Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-10
AGRICULTURAL.
III TIER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOE
TIE "REcoRD UNION
The First Annual State Horticultural Con.
vention-Its Objects and Pur-
poaes-Eotes-Etc

poses-Notes-Etc
A Convention has just closed its labors in
the capital OF the State which promises in its
results to be one Of the most important
assemblases ever convened in California. We
refer to the FIST annual State horticultural
Convention. That our readers may the better
understand the object and purposes of this
meeting Of practical horticulturists, we viii
go back for moment and recite some OF the
reasons which have brought it into existence
and some of the means by which It mas
been accomplished. The very first expert
ments in planting fruit trees IN TINS
State proved, to the quick and prac-
teal American mind, the rare adapta-
bility of the soil and climate OF Cali
fornia to fruit culture in all its many varia-
lions. The first peach trees planted came
into bearing as seedlings the second year from
the nit. Apple and pear trees began to pro-
duca as seedlings the third and fourth year
from the planting of the seed, and the second
year from the bud. The plum, apricot and
nectarine showed like precocity, and the
fruit from all was wonder to those who be-
held it, both as to size and beauty Of appear
ance, and the favor seemed to surpass that OF
all other countries.
As early as 1854 and 1855, when the settle
ment of the State was but four and five
years old. the reputation of the State for
its horticultural capacity was established
in the minds OF all who had given horticult-
ure any study in other countries, and who
had observed the first results of the expert
ments in this climate. AS early as 1860 we
could boast Of our ability to make fruit
display that would put to shame any display
that could be gotten together in any State
east of the Rocky Mountains. Very soon
after this fruit was more plentiful here than
in any other State in the Union, and prices
except at retail, fell down below the paying
figure. We had only home market for fruit,
and that market was glutted. Fruit was indeed
so plentiful that no one thought it worth while
to take any pains to preserve it hardly for
for family use beyond the immediate season
of ripening Our trees broke down under
Vic lUGGS ANAHhAC E4aSSR upon OAShI3 oAN
which man was too Indifferent to tighten BIZ
thinning out or by pruning. No insect pests
were known then, and our apples and pears.
peaches and plums, and in fact all kinds Of
fruit were as perfect in form and color and in
every other respect as Nature could make
them. Our fame as a fruit-preducing coun-
try was then unknown outside our own
State, except to few wide-awake horti-
culturists like Marshall P. Wilder and
e few of his genial associates, men,
bers Of the National Horticultural
Society. From 1860 up to 1869, though our
Eastern friends had heard wonderful tales of
our capacity for Embarrassing, they had no
adequate idea of the real facts in the case,
for the reason they had never seen with their
own eyes the wonders that had become fami-
liar to us. II 1869, however, at the invita-
tion of Mr. Wilder, as President of the Ma
tional horticultural Association, cur State
Agricultural Society undertook to send
samples of our fruits and grapes to the exhi-
bition of said Society, to be held in the city
of Richmond. Virginia. The samples sent
were carefully selected and packed and sent
by rail in care of a delegate from
our Society to such exhibition, and
they arrived in good condition and were ex-
hibited. The exhibition was the wonder OF
all observers was the feature of the national
fair, and did more than all that had been
done before to open the eyes OF our Eastern
friends to the realities of our fruit-growing
advantages. The completion of the Pacific
railroad the same year rendered possible the
opening up market for our fruits In the
Eastern cities, and about 800 tons of pears
and apples, plums and grapes, were that year
shipped over the road to that market. Some
shipments went through in good con-
dition, and some wers ruined Tor
want of proper packing and ventilation.
These actual realities, the evidences OF our
fruit productions, gave additional proofs that
what we had been claiming for our State was
really true-that for Horticulture she was
the modern Garden of Eden. But with the |
opening up of the overland communication by
rail, and the possible outlet for our fruits, |
came an evil as well as a good event. In TIE
same year that we saut our exhibition OF
fruit to be shown at the national exhibition
at Richmond we extended an invitation to
all the States East to make an exhibition Of
specimens Of their fruits at our State Fair,
and nearly every State from Massachusetts,
to Kansas responded to that invitation. The
result was that we had a grand opportunity
to compare our own fruits with the best sam
pies from all the Eastern country at our own
home exhibition. The immediate result
of this interchange Of exhibitions
was much 10 our favor. California
fruits were in demand at remunerative prices
from Chicago to Boston, and wherever they
could be put upon the market. Our first
pears sent East netted the shipper about ID
cents pound Foreign varieties of grapes
netted about 80 cents a pound, and Califor-
MIA Mission grapes Melted about ~ cents.
But with the good came also the evil effects
of our enterprise. The apples and pears that
were sent us for exhibition from the East
brought with them a hidden enemy that we
had not reckoned upon. The larvae OF the
codling moth was thus introduced among US.
While we were thus opening up market tor
our fruits we were introducing and nursing IN
our orchards pest that within few years be-
came SO formidable as to threaten the entire
destruction of the industry We were trying to
make remunerstive. Just eleven years from
the introduction of this little insect pest
into our orchards he had become so
numerous and Influential as to exert Cd IN
Auence in our legislative halls. This little
insect in fact caused the Introduction and
passage Of the horticultural law, the more
fully TO carry out the objects Of which
brought theH orticulturalC Convention together.
We invited this little joker among US, but
having become more thoroughly acquainted
with him we now invite him to leave US, and
State Convention is assembled to CONSIDER
the means of putting him out. Inc ConVen-
ton did all it could do under the circumstances.
II duOJleQ T6sOlUl4ODS anu NSAAA-AAN
tees to execute its viii, but the little enemy
is constantly taking It's sleep, carefully rolled
up in its little nest under the bark of our
apple, pear and ounce trees, and around
their roots and also in thousands OF hooks
and corners, about our fences, our barns and
houses. He has also taken up his residence
in every town and city in the State where
apples and pears or ounces have been stored,
or even carried temporarily for use. All the
old boxes that have been used for the trans
portation of fruit TO market, whether apples.
pears and ounces, or peaches, plums and
apricots, are also utilized by this little
Joker for a safe retreat from the
cold and storms of the winter.
In March and April or May next, according
to the season and locality, this little worm
will csme out Of his hiding place furnished
with wings to fly from tree to tree and from
fruit to fruit, to deposit its eggs, and thus
multiply its numbers by the hundred and cor
respondingly increase its powers OF destruc-
ton. the resolutions Of the Convention and
its executive committees Notwithstanding.
And right here We will say for the Conven-
ton a more resolute, earnest, intelligent and
determined set of men we have not seen as
sembled in the State. The discussion of the
subjects in hand bear US cut fully In giving
the men assembled this character. But we
saw. notwithstanding all this. the little enemy
we have spoken or, and all the little scale
bugs, red spiders and caterpillars, will pay no
i -rFt V lorrr