Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-19
THE FRUIT-GROWERs.
lcosr1surD FROM SECOND rAer.l

lcoNTINuEp FROM SECOND PAeE.l
cured (by artificial heat 1 expect to get 10
to Is cents per pound instead of 6, as now
Thus it will be seen that fig orchard,
properly managed, will prove a bonanza.
But to return to varieties. / would recon-
mend, for drying in the sun, the Pacific
White, White Ischia, Large Purple Tor CAL
ifornia Black.
THE WHITE ADRIATIc
Is also represented as drying well, though
l have not tried it. But when artificial
heat is to be used l think that no other fig,
certainly none that am familiar with, will
equal the San Pedro, both as to quality and
quantity, except, possibly. the Firdoni, or
White Adriatic, may equal it. But, as be-
fore stated, have not tested it. 1t is rec
commended very highly by others who have
tested it. There are several other varieties
which we cultivate that might be men
toned, bat believe it is a great mistake
for an orchardist to plant, in a market Or
chard long list of kinds. Plant only a
few leading kinds, known to be good, and
leave experimenting and testing to the nur-
seryman whose business, unfortunately, tits
to do the experimenting. Eversince have
been in the nursery business | have been
constantly, and still am, experimenting.
There is never season that do not have
long list of kinds on the test roll, and
hundreds of them prove utterly worthless
here, though many of them come highly
recommended from the East and Europe.
Hence, | repeat, plant but few varieties,
those only that are known 10 be good.
| PLANTING AND CARING FOR FIG ORCHARD.
The fig is long-lived and strong grow
| ing tree, and the trees should be planted
farther apart than most other fruit trees,
especially the stronger growing kinds.
| such as the Large Purple. Pacific white and
White Adriatic. The San Pedro and White
lschia are not strong growers, and conse-
quently might be planted closer, but even
they want plenty of room. / would recon-
mend planting fig trees from 26 to - feet
| apart. Then ill in with grapevines,
berries or some other fruit trees, such as
peaches, plums, prunes or ounces, some
| thing that can be taken out at the end of
ten or twelve years. or so soon as the fig
trees need all the room. Thus quick and
constant return eau be realed from all the
land. The fig and grape do well together,
and | should prefer filling in with grapes
to anything else. If the land is well adapted
to grape growing, the vines can remain in
the fig orchard fully as long, if not longer,
than most anything else; but would not
plant them too close to the tree. Then in
thinning out, take out those nearest the
| trees first; they need not all be taken out
| at once.
PRUNING THE TREES.
Most all trees do best if cut back heavily
when planted, but the fig is an exception
| to that rule. 1t does not need to be cut
back much, though it should be shortened
in some. 1t often has a mass of fine fiber
Gus, moss-like, roots; these should be
trimmed off, leaving only the large and
medium-sized roots All the bruised or
mutilated roots should be pared off, also;
then, if carefully planted it will grow. 1t
does seem strange TO advise the removing
of the fine fberous roots, but experience
has demonstrated that they do best de-
prived of these roots. After the tree is es-
tablished in the orchard it needs but lit
| tie pruning. except to give it shape,
until it gets to that age when it is grow
| ing but little and making but little
new wood; then it is a good idea to
head it back quite heavily. This renews
the tree and causes it to throw out large
amount of new wood that will bear large
crops of fine fruit. / had occasion three
years ago to head back an old tree quite
heavily; it threw out the first year large
number of new shoots two to three feet
much finer fruit than the other trees that
were not so headed back and it has con-
tinued ever since to bear much larger crops
and finer fruit than any of the other trees
that were not cut back, and they all had
equal advantages otherwise.
PACKING THE FRUIT FOR MARKET.
| think this part of the work should be
done by the dealer, who is supposed to be
prepared for it. In that case, the farmer
could take it out of his sweat-boxes and
market it in clean cotton sacks. though he
can if he pleaseS put it in suitable packages
for market himself The most convenient
package for the trade, in this country, is
neat, strong sugar-pine box made on pur
pose for figs. 1t is intended to hold twenty
pounds, but the figs must be pressed in
pretty solid to get in the twenty pounds.
The box is made very strong in order to
stand the heavy pressure. 1t is also made
very tight to make it impossible for
insects to get into the fruit. Figs thus
packed will keep good for years, and these
packages are convenient size, also, for
the merchant to retail from. The figs
should be hattened out and laid in nice,
neat tiers at both top and bottom of the
box. and also placed with some care and
regularity all through the boxes. If thus
placed, and then properly pressed, it will
add much to the appearance of the fruit,
and the price secured will well repay for
the trouble. Sometimes boxes are made
to hold only ten pounds and others to hold
thirty, forty and sixty; but the twenty
pound boxes are the most convenient. Mr..
Burnham, of Riverside, puts most of his
crop into small round hoop boxes, holding
q half to two pounds each. He says it
pays him TO do it. He tells me that he got
for his figs last season tput up in that shape
from 16 to "a cents Ter pound, and for some
in half-pound boxes he got q cents per
pound. AS this industry progresses
and develops system of uniform pack
ing will be established. Public attention
is being turned to the subject, and | think
it is destined to develop very rapidly, and
that in the near future it will be one of the
most prominent and best paying productive
industries ON this coast. Believing in and
hoping for its success, l am, very respect
fully, yours, ROBERT WILLIAMSON.
Sacramento, Cal, November Is, 1885,
BERRIES.
The following essays on berries are from
the pen of l. A. Wilcox, of Santa Clara:
RAsPBERRIEs.
Raspberries, like strawberries, have a
special value as food. Like strawberries
they are a special aid to digestion, besides
containing medicinal properties. About
fifteen or eighteen years ago | wrote as fol-
lows about this fruit for the Pacific Rural
Press:
Among raspberries the well-tried
Falstaff takes the lead. The Philadelphia
proves productive, though much inferior
in size, and has nothing in quality to re-
commend it. Kneyits Giant, from large
to very large, is of too dark leaden color
to be favorite and too soft to bear
transportation. Its flavor is peculiar, and
will suit some palates well, perhaps all
who cultivate taste for it. May do for
the amateur, but too imperfect in the i'm
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