From the Archives: Big Freeze

During harsh winters, citrus groves will freeze over - killing the trees to the ground. The first big freeze was in 1835, which was extremely discouraging to early growers. One can understand why Central Florida became a hub of citrus production in the United States, with the optimal climate it's a no-brainer! The optimal climate for citrus production is warm areas with ample sunshine, and 55-100 degrees Fahrenheit is the best range for citrus growth. There are few varieties of citrus that are able to grow in colder temperatures below 50 degrees, but even then, they cannot withstand temperatures lower than 45 without freezing.

When a freeze takes place, the fruit will drop from the tree either instantly or slowly over a period of time. The juices inside of the fruit become frozen making them unideal for selling. Crystals of ice will also form inside the plant tissues throughout the actual tree. During severe cases of freeze, the tree may die; in less severe cases, the tree may be damaged, but it will survive. In the years following a freeze, the trees and branches of affected areas may continue to die; it is difficult to determine the extent of damage done to a grove after a freeze has taken place.

After the freeze has taken place, it is important to monitor the state of the grove, especially for later care of the region. There are several tactics that can be used to ensure the plant is able to recover post freeze which include minimizing pruning, applying less fertilizer (depending on the current state of the tree), and minimizing irrigation.

Overall, a freeze can be extremely detrimental to a grower as it can kill the entire grove of current plants. If not killed, affected plants will need additional care in the months and years following a big freeze.

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Source:
 

Mack, Thomas B. Citrifacts. Bartow, Florida: Associated Publications Corporation, 1992.

From the Archives: Citrus Families and Citrus Labels

Crate labels have a long-standing history in the Florida Citrus Industry illustrating important objects, people or landscapes to the specific brand and grower’s association. This can be seen in many labels that illustrate different family members of Citrus company owners. 

One example of this is the Baby-Ade label. The label features a baby with an orange and a tropical landscape. The baby on the label is a part of the Lee family - the father of Elizabeth Lee Barron. The Baby-Ade brand was a part of the Lee family corporation out of Tampa, Florida. This citrus company grew and processed oranges, grapefruits, and tangerines. Many of the other Lee family members were also featured on their company’s label including Aunt Miriam, Aunt Rosemary, Aunt Rowen Katherine, and even the family dog named Juno, also known as “Goo Goo.” 

Citrus label families have even seen cross over into the Florida Citrus Queen competition. The Prevatt family featured Ruby Prevatt on their Ruby label. The Ruby brand was a part of the Lake Region Packing Association and was owned and operated by the Prevatt family. Ruby Prevatt was a part of the 1939 Florida Citrus Queen competition and was sponsored by the Tavares Woman’s Club. She is also the daughter of Florida Citrus Hall of Fame inductee Jennings Bryant “Babe” Prevatt.

Label advertisement and artwork played a large role in promoting the citrus industry. The ability to implement family members or scenes into the labels allows for a greater connection to customers and the importance of citrus in the family diet. 

All of the labels mentioned above and more can be viewed in the McKay Archives Citrus Label digital collection at https://archives.flsouthern.edu/digital/collection/labels/search/page/1. 

 

Written by Emily Allen, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Sources:

Calise, Gabrielle. “A Tampa Librarian Wants to Save Florida’s Vanishing Citrus Labels — And Her Family History.” Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida), March 16, 2021. https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/history/2021/03/16/a-tampa-librarian-wants-to-save-floridas-vanishing-citrus-labels-and-her-family-history/. 

[Miss Ruby Prevatt]. The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), January 22, 1939.

From the Archives: Traveling Citrus in Egypt

In 1992, Dr. Prevatt visited the Nile Delta region of Egypt as a citrus expert for six weeks in May and June. During this time, he worked with the Agricultural Cooperative Development International program; the goal of this program was to create a line of dialogue between Egyptian and American farmers and researchers. Prevatt was selected to be the citrus expert because of his background knowledge in citrus. The main objective of his role was to help the growers in the region of interest with any issues they may be facing regarding their crops.
 

Upon arrival, Prevatt was tasked with determining what the major problems in the area were. He concluded that the region was plagued with poor irrigation, Phytophthora foot rot and psorosis were killing trees, lack of a hedging program, excessive use of chemical fertilizers, and closed plantings.
 

At the time, farmers had begun growing citrus in a region referred to as the “New Lands.” This area is made up of sandy desert soils. Other regions where citrus production takes place have silt soil. This means that the same farming practices cannot be used in both regions due to the differences in the soil. Silt soil is a combination of sand and clay. It is an extremely fertile type of soil because it is very good at water retention. Due to the aforementioned fertility of silt, it does not need to be fertilized often. Silt soil is one of the ideal soils for citrus production due to its loose form and drainage properties; Prevatt comments on the effects over-fertilization is having on the crops. For centuries, the Nile River would flood and deposit more silt on its banks. This flooding was later controlled by the production of the Aswan Dam in 1968. Sandy soil is made up of fine particles and is loosely packed. Due to this loose packaging, sandy soil tends to need to be fertilized because it does not hold on to nutrients well. Besides this, it is a good soil for citrus production as long as it is fertilized to ensure there are adequate nutrients present.
 

However, the biggest problem with citrus production in the New Lands is the lack of water. The Egyptian government was attempting to install canals and waterways to aid in agriculture. Due to a lack of funds and resources, the installation of these irrigation systems was not an easy one. Regardless, Dr. Prevatt made attempts to give help where applicable. Dr. Prevatt comments on an interaction he had with a farmer in Cairo. Upon meeting this farmer for what Prevatt thought was the first time, the farmer exclaimed “I know you” to Prevatt. After some discussion, they realized that the farmer had visited Florida Southern College years ago as part of a citrus exchange program. The Agricultural Cooperative Development International program has helped people all over the world and given people the opportunity to visit places they may have never seen.

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Source:
 
Mack, Thomas B. History of the Citrus Institute, Florida Southern College, 1947-1993. Lakeland, Florida: Florida Southern College, 1993.

From the Archives: Traveling Citrus in China

In 1986, Dr. Prevatt had the opportunity to visit China with 52 students from the Florida State Horticulture Society. During this trip, they experienced both Chinese culture and traditions while having the opportunity to learn about their governmental policy and produce.
 

The first leg of their trip was spent doing tourist-like activities and going to see major historical sites, including the city of Shanghai. Shanghai is a heavily populated city on the port of the Yangtze River, and it runs under an integrated society meaning the government ensures that all its people have work.
 

The group also took a trip to “The Garden City of the World” during this trip, and they were in awe of the artistry that was on display. Prevatt comments on how the people made intricate designs using different plants, rocks and the occasional waterfall.
 

Tourism was not the only goal of this trip; the group moved on to learn more about the various horticulture techniques used in China. Mandarin is the primary citrus grown in China. Most of the land in China has poor drainage meaning the soil does not dry out easily post irrigation. This can be disastrous to produce because it stops plants from being able to take up oxygen through the roots. To combat this, citrus trees are only grown on high beds of land - this helps in making drainage more efficient. Prevatt noted that the Chinese tend to do most farm work by hand with very little machinery to help.
 

This trip was made possible due to the help and cooperation of the U.S. China Exchange Center; they linked the group with a native tour guide to help them get a full experience of the area. Not only were they able to have one-on-one interactions with the farmers, but they also got to see countless historical sites. China is currently the leading producer of citrus in the world making up 28.77% of the world's citrus.

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Source:
 
Mack, Thomas B. History of the Citrus Institute, Florida Southern College, 1947-1993. Lakeland, Florida: Florida Southern College, 1993.