The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-07-17
LETTER FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN FRANCISCO, July Bird, 1875.

LEI L San IhANClSCVs
SAN Francisco, July 3rd, 1875.
The culture of oranges in California is
beginning to assume large proportions.
This city alone last year consumed more
than ten millions. The State production
heretofore has not met the demand, and
large importations have been made from
Mexico, Central America, and the Sand
witch Islands. For this reason no ship
ments of California oranges are made to
the East at present, but in the near future
our orange growers will have overstocked
the home market and be compelled to seek
Eastern customers. BY reason of the dis
lance from New York they may not be
able to compete on the Atlantic coast with
Florida oranges, but can control the orange
trade of the West. There is great activity
displayed in setting out new groves in the
southern part of the State. Many persons
from the East are going into the business,
and find it more pleasant and profitable
than grain growing. The home production
may easily be doubled without over supply
ing the home market. For climatic reasons
one acre of suitable land in California will
produce as many oranges as five in Georgia
or Florida, and the land is held at less than
one fifth the price. Although the orange
does best under the tropical suns of South
ern California, yet it can be grown all over
the State with profit even where snow lies
in Winter. The valleys in the foothills
produce as fine fruit as the great valleys of
the interior. California oranges, like all
her other fruits, are unequalled for size
and flavor.
The orange is native of Asia, and may
well enjoy its reputation of being the golden
apple of the Hesperides. The variety raised
sweet orange. Here the trees are stronger,
bear more luXuriantly, the fruit lasts longer
on the tree, and is better adapted for ship
ment than the Florida or Havana. The
orange grove is a thing of beauty, and its
delicious fragrance intoxicates the senses.
The tree is an evergreen; and, aside from
its fruit, is one of the most symmetrical
and beautiful in the world. 1t grows about
twenty-five feet in height, and will cast a
shade some twenty feet in diameter and as
perfect in its circumference as the pencilng
Of a circle. The tree is usually raised from
the seed, but may be grated or raised from
the bud. 1t requires dry ground, which
must be kept moist, however, during the
| Summer season, and constant care until
after it is transplanted, which takes place
at the end of three years. 1t then pretty
much takes care of itself, and requires
water but four or five times during the dry
season. The tree commences bearing the
eighth year; and in six years more becomes
in full bearing ORDER and will yield from
| 1900 to 5000 oranges year. At the age
| of twenty it attains its full size. Probably
no fruit tree reaches a greater age. AT
San Gabriel there are a large number of
trees in full bearing ninety years old. A
| tree at Versailles has borne fruit annually
since 1881. The orange of California BIOS
SONS in the Spring and the fruit rpens in
December and January, and if not picked
will remain upon the tree for year. The
trees will yield from $50 to $40 worth OF
oranges annually each. Sixty trees per
acre is the usual number planted. One
man can attend to ten acres, except during
the picking season. 1t is thus seen that
each acre of orange grove will pay s., 600 a
year and over. Probably nowhere else OF
| VII oil
be exceeded. Yet some California orange
groves in exceptional years have produced
as high as $4,000 per acre. From five to
ten acres of orange land are all that is
needed to afford a good living, and in time,
with economy, to secure competence.
Many como here and think they must have
forty or eighty acres of fruit land, but they
soon discover that one fourth the quantity
is all they can well cultivate. The orange
orchard should not be undertaken as a
speciality by poor man or even one oil
moderate means. 1t should be an incident
to the farm, or vineyard. To depend upon
a young orange orchard for a living would
try the purse and patience of persons mod,
erately wealthy. Every family can raise
their own orange trees, and they can be
cared for at first by the women and children
There is nothing that more pleasantly ex,
cites the interest of the refined woman thar
the orange grove; ever green; always il
fruit or blossom; symmetrical in shape
and commanding in size and appearance
filling the air with DELICIOUS perfume; feast
ing the eye with it's beautiful contrast O
deep green leaf SNOWY white blossom, ant
golden fruit. OF all the fruits that are
grown in California there are none Sc
universally popular and profitable as the
orange. 5. Z.
rs The breakage of glass is to be diff
cult thing in future. On the authority o
DR.. c. w. Siemens, the electrician, W.
learn that a French gentleman farmer, o
an axpnrimentinp turn of mind has dis