Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-02

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than 500 acres ore now cultivated in straw
berries, whereas there is market for the
product Of 10000 acres at fairly remuner-
alive prices. Raspberries do we'll here, as
experiment has shown, and pay well. |
Blackberries are not so profitable, still |
they can be dried as well as sold green, |
and will pay, while cherries have always |
made the grower splendid returns. This |
latter variety grows to the largest size |
here, and as it is early and yields immense
crops our fruit,growers have no cause to re-
greet having planted cherry trees. The
emily wonder is that there are not more of
them. Doubtless there soon will be, as
there seems to be no danger of over-pro-
duction of cherries, for the reason that
there are so may avenues through which
they may be disposed of. First, coming in
early they find good local market both
in Sacramento and San Francisco at good
prices; secondly, they are of the finest
quality for shipping, and many tons of
| them are sent out of the State daily dur
ing the.season; thirdly, the canneries will
| take all of certain varieties that can be
grown.
EARLH SUMMER FRUITS-PEACHES, APR
COTS, PEARS, PLUMs, ETC.
AS he finishes picking his early fruits
and collects the money for them, the Sac
rapento fruit-grower finds he must keep
right on with his early summer fruits, such
as apricots, plums, peaches, pears and
nectarines.
The first peaches are ready by the last
of May or the first of June. Apricots and
the early varieties of plums about the same
.time; and it is now that the fruit crop
proper is reached, and from May to Octo-
Der there is no cessation in fruit-picking,
and shipping. To mention all the varie-
ties of the above-named species that are
grown in this county would require as
much space as it is intended to devote to
| this entire article; so in passing We will
simply draw attention to few leading
points. Peaches are very largely Guilt
waited all over the county, but they reach
their greatest importance on the bottom
lands along the banks of the American,
| Consumes and Sacramento rivers. From
| these districts alone hundreds of tons of
fine, large, luscious peaches are marketed
during the season. When picking reaches
its height, no doubt as many as 800 tons
daily find market; but this heavy supply
only lasts a very few days.
Apricots ripen early, and while a linn
tied quantity are shipped in a green state,
the great bulk of this crop is either dried
or preserved in cans, for both of which
purposes it is unexcelled by any other
fruit. OF all the countries in the world,
California is the only one that has made
thorough success of the apricot. This
seems to be its natural home, and in Sacra-
mento county it reaches its very finest de-
velopment in size, flavor and productive
ness. With the entire world for mar
ket, apricot-growing cannot fail to become
a leading and profitable industry.
Pears are also a leading fruit. A large
number of varieties are grown, among
which may be named the Madeline, Blood
good, Dearborn Seeding, LIE Count, Beurre
Hardy, Seckel, Beurre Clargeau, B. Rose,
Winter Nellis, etc, but chief among all is
the world renowned California Bartlett
pear. This pear has been shipped in great
quantities from Sacramento city to every
city of any size in the United States, and
is as well known i'll New York, New Or
leans, Chicago and Minneapolis as in San
Francisco, or nearly so; hence a descrip-
ton of it here is unnecessary. Suffice it to
say that it embraces all the fine qualities
that can be named in pear. 1t grows on
the rich lands of the Sacramento river in
larger quantities and size than anywhere
else in the world. Needless to say it has
always been profitable in Sacramento
county. The writer knows of instances
where an acre of Bartlett pear trees have
never failed during the last ten years to
yield a net income of over $500 per annum.
and often as high as $500 or 81 900. These
orchards are within Il mile or two of Sac
ramento city, and can easily be found.
Plums are also very profitable. They
grow to a large size, and as they keep well
when properly handled, they are shipped
in vast quantities to the Eastern markets
every year. There are none like them in
quality of size and flavor Besides being
shipped green, they are sold to Gamers in
large lots and are dried in the sun. and sell
well in this way. Early in the summer
also apples of various kinds are shipped
from Sacramento to the States and Terri
tories west of the Missouri. Apple culture
has been neglected, but certain varieties
are very profitable, and should be ex
tensively cultivated. Nectarines do well.
but are not considered as profitable as
other fruits
FALL FRUITs-GRAPEs, PRUNEs, ETC.
+ In the fall fruits we have apples, pears,
grapes, ounces, prunes and peaches. Of
| these we will refer to only two grapes
and ounces, the others having been al
ready mentioned.
| Sacramento county is prominently the
lome of the grape While it is true that
! grapes do well all over the northern and
central part of California, yet it cannot be
| denied that on the red lands of the Sacra-
| Inento plains they reach their highest per-
faction. The table varieties include the
flaming Tokay, the Muscat, Black Prince.
| Morocco, Emperor, Cornischon, and some
| Others have already brought good prices
| for shipment to the East These grapes
| are profitable at SIS to $50 per ton, but
| hive usually sold at from $40 to $50 per
ton.
French or petite prunes are becoming
le;iding fruit. They are remarkably pro
llflc, and when cured, far excel in quality
the imported article and bring much
higher prices. While German prunes are
be ne sold in New York at and cents
pei.pound, our Sacramento grown French
primes readily bring 10 and u cents per
pound here for shipment East. The cult
ure of the prune is simple. They do well
IN my land that is suited for plums, and
there is no difficulty whatever to cure and
prepare them for market. Fortunes can
be made in this fruit beyond doubt.
Raisins are easily cured here, the weather
beulg very favorable, and no rains ever
interfere with the drying process.
THE CULTURE OF HOPS.
Daniel Flint, a leading hop-grower of
Sacramento, writes upon this subject: at
was early demonstrated that the soil and
climate of Sacramento county was unsur
passed1or hop culture. Here, and the only
place known, crop of from one to three
thousand pounds per acre can be grown the
first year the roots or sets are planted. 1t
Is common occurrence to grow two and
three Thousand pounds per acre, and in
some instances four Thousand pounds have
been growE, on an acre. We have no frosts |
to affect them when in dormant state il, |
the winter, Bo vermin to effect them during |
growth, and 40 rains to destaoy them d.,T1
ing the gathesing season.
81 We use the willow, madrana and red |
wood hop poles; also the wire trellis for |
training. Most of the picking is done by /
Cinnamon, few Indians and al the white 1