The Van Buren press., 1873-08-12
NO. Is
Fruit Culture in California.

The appellation OF the New FL Dorado
which California gained twenty odd years
ago in the first excitement over the dis
coyeries of its extraordinary mineral
wealth, was not altogether undessrved.
Judging indeed, from the constant de
vclopmests of hitherto unknown resourc.
es, agricultural as well as mineral, there
are concentrated within its narrow bounds
pretty nearly all the blessings which na.
ture has scattered elsewhere throughout
the world. In fact it would seem TO be
a perfect paradise Tor agriculturists since
there is scarcely any known product Of
the soil that may not be proftsbly cult.
waited in California. As grain produc.
ing state its yield has already become SO
enormous as to have quite an important
bearing upon the prices Of grain through
out the country and Europe But there
is every reason to believe. notwithstand-
ing the value Of its grain product, that
the cultivation of fruit will ultimately cn.
ploy more OF the capital and labor ofthe
state. Already the cultivation OF grapes
for the manufacture of wine is largely
engaged in, and recent experiments havo
demonstrated that the manufacture Of
ralsins from the California grape is
still more profitable industry. A CORES
pondent OF the New York Tribune gives
some very interesting facts of this spe-
clal industry, and of the fruit culture OF
California IN general. lie has discover
ed that IN the cultivation Of grapes, the
manufacture of raisiDs is more remuner-
ativo than that Of wine, directly and in.
directly. The latter industry is indirect.
ly less profitable. owing to its almost in.
evtable accompaniment, constant tip.
ping, the temptation to excessive indu.
gencc being so great that few farmers
who engage in wine making are able to
resist. Besides the inducement to avoid
risk, the manufacture OF raisins is com.
mcnded because acre for acre more may
be realized by it For snecess in wine
making nothing will suffice but The skill
gained by long experience, whilst any In
dustrlous person who raises the right
kind of grapes may make raisins Eigh.
teen months ago raisin making was
scarcely heard Of, whilst now it is one Of
the established and most promising in.
dustries Of the state. At seven cents
pound for the product it is said to pay
very well. and one farmer disposed of no
less tnan 700 boxes last year. When
of good quality the native product brings
nearly as high price in the San Fran.
cisco market 40 the imported article.
Ono maker sold the whole Of his crop
last season at 81 per box Of 25 pounds,
Malagas of the same quality bringing at
the same time but 80 37I, The Malaga
and White. Muscat are tho grapes which
appear to make the best raislns and the
punches require from Is to % days Of
exposure in the sun, laid between the
vine rows, aud afterwards are laid out on
shelves In the raisin house for six weeks,
Thfss Thsa tbs 'hss} }gs. are ready to box /" other
chard of peaches and aprcots, which
bears this year its first crop, being men
toned, where 100 acres of the crop bret
$4,000 cash in gold, the buyer assuming
the rick Of rpenng and the expense OF
picking The cultivation Of cherries is
even more lucrative and that Of pnms no
less so, dried plums bringing 20 to 20
cents per pound at wholesale, and in
some cases command as high price rs
30 cents. Other fruits, the fig in partc.
ular, are even more productive, and it is
quite generally believed that when the
land comes into the hands Of small farm
ers, as it is now doing to some extent,
fruit culture will become the leading in.
terest Of California 81 Louis Rsp.H
can