Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-18
IS Profit on PruneS.o


Yesterday we published extracts COL
lected by the Chino Champion from
various sources in this State showing the
enormous profits realized from the French
prune, a tree which thriyes and produces
abundantly in various parts of California.
For the past twelve years this has been a
very favorite production in Santa Clara
valley. Senator Routier has had marve-
lous success in growing this fruit on his
bottom lands adjoining the Ameri-
can river, some ten miles
from Sacramento. Last year he
dried twenty tons OF prunes from
six hundred trees-planted out one hun
dred to the acre-and realized $4,000 for
the crop. That is certainly very hand
some return. But even this return was
surpassed last year in Tulare county,
where MIR. B. G. Anderson received for
the product of his trees at the rate of
5000 per acre. He plants 10S trees to the
acre. Large as this return is, it is sur
passed by the sum realized by MIR. James
Loney, who has a two-acre orchard at
Pomona in this county. He sold the
crop for $500, or at the rate of $3.50
per acre.
The possibility of such returns as
these ought to induce our fruit growers
to turn their attention to the French
prune. Mr.. Routier strongly recommends
the selection Of bottom lands as the
best for the successful raising of this
fruit. He says that the trees must be
grated or budded on plum stock from
one to two years old, and set out at the
rate of one hundred trees to the acre.
Whilst Mr.. Routier may have found by
experience that in the American valley
the prune thrives best in bottom lands,
we have an instance here of a most
prodigous production of trees planted on
foot-hill soil. Mr.. Klaussen has a small
orchard of prunes on his place in the
Cahuenga foothills, and they are liter
ally groaning with their burden of fruit.
1t hangs from limbs that are entirely
covered with great berries, and which
have to be supported with strong poles.
This fact proves that prunes can be sue
cessfully grown in two kinds of lands, of
which we have unlimited quantities in
this county.
But in this county the successful
growth of the French prune is not con-
fined to either of the lands mentioned.
In the vicinity Of Anaheim it has been
grown for years and the most prolific and
luxuriant crops secured. The land there
is neither bottom nor mesa, but gener-
GUS soil partaking of the character of
both. We have not the slightest doubt
that the fruit can be successfully raised
on the mesas with small modicum OF
irrigation.
The dried French prune has the world
for market; and, as we have seen from
the experiences we have quoted, it is
about the best paying fruit crop that can
be raised. What is to prevent our far
mers and others from planting out prune
trees and participating in the bonanza
which this particular industry holds out
to them. Hundreds OF thousands of acres
are lying idle in this county, and avail
able to those who wish to enter upon this
most promising industry and become
rich. The man who purchases ten acres
and plants out one hundred prune trees
to the acre, will, according to Senator
Routier's experience, reduced to form
ula, realize $1,000 for his crop the fourth
year; $4,000 the fifth; and in ascend
ing ratio until the trees have reached
their full bearing growth, when they will
produce from 100000 to 100000 pounds