Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-01-01

den, the farm, and the vineyard
There is nothing that eXcites the in
terest of the refined and cultivated
woman-maiden or house -wife-like e
the orange grove; ever green; always
in fruit or blossom; symmetrical in
shape, and commanding in size and
appearance; filling the air with deli
ciOus perfume; feasting the eye with
its beautiful contrast of deep green
leaf, snow white blossom, and beauti-
full golden fruit. The orange ORCH
ard is a thing of beauty and a joy
forever 1t has refined and soften
ing influence. 1t has permanency
and durability, and, so far, an extra
ordinary profit. An orange orch
ard must not be undertaken as a spe-
ciality by poor man, or man of
moderate means. 1t should he an in.
cident to the farm, garden orvineyard.
TO depend upon young orchard for a
living would try the purse and pa
tience of persons moderately
wealthy. / have never seen tree
bear in seven years from the seed. 1t
would be safer to place the period at
twelve.n
The Governor goes on to say: "The
farmer or stock raiser should plant
orange, lemon and lime trees. The
men and help they must necessarily
have can be occasionally called to do
all the work required, and not be
missed at the end of the year by any
consequent cost or neglect to other in
terest. Plows, harrows, cultivators
and carts are already possessed, and
the manure required to keep his orch
ard mellow and rich is close at hand.
The orange tree planted by the farmer,
his son, wife, daughter, will be watch
ed in all the progress of its growth to
fruitiOn with infinite pleasure. The
period of reaping the pecuniary re-
ward will soon roll round and then
the orchard will be lasting heritage.
The gentleman of wealth or of litera-
ry habits will find the same pleasure
in this pursuit, and it will prove a
most salutary relaxation from study
and care in those intervals devoted to
pruning and directing the size, SYM
metry and shape Of his pets, for such
they will prove to be. 1t will, l
trust, be found from the foregoing
that the cost of an orange orchard will
be mainly the individual effort put
forth and not the amount in coin that
has been expended, and if thus an
acre of land purchased at from $50 to
500, can be advanced to $1,000 value
in ten or twelve years, the investment
will pay better than any that can be
suggested, to say nothing of the per-
centage of pleasure and satisfaction
attending the process of develop
ment"
In 1874 the Assessor returned 10000
orange trees in this State of which
Los Angeles county had 81 700, San
Bernadino 10000, San Diego $3.50 and
Santa Barbara 1856. The number is
now considerably in excess of these
figures as new plantations are being
opened constantly, and the old ones
are steadily adding to their number.
The California orange is of excellent
flavor, has remarkable powers of pres
ervation, and the trees beal more lux
uriantly than in other sections of the
country. The trees are planted forty
to fifty to the acre, bear in twelve
years from the seed, and the yield OH
the average reaches 1000 to 5000 or
anges to the tree. At the low price
of $l.00 per 100 it will be seen an acre
will yield from S400 to $1,000 per an
mum. The nurseries are well supplied
with young trees and the capitalist
who does not desire to await the full
development from the seed, may pur-
chase them at any age from one II
eight years; and when transpIantel
these mature and bear in the regul.r
time. While it may not be that tne
orange will yield in the future sach
fabulous returns as at present, thete is
no doubt but the demand for this lus-
cious fruit will always be equal 10 the
supply, and it is impossible for prices
to sink below profitable figure.
THE LEMON
resembles the orange in many re-
spects, and is even more profitable.
The Sicily variety grown in this Sec
tion is unequaled in quality. 1t is
harder than the orange, but of slower
growth, not maturing till its sixteenth
year. AS this fruit bears all the year
round, it is difficult to ascertainI the
average yield per tree, but the pfofits
are enormous. There are instances of
trees yielding 500 per annum, And as
they stand sixty to eighty to tie acre,
the value of small lemon orchard can
be imagined.
THE LIME
was, for time, extensively cultiva-
ted. but is being neglected now for
more profitable fruits. like the lem
on, it is constant beartr and being
of small size, some 200 20 800 may be
planted on each acre.
THEoLNE
was introduced also BY the Missiona-
ries, and the trees planted by them 100
years ago are stiA flourishing. The
Assessor returnefin 1874 the number
of olive trees in ihe State as 1l,794, of
which San Lodis Obispo had 5000,
Santa Barbaa 2,066, Los Angeles
1000. 1t is az hardy tree, requiring
very little moisture and attaining a
great age. The fruit of the Califor-
MIA tree is Urge and of superior quail
ty, makingia splendid pickle and fine
oil. The crop is generally sure one.
TIE ENGLISH WALNUT