The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-03-17
Correspondence of the St. Louis Republican

Correspondence of The ST. Louis Republican
PLUMs-PRARS-PRACHR
One of the first things stranger no
tees on arriving at San Francisco in sum-
mer is the great abundance of fruit-the
very finest of Bartlett and other varieties
of pears, peaches, grapes of many kinds,
plums of the largest size, Strawberries,
melons and figs. l visited, the markets
several times, and think never saw any
where finer displays of fruit. The flavor
of the peaches is inferior to that of the
peaches of Illinois, and Missouri, and New
Jersey; but the pears, and plnms, and
grapes cannot be excelled anywhere.
FRUIT FOR BREAKFAST.
At the hotels we have all varieties of
these fruits, morning, noon and night. Our
breakfasts are introduced with grapes and
pears, nearly every one practically &C
knowledging the truth of the Oriental
proverb that fruit is gold in the morning,
silver at noon, and lead at night though
this is quite contrary to the very unwel-
come restrictions of papas and mammas in
my boyhood days, before whose eyes were
visions of cholera morbus if child was
seen with fruit in his hands before break
fast. Here the most refreshing dietetic
features of the day are the cool grapes
and pears one eats the first thing in the
morning.
STRAWBERRIES ALL THE YEAR.
Speaking of strawberries, they are still
in market here, fine MISUNDERSTANDING fell
lows, grown in the open air at this time,
as they have been since June, and will be
down to January or February. What
climate for northern latitude! Straw
berries all the year.
FORTY EIGHT PEARS ON STEM
The fruit-growers of Illinois and Mis-
souri, who may chance to read this will
perhaps think the story am about to tell
is of the Munchausen order but it is new
ertheless true. 1 attended here in August
the Sanitary Fair. On exhibition there
was California product in the shape of
cluster of Bartlett pears forty-eight
pears in ali-hanging on one stem eight
inches long, the whole weighing nineteen
pounds
/ was much amazed at the sight and
thought at first there must be some hocus
pocus about it. The next day, however,
/ saw the same cluster at the store of the
fruit dealer, who had sent it up for ex-
hibition on Montgomery street, and ex-
amined it carefully. 1t was genuine
growth, forty-eight pears of average size,
stem eight inches long, the stem of each
pear united by natural outgrOwth to the
main stem, the pears standing out nearly
at right angles to the stem and touching
each other closely like grapes of bunch
of grapes. lifted the cluster and exam
ined it to my entire satisfaction. 1t was
nature in the fruit line worthy Of being
chronicled and wondered at; though even
here it is viewed as marvel, and en-
graved pictures of the cluster, with the
measurement and weight indicated, and
name of the grower have been struck off
for sale But just think of taking siestd
under pear tree and one of the clusters
loosening and coming down on mans
pate!
The great source of the strawberry sup
ply is across the bay, in Oakland. In
riding out from that place to the rancho
of Coz. Jack Haps, passed many scores
of this delicious berry.
ROSY SALMON AND SOUTHDOwNs.
The fish market of San Francisco is one
of the best supplied to be found in any
city. The most common fish is salmon,
brought to market by the score and hum
dred. On the steamer that brought US
down from Sacramento, there were for
warded two or three hundred of them !;
big fellows. averaging twelve or fifteen
pounds. l do not know how highly they
are esteemed here. They are so abund-
ant that they sell for six cents per pound,
and at the hotels are served almost daily,
in various shapes, at breakfast and dinner.
Their rosy meat is sweet and savOry, and
such splendid fish would command three
shillings in New York or Boston.
The meat and vegetable market Of the
city is every way an excellent one, the
mutton equalling any thing ever saw in
the blue grass regions of Kentucky-regu-
lar Southdowns- and juicy, with an
excellent flavor; the beef being the only
article which did not merit favorable
word. The vegetables are generally good,
though they tend to very large size, and
become tibrous and tough.
PARADISE OF FLOWERS
Among the unrivalled attractions of San
Francisco are its Towering plants that
bloom all the year, growing most luxuri-
antly, and hanging forth to view from
every yard and garden, a wondrous pleth-
ora of fowess. The tea roses, in these
November days, are hanging in bud and
mature flower, in charming beauty, from
the rose trees of scores of gardens. &C.
raniums, Of half dozen varieties, and of
most prodigious development, clambering
over palings and fences and bay windows
and porches, decorate all with thin red and
crimson and variegated blossoms. Then
there is the fuschia, most beautiful of all,
growing out Of doors all the year round,
attaining most extraordinary size, cover
ing with a graceful drapery the entire
side of two-story house, hiding under
it million of flowers, together with un-
nainted fences and dilapidated walls.