Decades before the american revolution of 1776 , Jesse Fish , a native New yorker , retreated to an island off st. Augustine,florida ,to escape an unpleasant family situation. In time he became Florida's first orange baron and his oranges were in great demand in London throughout the 1770's.The english found them juicy and sweet and preferred them to other varieties, even through they had thin skins and were hard to peel.
Each spanish sailor on a ship bound for america was required by law to carry one hundred seeds with him.