Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-12

of the Argonauts and grew up with the
country. His is the Oldest bearing orchard
ia the county, if not in the State. He has
one hundred apricot trees that are as Won
derful in the line of fruit trees for their size
as are the big trees of Mariposa among the
trees of the forest. These trees are thirty
wears old grow in dark, loamy soil, thirty
feet in hight, their limbs hanging to the
ground on all sides and their foliage is
thirty-six feet in diameter. The trees av-
erage from LOCO to 1.500 pounds of fruit
each, and some Of the largest produce IS
much as 1900 pounds This statement
seems almost incredible, but the writer can
vouch for its truth, havir g seen for himself.
The profits of his apricot crop IS worth sew
eral thousand dollars annually. The Sen
ator raises a large variety Of the most profit
able fruits in great abundance. His almond
orchard is the largest in the State, and ITS
annual profit is 500 per acre. For its size,
this IS one of the most profitable farms II
this section.
A PROFITABLE SMALL FARM.
At Mayhew's Station, few miles this
side OF the last farm described, is the ranch
OF Sacramentos Postmaster, Z. d. Steph-
ems. He owns 100 acres, 20 Of which IS IN
orchard and 90 in vineyard, all bearing.
His orchard consists of apricots, peaches,
plums and prunes in different and season.
able varieties. His most profitable p-ums
are the Peach, Purple Duane, Columbia,
Bradshaw, Yellow Egg Goiden-drop and
Green Gage. OF prunes, he has the French,
German, Fellenberg, Italian Gross, Hun
garian, etc OF peaches, his best varieties
are Briggs Early May, Hales Early Early
Crawford. Late Crawford, Stephens Cling
and Orange Cling. His most profitable
pears are the Bartlett and Winter Nellis.
IMMENSE SHIPMENTS.
The amount of fruit shipped from this
20 acres of orchard and 20 acres OF vine
yard last year was enormous - seventy
tons of table grapes and $50 tons of orchard
fruits. The latter produced FIVE tons to the
acre. This small place loaded 60 cars last
season for the Eastern market and gave
steady employment 10 50 or 60 men during
the entire fruit season.
The orchards and vineyards OF Mans
love, Camp, Wills, Weinstock Il LUbin
Mouton and Others, are similar in charac-
ter and productions.
EXTENSIVE HoP YARDS.
Not the least important among the crops
OF this section, and by far the most profit
able this season, is that Of hops. They are
haps go higher, and the producer can en-
gage all bis crop now at that price Among
the principal hop-yards to be seen en- route
to the Natoma vineyard by rail are the fol-
lowing, named in the order passed Mrs.
Conner Is acres, White 20 acres, Rooney
20 acres, Menke 60 acres, Mouton % acres,
Menke 20 acres, earle & Croly 30 acres.
These are only the yards lying immedi.
ately along the line of rail, and is only q
small portion of what is grown il this
section. 1t is estimated that the yield of
the yards named will be 1000 bales Of 200
pounds each, or 100000 pounds OF hops,
which at The present market price indicates
value of $4,000, nearly a quarter of a
million. Where can be found elsewhere
235 acres of land that will or can make a
better showing? Some years ago hops
sold for over 81 per pound, and then the
same Weld was worth $4,000. 1t is esti-
mated that Mr.. Menke off Of his three
yards. or 10 acres, will clear this season
over 800 900.
PROFIT N FRENCH PRCSEs.
Prune culture is destined to become one
Of the most profitable branches of horti-
culture in California. Considerable pro-
gress has already been made in Sacramento
county in the raising of French prunes, as
is evidenced By the success attained by
Senator Reuter- on his splendid fruit ranch
near the American river, about ten miles
from Sacramento city. It is claimed that
an eighty-acre orchard of French primes
,of the petite PRIME d iqen variety) will
yield a handsome fortune to any person in
ten years. If proper care be taken of the
trees, each viii yield about ten pounds OF
green fruit, and by the fifth year about sixty
pounds. This latter yield will be doubled the
following year, and from that time forward
each tree may be relied upon to yield from
40 to $50 pounds The drying process re-
CURES experience and care. Here in the
Sacramento valley prunes may De dried by
natural process in one weeks time, but IN
more humid climates artificial methods
must be used, entaiiing greater expense.
Each prune tree in full bearing
will yield a minimum of fifty
pounds of dried fruit. In 1888 Sena-
tor Reuter- dried no less than twenty
tons of French prunes from Geo trees, from
which he realized 81 eco. Even should the
price of dried French prunes be reduced 50
per cent. below present market rates, still
a ten-acre orchard would yield 300 per
annum. The cost OF such az orchard
would DE about as follows
Ten acres at 500 per 90
One thousand trees at Is cents APIECE. $50
Flowing :-................ .....-.............. p
Digging %
PIantlng trees. .
Cultivating. .
Second, third and fourth years, eultiyat
ing, LOO
Taxes four years. 50
Total cost four
The fifth year will yield 81 900, the sixth
$1,000. and the seventh 5000. Now, q
property yielding s. GOD a year is worth at
least S25, 0O0-a pretty good investment on
~, nr,tla,. of LOGS than Il 900