Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-08-08
SHIPMENTS OF ORANGES.
Where Oranges Go. How Many Go.
and How they Multiply in Cali
fornia.

-
The orange crop of Southern Califor-
MIA is steadily increasing in magnitude
and Importance. The crop last year was
Che largest ever produced, but it had
certain misfortunes that never before
prevailed. The weather was excep'
tionally cold. and the oranges that grew
on low land, where there was not good
under-drainage, were injured by the win
ter frosts, the first instance of the kind
that has occurred in the history Of the
city. These frosted oranges were wortL-
less and although they appeared fair
and large, their flavor and aroma were
destroyed. Such fruit was unfit for
use, and should have been destroyed.
Some unwise parties shipped portion
of their damaged fruit, which injured
the character OF California oranges.
The npland fruit was excellent, and sold
at good prices in all the Eastern
markets.
| By the generous action of the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company, in reducing
the rate of freight about thirty per cent,
our orchardists were enabled to ship o
vast amount of fruit at profit that
otherwise would have been left to decay.
During the six months between January
lst and July lst, 1888, tho oranges Of
Los Angeles were shipped to many mar
kets, to which they had never before
been sent This scattering abroad Of
our fruit, over so large an area, will in
sure good demand for the crop now
growing, which is not excessively large,
but will be very handsome.
The experience Of last winter should
teach our fruit growers not to plant
oranges, lemons or lines on low land
that is moist, or heavy soil. The area
for the best oranges is limited to warm,
porous sell, free from adobe or hardpan.
Ii only on such soil our oranges are
grown, the fruit will be fair and fine.
and command good price. We cannot
afford to raise poor fruit in California.
Land and labor are too valuable to be
trifed with by raising trash. Only the
best product pays in this country, and
pays well.
The number of oranges shipped by
S. P. R. r. from Southern California to
Arizona. New Mexico, Utah, Colorado,
and through points on the Missouri
River and east thereof, from January
lst, to July lst, 1888, amounted to 49,
450 boxes. By Wells, Fargo & Co.,
during the same time, estimated 20, 900
more, making in all Isl, ,45O boxes. con-
tanning 30, 200. 900 oranges
To this vast amount will be added
at least 10000, 900 more. shipped from
July lst to January ist, and at least
5000, 900 used up in local markets or
destroyed in orchards, making for the
crop, without counting those shipped by
the California Southern to San Diego,
45, ,000. 900 oranges. With the Others
raised in San Diego, San Buenaventura
and Santa Barbara, there were probably
so, 000. 900 oranges grown in the year
1882 and 1888, or one orange for every
man, woman and child in the United
States, including saints, sinners and the
Beecher family. For the crop now
growing the number will be slightly in
creased, on account of the large number
Of young trees that are now producing
for the first time. From this time on
ward the increase will be steady, proba-
bly, 10000 coo year until the limit of
profit is reached and passed. 1t will
thus be seen that the orange trade is
becoming very large--much larger than
Is generally supposed.
The present crop, if all put in boxes,
would require 25O, 900 boxes, and would
fill 700 freight cars at the rate of $50
boxes per car. II all the fruit were laid
in row it would reach one-twelfth the
distance round the earth. From pres
ent indications, the crop in California
will in few years be large enough to
girdle the earth with golden girdle of
| this roval fruit