro-fit per tree $2.00, profit per acre1 $360.00. 7th year no. lbs. per tree 4 5. profit pro-fit per tree $2.2 5, profit per acre $630.00. Sth year no. lbs. per tree 50, profit pro-fit per tree $2.50, profit per acre $700.00. 9th year. no. lbs. per free 55. profit per tree $2.75. profit per acre $770.00. 10th year no. lbs. per tree 60. profit per tree $3.00, profit per acre $S40.00. Total $4,620.00 All right brother knockers, it is your chance now. Why can t we put over the fig industry in Utah's Dixie? j |
