Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-04
A REPRESENTATIVE ORCHARp.

A REPRESENTATIVE ORCHARp.
The Fruit Ranch of p. w. Butler of PEN
ryn Taken as a "Foothilr' Sample.
From the Placer Herald.
The fruit ranch of ?. w. Butler is an
admirable illustration of what can be ac-
complished in a few years by well-directed
effort and industry in developing the
capacity of Placer's soil This orchard
covers spur which makes out from the
eastern side of Boulder ridge in the
direction of Pine. Seven years ago this
land was covered with a thick growth of
oak, pine and chaparral, and was not con-
sidered good land. In fact the land in that
locality was thought to be poor, and hardly
worth the cost of clearing. 4 few orchards
had been started ON the more open and ac-
ceSslble lands lying in close proximity to
the town of Penryn, but their owners
failed to appreciate their value and devoted
but little time to their cultivation. They
peddled fruit a little-mined little when
the demand for labor was at an ebb st the
Penryn quarry. The ranch received the
least possible amount of attention and was
considered OF bur little account in ekipg
out 4 livelihood. This was the pre-
yailing opinion when Mr.. Butler
came into the neighborhood. He had
been an experienced fruit dealer and
brought with him a thoroughly prac-
teal knowledge of the fruit business. His
first care was to select land that possessed
the qualities necessary to the growing of
not only good, but tirst-class fruit. After
careful examination he located, and the
result has verified his wisdom in selecting
this land for his orchard. The hill slopes
IN an easterly, southerly and westerly di-
rection, has perfect drainage, and receives
the heat Of the sun the whole dav. The
soil is granite, mixed with vegetable mold,
and is strong and fertile. He purchased
eighty acres, and set to clearing and pre-
pairing for tree-plantlng The first tree
was cut seven years ago last fall, and to-
day trees and vines cover the whole eighty
acres. \ fine two-story residence occupies
the most commanding site on the hill,
whence fine view, miles in extent, is OBJ
talned. A wide carriage way winds its
graceful curves from the public road to
the house. Rare and beautiful trees line
the drive on either side. A lodge, octag-
onal in form, with cypress trees on the left
side of the entrance to the grounds. re-
minds the traveller Of the turret of an
English cathedral On every hand appear
evidences of taste and skill in arrangement.
Nothing is neglected or overlooked. A
perfect system that comprehends the least
details as well as the most important
particulars Of management prevails.
The owners quick eye is upon every one
Of his employees, and detects at once
any neglect on their part. Not an
apple, pear or plum, or any product of his
orchard goes to waste. Economy of time
and labor is practieed in every stage of
the process Of growing, preparing and car
rying the fruit TO market. Every appli-
ance known to a successful fruit grower is
brought into use and made to work for sue
cess Seventy acres are devoted TO fruit.
and ten acres to grapes. Peach trees form
the larger part of the orchard, and the
representatives Of every good variety are
found in it. Peaches that ripen early, in
midsummer and in autumn, are seen in
this forest of peach trees. Cherry, plum
and fig, apricot, olive and orange are
numerous, and the japanese persimmon
ab0unds. There are 1000 trees in the
orchard; of this number $3.50 are peach
trees, embracing the following varieties;
Early Alexander, Hale, Crawford. Sus-
quehanna, the late Crawford, Slillson.
Billion, Foster and Salway. These belong
to the free-stone family. Then there are
the Barter, Albrecht, the late Georgia,
the Mitchell, belonging to the cling
family; besides the white free-stone and
the white cling. As one instance of the
profit arising from peach-growing, can be
given Mr.. Buffers statement of what he
made on his early Alexanders this season.
He has l40 trees Of this variety in bear
ing. lie sold the product OF these trees
Tor $1,000. The expense of pruning. cul-
tiyating, watering, picking and taking to
market was Sl50, leaving the snug sum.
$3.50, as the net proceeds The average
price received for his cherries was 81 20
per box. His peach trees are so arranged
as to varieties that they will keep him
picking continually until late in October.
They are set out in passes, that is. each
kind Is planted by itself. The trees of
some varieties are set out Is feet apart
and others - feet apart. The trees are
large, healthy and loaded with fruit, and
such is their growth that the branches
OF many interlace with those of their
next neighbors The branches. though
heavily loaded, do not break. This is one
Of the secrets of Mr.. Buffers method of
pruning. He not only sells his fruit in
the green state but sells it dried. A force
of seven or eight men is employed large
portion of the season in drying the fruit.
We saw piles of the fruit that had been
dried this season, and it compared favor
ably with that exhibited at the State Fair
last year. The vineyard is set to Muscat
grapes. These will be replaced with trees
shortly. Although an attempt has been
made TO give an idea of the extent of the
fruit business conducted by Mr. Butler, it
is but an attempt, as the time was too short
at our visit to the orchard to gather the
hundred details that, though of little i'm
portanee by themselves, have, taken to-
gether, an important bearing on fruit cul-
ture and its successful prosecution. The
facts have been given in the hope that the
man who reads this article will be encour.
aged bv Its perusal, OF, what is better, that
he will go and see this orchard, and learn
the lesson that il teaches