Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-03
CALIFORNIA FRUITS.
[chicago Tribune, November ssd.l


New Orleans, and Eastern buyers concen-
trate in Chicago to make their purchases.
As in everything else, the Garden City
leads in the American fruit trade. Wash
ington Porter, of this city, has spent the
past six months in California, where his
firm have vast amounts invested in fruit in
vineyards and orchards. The gentleman
returned day or two ago, and last even
ing Tribune reporter had very interest
ing talk with MIN on the fruit question.
There IS no knowing, no approximating, y
said he, the Embarrassing abilities of
the great State of California. Its resources
in this regard are unlimited, and it offers
the widest field and the greatest and surest
return of any place in the world. Though
| fruit-raising there is in its infancy, ap-
prehend, from what l know, that already
over $40, 600, 900 are invested in that State
| in that industry. Vitieulture must become
one of its greatest industries and resources.
The wine-g grape raised in California pos.
sesses a bouquet and flavor excelled by
none in France, and the California wines
must, sooner or later. drive foreign i'm
portations from our markets. am not IN
the wine business, and have no interest In
it, hut facts are stubborn things, and Cali
fornia champagne and its red and other
wines are richer and purer than any of the
popular vintages imported from Europe"
Bat as TO general fruit prospects :"
said the reporter.
1.-THE FRUIT CROP"
Said Mr.. Porter, beverages well this year.
there is over 81, 600, 600 invested in this
| nr,tr off hn
palm for size, juiciness and flavor. There
is no telling how much the fruit crop
amounts to in the aggregate. II will take
on an average three pears TO the pound.
We pack them l20 pears to the box, which
weigh twenty poands net. One firm this
year have handled of the present crop 3d.
600 tons, and 5000 tons more have been
shipped to others cast of here. Ten
! thousand tons have been disposed of west
OF Denver and in the mountains, aud the
balance of the crop has been taken by the
canning companies. OF all the industries
connected with fruit.raisipg, think that
grapes, making wine, and raisins takes
$4,000, 900 of the entire capital invested
in fruit in the State A very small proper
ton of the grape crop is shipped away to
the East. 1t is made largely into wine,
and a small portion is made into raisins. 3"
"Does this industry promise well 2
eyes sir I believe that there are great
things to be expected as the results OF
raisin. making"
"Are California ,aisina equal to the
Malagas?''
81 say that the best of them are fully
equal to the best London layers. They
are prettier, cleaner, and more uniform.
OF course they dry what are termed dried
grapes, and which are known as cooking
raiains. But their flavor is more rich and
mellow, and those who are known as con-
nosseurs in this matter prefer the Cali
fornia to the Malaga London layer. But
why dwell. on raisins? California opens
the widest field on earth in this line. The
almond crop and English walnut crop
promise to be of great Importance in the
future, and they will largely figure in the
items of the products of this wonderful
State There are still other industries
coming to the front, and they must attract
attention. speak now of the drying and
curing of French and German prunes. For
several years growers have been expert.
menting and have at last succeeded in rais-
ing a fruit which is not only equal but
better than any which has yet come from
foreign ports. This is singular fact, and
really interesting one"
How does the relative cost compare
with the foreign fruit?'
"There is just where the trouble is at
present. Every thing in California thrives.
As soon as that State gets enough trees
planted and grown to bear the fruit, then
She can compete with the foreign goods.
These articles have been light, because o.
their excellent quality and comparative
scarcity, and the home demand has ex
ceeded the production. Now there are
more being raised, but this is a big country
and the demand for good goods is Away
fully equal to the supply. Another thing
is the dried, pitted plum. They are deli
cious luxury. Plums grow finer in Califor
, MIA than in any other place on Gods foot
stool. No one ever heard of an enemy tx
the plum in California. It grows there 81
large, SO fine and SO easily that there is NJ
end to the wealth that could be produced
, from this fruit alone
{" You speak like an enthusiast"
"No, sir, l speak from experience. One
of the greatest growing industries of Cali
fornia is it's fruit canning. A large trade ha'
been opened from there in these goods di
rectly to Europe The foreigner is tooth
some and epicurean fruit-buyer. Hi
: greatest liking falls upon the leading vari
! cites of Bartlett pears. He takes exceed
ingly well to apricots, green gage ant
, yellow.egg plums, and he
sMAcKs HIS LIPS
, Over California nectarines. He takes othel
canned fruits, but these form the staple.
, for expectation"
How about the orange crop?"
THAT industry, too, is in Its infancy
but promises well and opens up wide fiell
of profit. The orange country seems to Ii,
in the southern portion of the State, anc
at present mainly about Los Angeles.
! l travelled through this country just befor'
I left, and there was promise of fai
crop of oranges, lemons and lines"
How do the California oranges compare
in flavor with those of Louisiana and Flor
ida p
{ "The California orange comes in as tn
others go out. We are getting orange
now that are not quite ripe, and they are
> consequently, sour. These come from ia
: maica. Later on we get the Louisiana an
Florida fruit. The California comes last
but its flavor is not as fine as the frui
D raised in Florida, and the orange itself
not go large. The California orange woul
r be extensively sold here if the railroad
: would make freights low enough SO tina
they could compete with those from othe
places, such as Louisiana and Florida. Blu
!. that will have TO come in tine"
! At this stage the talk turned upon IL
sects, and Mr.. Porter said:
"The California wine grape has met &
4 enemy which must be routed. As indus
tries are developed and become successful
d it seems that nature commences to thro'
d obstacles in the way. The French pest
t the phylloxera, hss made its appearance j
, the wine-growing districts-not yet to an
a great extent, but enough to show that th
= pest exists. A State chronological Con
mission is now ferreting out the methods
Y be used in the
Y EXTIRPATIoN OF THE PEST,
!; And l sincerely hope that it will succeed
: Thus far only the wine-growing interest
q have been affected, but who knows wher
q the enemy will stop unless he is EXTERN
/ mated? Pear trees are affected by what
known as the scsle-louse. In certain POI
e tions of the State, where they have no
i, been interfered with, they have destroye
f trees in two or three years. A remedy ha
been found by washing the trees with
t strong solution of lye-water or coal. oil
l Then there is what is known as the Goblin
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