Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-29
CALIFORNIA FRUIT FIELDS.
A Visit to Some of the Farms on the
Sacramento River.

sen francisco ChFON1cte.
Between 90 and 120 tons of Bartlett
pears and peaches are shipped East
weekly from the Sacramento river valley,
according to the estimates of several of
the fruit raisers Of that section, and such
has been the average quantity for some
time. Both the pears and peaches are
picked green, neatly wrapped in white
paper and packed under the supervision
of agents of two Chicago wholesale
houses. Pears constitute the greatest
bulk of these large fruit shipments. The
Sacramento river valley has within the
past three years been improved more
rapidly than might be supposed by those
whom neither pleasure nor business
have called that way. Ranches have
been set out to fruit all along
the marrow belt on either side
of the river which lies between the
tide lands and the river. This is so much
the rule that there appears to be no lOcali-
ty within many miles of the mouth of the
Sacramento where fruit will grow that
orchards are not growing and thrifty.
The Sacramento waterway is less traV-
eled than Of old, and is about given over
to the exclusive freight and passenger
traffic of the mail-boats and the steamers
of the California Transportation Company.
Most of the ranchmen within 30 miles of
Collinsyille are interested, financially, to
a greater or less extent in the latter
named line, and four boats are kept run
ming daily up and down the river, picking
up great loads of fruit to discharge at the
jackson street wharf and carrying back
empty baskets and boxes. Although the
pilots complain that the river is cOntinu-
ally shOaling, they are enabled to make
numerous bank landings. They find their
way up in the dark, with no landmarks to
guide them except peculiarities of shape
in the fringe of trees beside the river
banks, which to an -unskilled eye are all
alike.
Most of the fruit-growing is confined to
the mainland, but there are seven fine
ranches on Grand Island along "Steam-
boat slough" More pears are shipped to
sacramento for Chicago than come this
way, but the case is different with peaches,
of which some days 10000 packages have
arrived. The Sacramento peaches are
larger and finer than those produced in
the famous fruit-grOwing regions of New
Jersey and Delaware, from which the
principal peach supply of New York is
obtained. The landing-place in this city
is the Jackson street wharf, which pre-
SCENTS a lively scene early in the morning
on the arrival of the fruit-bOats. The
California Transportation Company, in
which Messrs. Nelson, Anderson and Sol
RuayOn are principal owners, is running
seven boats regularly this season, namely,
the Pride of the River, Onward, Con-
stance, Reform, Relief, Pioneer and Sono-
ma, the latter being leased. Several
barges are also employed bringing down
grain.
Solomon Runyon has probably the
largest number of acres devoted eX-
clusively to fruit of any ranchman on the
Lower Sacramento-260 acres, divided in
to two ranches, of which the lower has 200
200. Dwight HOllister has 100 in orchard.
The Greens and others have very large
fruit ranches. The river is continually
zigzagged by the steamers on their pas
sages, so. near are the ranches together.
1t is not uncommon for six or sometimes
more landings to be made while coming
down. A white flag tlutterS on the river
bank; the steamer is headed for it. IN
der the shade of fine trees or under
matched sheds stand hundreds of baskets
of large and luscious peaches with red
cheeks. A Chinaman pretends to catch
the steamers line and misses it, but then
scrambes in the underbush, which is
providently put down in just the right
way to trip him, and finally secures alOOp
and places it over a stump; about a score
of deck-hands bring up the peaches,
two baskets at time, and the
boat is filled with fine fruity
flavor. A glimpse of an occasional fine
building or the presence of a group of la
dies lends variety to the scenery, which
otherwise might be less interesting. But
the chance observer cannot fail to notice
the business-like air of even the ladies
who come to the waters edge. Some of
them have books in which they keep strict
account of the fruit. Two cOmely wild
oWs run fruit ranches on the Sacramento
on their own judgment and means, and
arc reunited to be making a good thing of
it financially. The figures of production
this year from the Sacramento fruit
ranches promise to be very satisfactory
to all the owners. Prices have been fair,
the crop good, and the demand steady for
most of the season. One fruit grower
who was fortunate enough to have young
plum trees come into bearing this season
reaps harvest from the high prices Occa-
stoned by the general scarcity of this fruit.
Those who have had a light crop find in
the higher prices compensation for light
Xriald