The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-03-14
FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Oranges for all the World = Februar
Fruits at the Fair-What Melons too
Golden Pyramids "Our Bank Ae
count"-Queer Bouquets LIT Smells Lik
Vegetables !'-Citrons for Cake Every
thing Except Polar Bears.
REDLANDs, CAL, Feb. 20, 1889.
Editor Banner :-Slowly in these dull
times, compared with the flush times o.
year or two ago, do things move il
Redlands. Yet there was never yeaI
in which so many orange groves were
being started. A single individual Il
putting out three hundred acres to this
fruit, all in one tract. There are eighty
trees to the acres, and each tree costs in
the nursery from 81, so to So; so you see
this involves some outlay of capital.
Another man is setting out $50 acres,
and many other smaller tracts, in Red
lands, all together just about doubling
the area devoted TO this fruit. This in
dicates no lack of confidence IN the tu-
ture.
You ought to have seen the Citrus
Fair which closed at San Bernardino
last week. Unlike your horticultural
fairs, our are usually held in the winter
Though called CITRUS" word that
would strictly limit the exhibition to
plants and fruits of the orange family
oranges, lemons, lines, shaddocks and
citrons-there were plenty of other fresh
fruits displayed. observed a date
palm branch full of ripe dates, branch
of bananas, basket of huge Sharpless
strawberries, together with strawberry
plants in boxes, tull of clusters of berries
green and ripe, All these things we've
grown in the open air; we have little
Use for lighthouses here.
The things that surprised me most, in
this February fair, w,Te walermelOns
narily ripened except in summer.
Riverside made the largest exh bit, H.
it ought, being the al lest set lement.
This famous town will sell this sersGn
about a million dollars worth of oranges
Redlands was not far behind Riverside
IN her display, and made a splendid
showing of what few years will do.
The oranges in this fair were not dil
played upon plates,a dozen or so tOgeth
er; they W, re massed 10 banks and pyra
mids containing hundreds OF boxes. The
effect of thus messing the fruit is very
impressive, reminding he beholder that
oranges are not raised by the Il, Zen in
San Bernardino County, but by the car
load; and the blending of colors of the
different varie' les admits of fine artistic
effect. One lady showed in a pile, from
her orchard, hundred boxes of choice
Washington Navels, usually esteemed
the best variety and bringing the high
est price in the market,
There were many pretty devices to
display the sizls, shapes and COLI rs OF
fruit. Grafton had miniature bank in
the open door Of which lay an orange
and bunch of raisins, with the inscrip.
ton, Our Bank Account"
Among the golden fruit lay great
pile of rosy apples, and they bring
higher price Than tie product of your
Vermont orchards, though l acknowl
edge they are not 80 good apples.
observed some curious bouquets Of
natural fl ,wers. One was
made entirely Of dried pears, nectarines.
apricots, ETC., cut into the form of blUs-
SONS and faithfully representing their
colOrs. Another bouquet was made of
carved turnips and beets, and looked
80 inviting that an old lady marched up
and took good sniff at it, and then ex-
claimed with great surprise, "Why, il
smells just like vegetables ~
The citron of commerce, both fresh
and preserved, attracted some attention.
For my part, had never before seen a
citrOD though of course familiar enough
with citron melons, which are altogeth-
er different thing. The oitron looks
much like large elongated lemon, and
is easy to grow; but the curing of it is
difficult, which BCcounts for
he high price of the preserved fruit as
you buy it at your grocer's ready 10 be
put into wedding cake.
Young orange trees were there, in
boxes, that showed marvellous growth.
One was but three years from the seed,
and had then large ripe oranges on il.
Anothe. was but year old, but was
i've feet high and large enough to sci
cut.
Besides there were almonds, pecans,
olives and olive oil, prunes and
igs, golden honey in glass cases, all
Kinds of wines and brandy, gold quartz,
Ind silver rock paying $4,000 to The ton.
in ore, coal and other minerals. An
lppetzing array of marmalades and
yrups, preserves, pickles and jellies,
gave variety to the exhibit. And every
hing in the building was produced in
his single county of San Bernardino
IS there anything that this country does
lot raise Ice and snow we have,
plenty of it, upon our mountains in
,lain sight; but perhaps we may have
o draw line at polar bears.
Many of the visitors were from the .
Cast, but the larger part were iDhabit-
'nts of the county, who were quite as
much interested as strangers in seeing
he show; for few persons who live here ,
lave any conception of what is grown
n this region. A single ranch, however :
'aried its products, never comprises one
enth OF the flowers, fruits and vegeta
lies that flourish here; and you have to
20 to some general exhibit like this in
rider to learn something about South
I'm California.
One pleasing feature was the entrance
# seven hundred school childred in a
'ody, marshaled by their teachers. The
'oung people probably learned as much,
md certainly enjoyed as much, as il
hey had kept at their books, A. LIP,